WHITLOWE R. GREEN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Doctoral Defense Announcement
ABSTRACT
PERCEPTIONS OF AGRICULTURE PROFESSIONALS ON THE VALUE OF SPECIFIC
NON-COGNITIVE SKILLS RELATED TO EARLY SUCCESS IN THE AGRICULTURE
INDUSTRY
DANIELLE Y. HAIRSTON GREEN
B.S., Penn State University, 1997
M.A., Penn State University, 2010
Dissertation Chair: Lucian Yates, III, Ph.D.
ABSTRACT
Colleges and universities across the country are charged with preparing college students
for leadership and career opportunities within various industries all over the world, including that
of agriculture (Agriculture Future of America and Millenium Research, Inc., 2009). The
agriculture industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, having the greatest
impact on the health and sustainability of our planet and as a result of its growth there are many
career opportunities awaiting our college graduates. However, the agriculture industry has
realized that recent college of agriculture graduates are lacking key non-cognitive skills (soft
skills) that are believed to be integral, not only to supporting the vision and mission of the
growing industry, but also to support the career growth of the college graduates (American
Association for Agriculture Education, 2012). Today, more than 40% of the earth’s surface is
used for agriculture and only a small portion of the remaining land is suitable for growing crops
(Pimentel & Wilson, n.d.). The world needs to produce more food than ever before, while
conserving the limited resources we have available. Identifying future industry leaders will be
critical in supporting these efforts and will require innovation, creativity, and cooperation of
farmers, companies, governments, citizens, and most importantly universities (Goecker, Gregory
Smith, Smith, & Goetz, 2010).
The primary purpose of this research was to determine what current leaders in
agriculture, who have graduated from or employed at a Land Grant Institution, perceive to be the
value of specific non-cognitive skills (soft skills) among college of agriculture graduates who are
pursuing careers within the agriculture industry. The researcher assessed the perceptions of
current agricultural leaders regarding the value of identified non-cognitive skills (soft skills),
their self-perceived competence of those skills, and explored the platforms which were available
to them that was instrumental in the successful development of those skills.
The purposeful sampling consisted of leaders who represented various sectors of the
agriculture industry, including education, non-profit organizations, extension, corporate, and
government entities. The criterion sampling included participants who have been in their chosen
profession for not less than one year prior to the interviews. The sample selection was generated
from a list of industry leaders, retrieved from various industry websites, who have supported
Land Grant institutions’ colleges of agriculture through assisting students in identifying and
obtaining internships, achieving post-graduation employment, and student mentoring as well as
those industry leaders who may have provided short and long term funding for agriculture
academic programming and scholarships.
Data collection in this phenomenological study consisted of a combination of multiple indepth participant interviews and, observations, as well as a review of documents, and audiovisual
materials (i.e. LinkedIn professional profiles, syllabi, and magazine articles profiling various
leaders). The researcher used audio recording, as well as memoing and observation during the
interviews. In addition, the researcher gathered information from several agriculture industry job
postings that highlighted the core skill prerequisites needed for positions within the agriculture
industry.
This study, which focused on agriculture leaders lived experience and exploring their
perception of soft skills that are critical to industry success, was guided by the following research
questions:
1. What non-cognitive skills does the agriculture industry value within the workforce?
2. What are the perceptions of current industry leaders regarding the preparedness of
current graduates of colleges of agriculture?
3. What are the non-cognitive skills current agriculture leaders possess?
4. What were the various platforms available to support agriculture leaders in gaining
knowledge of leadership and non-cognitive skill development upon matriculating
from their respective Land Grant institution?
The purposeful sampling was used to allow the researcher a rich insight and in depth
understanding about the phenomenon under investigation (Fraenkel, Wallen, & Hyun, 2012). In
order for the participant to be eligible for this study they must meet the following criterion: 1.
Must be in your career for not less than one year prior to the interview; 2. Agriculture Industry
leader or person of influence; and 3. Graduated from or employed at a land grant institution.
The following five major themes emerged from the respondents: communication skills,
interpersonal skills, actions or behavior, knowledge, and personal traits. Content analysis,
relational analysis and discourse analysis were used as strategies of qualitative data analysis as
an effective approach to receive valid results.
The research design for this study was a qualitative phenomenological single case study
design which explored the perceptions of selected agriculture professionals on the value of
specific non cognitive skills related to early success in the agriculture industry. The study was
conducted between the months of July 2015 and October 2015.
References
Agriculture Future of America and Millenium Research, Inc. (2009). Future leader
preparedeness study. Minneapolis: Millenium, inc.
American Association for Agriculture Education. (2012). Sufficient scientific and professional
workfroce that addresses the challenges of the 21st century. AAAE.
Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2012). How to design and evaluate research in
education. New York: McGraw Hill.
Goecker, A. D., Gregory Smith, P., Smith, E., & Goetz, R. (2010). Employment opportunities for
college graduates in food, renewale energy, and the environment. Purdue University.
West Lafayette: Purdue University. Retrieved November 14, 2015, from
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/usdaemployeeop.pdf
Pimentel, D., & Wilson, A. (n.d.). World Popuulation, Agriculture, and Malnutrition. Retrieved
from Worldwatch Institute : http://www.worldwatch.org/node/554
Date: __December 4, 2015
Department: Educational Leadership and Counseling
Time: __11:00 AM_____________
Location/Room: _Delco 220
Dissertation Chair: Lucian Yates, III, Ph.D._
Dissertation Committee Members: Pamela T. Barber-Freeman, Ph.D.
Pamela R. Minigan-Finley, Ph.D.
William H. Parker, Ed.D
Samuel S. Sampson, Ph.D.