AATA Outstanding Post-Secondary Education Award Application
Dr. Edward A. Franklin
AATA OUTSTANDING POST-SECONDARY EDUCATOR AWARD APPLICATION
OVERVIEW
The mission of the Department of Agricultural Education at the University of Arizona is serving a
diverse population through teaching, application, integration, and discovery in agriculture, education,
and applied science and technology leading our graduates to successful careers in agricultural education
and agriculture-related businesses and industries. Students in the Department have the opportunity to
complete a degree program in Agricultural Education, Agricultural Technology Management, or
Leadership & Communication.
The core of the Agricultural Technology Management (AGTM) program consists of four (4)
technical laboratory courses offered at the Agricultural Technology Education Center (ATEC) at the UA
Campus Agricultural Center. All of the AGTM courses consist of one hour lecture and six hours of
laboratory instruction per week. This is designed to engage students in hands-on learning activities
which serve to promote learning and retention. All AGTM laboratory courses have a maximum
enrollment of 24 students. This provides opportunities for individual and small group instruction, and
promotes effective student-faculty interaction.
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Learning and retention of educational material takes place when there is a hands-on
component. When the psychomotor domain of learning is included, students can make a stronger
connection to information presented during a lecture. I continue to be amazed when I hear students
from other departments talk about learning about a subject in a lecture, but did not have a laboratory
experience. How does one learn four-stroke engine theory when there is no opportunity to apply the
theory?
Learning is continuous. Effective instructors strive to continually improve the delivery of course
material. This involves tweaking the method of presentation, the questions we ask, the points to be
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AATA Outstanding Post-Secondary Education Award Application
Dr. Edward A. Franklin
made, and striving to update the instructional curriculum to accommodate the differences in
experiences of the students we engage. Yesterday’s students came to the university with production
agriculture backgrounds and vocational agriculture experience. Today’s student has little to no
production agriculture background and little or no Career and Technical Education (CTE) training. This
presents a challenge of meeting the needs of all students in the course. We need to gauge where our
students are (knowledge and skills) so we can best serve their needs.
As technology continues to improve and production agriculture practices evolve, it is critical for
the agricultural educator to engage in professional development opportunities to transfer new
knowledge and skills to students in our programs. Engaging industry members to develop partnerships
results in updated information obtained and shared to better prepare our students.
INSTRUCTION
I have included a list of improvements/additions that have been made to our Agriculture
Technology Management (AGTM) program curriculum in recent years. Utilizing support from the UA
Green Fund, we have been able to create new learning experiences. We recently acquired a LincolnElectric VRTEX 360 Welding Simulator to help prepare students for shielded metal arc welding (SMAW)
and gas metal arc welding (GMAW). The simulator is used to prepare students before entering the lab
and has aided in our effort to reduce the amount of materials used for welding practice. Additionally,
students in our AGTM course engaged in small group activity fabricating laboratory photovoltaic (PV)
teaching stations.
Within the AGTM courses, the following concepts/activities have been introduced to engage our
students:

Rainwater harvesting systems including a PV-powered pumping & irrigation system

Photovoltaic concepts to enhance alternative energy instruction

Powder-coating process as an alternative to metal project finishing
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AATA Outstanding Post-Secondary Education Award Application
Dr. Edward A. Franklin

Automated Plasma Cutting process for cutting and fabricating metal projects

Engagement of UA students in CDE- related activities and to promote team work, problemencourage solving, and service to the community.
I have the responsibility of instructing the pre-service agricultural education course (AED 460/560
Instructional Material Development) for our senior agricultural education students preparing for their
spring 13-week field experience. To better prepare our future teachers for their student teaching
experience, I have moved to include the following activities:

Inviting a Miler Welding rep to provide single-day GTAW instruction and hands-on experience. We
call it “A Taste of Tig”. Recognizing not every student teacher may actually teach GTAW in their
career, but to expose student teachers to the process and to connect with a person in the welding
industry is important in their preparation process.

Training with an ECHO small engine maintenance technician to gain experience in performing
troubleshooting skills working with two-stroke engines. Once again, exposure to a process and
networking with industry.

Conducting field trips to meet and visit with agriculture teachers, and tour their specialized teaching
facilities (livestock land laboratory, agricultural fabrication laboratory, animal health care
laboratory).

Fabricating lab teaching materials such as visual display boards, electrical wiring boards, plasma
cutting & powder coating projects. To add to the agriculture mechanics’ instructional skill set of the
student teacher.

Having pre-service student teachers volunteer to assist with CDE’s at Midwinter Conference to
exposes them to a different set of CDE activities than are conducted at the University of Arizona.
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AATA Outstanding Post-Secondary Education Award Application
Dr. Edward A. Franklin
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Providing UA students with opportunities to gain hands-on experiences is critical to student learning
success. The following are a few of the activities we undertake to engage our students to prepare for
career success.

State Agriculture Mechanics Career Development Event - University of Arizona AED and AGTM
students enrolled in AGTM course select a skill area, or problem solving area, and team activity;
students set up the activity and skill areas in the facility, register contestants onsite, serve as
group leaders, score skill activities, and participate in on-site tabulations and result reporting.

William ‘Chase’ Foster Memorial Ag Power & Machinery Skills Event - For the past four years,
we have offered this event for high school agriculture students to participate. This activity is an
opportunity for AED and AGTM student to plan an event, set up classes, develop problem
solving activities, fabricate awards, serve as judges, conduct tabulations, report and announce
results, present awards.

Project Imuris - Travel to town of Imuris, in Sonora, Mexico to have AED 460/560 pre-service
students teachers conduct microteaching experience of classroom hydroponic systems to
students and faculty at a preparatory school (CBETA); tour the local area to learn of the culture
and brief history.

Secondary Program Facility Tour - Provide our pre-service student teachers with an opportunity
to tour select secondary program facilities in Arizona and visit with instructors, face-to-face to
discuss teaching philosophy, challenges of teaching, and managing specialized facilities such as a
livestock land laboratory, agricultural mechanics fabrication facility, green house facility, and
animal health care teaching facility.
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AATA Outstanding Post-Secondary Education Award Application
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Dr. Edward A. Franklin
Kayenta Experience – We have received funding to have our student teacher cohort travel to
Monument Valley HS in fall 2014 to present renewable energy lessons to agriculture students,
and learn about the Navajo Indian culture.
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

National FFA Organization - Serve on the National FFA Agriculture Technology & Mechanical
Systems Career Development Event (CDE) Committee. For last three years, I have served in the
role of Event Superintendent, providing leadership to the Committee and directing the
development, coordination, and conduct of skill area activities.

Pima County 4-H - Provide opportunities for UA students to assist with livestock judging
activities by handling the contestant registration and tabulations for UA livestock judging camps
and the Pima County Fair 4-H and FFA Livestock Judging event. I assisted with Pima County 4-H
Welding project meetings, by demonstrating the use of the VRTEX 360 welding simulator and
providing opportunity for 4-H member to practice their welding skill development. I served as a
judge of 4-H welding projects at the 2014 Pima County Fair.
PARTNERSHIPS
We have been successful in working with companies such as Rain-Bird, Briggs & Stratton, Echo,
Miller Welding, Lincoln-Electric, Solar Energy International, and John Deere. These groups have shared
their expertise and support through donations of equipment or supplies, provided equipment on shortterm loan, accommodated student tours, made in-class presentations & demonstrations, and/or
provided training for instructors.

Cooperative Extension - Tabulations for 4-H & FFA Livestock Judging Contest at Pima County
Fair; Served as judge for 4-H welding projects and tractor restoration projects at Pima County
Fair.
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AATA Outstanding Post-Secondary Education Award Application
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Dr. Edward A. Franklin
Briggs & Stratton Company - Donation of overhead valve and L-head small gas engines, and
three-cylinder diesel engines for laboratory instruction and student training.

Solar Energy International (SEI) - Host PV101 Grid-Direct training workshop

Echo Equipment - Hands-on training for AGTM students

Lincoln- Electric and Miller Welding - Provide equipment for welding skills area of Agriculture
Mechanics CDE; Provide equipment and instruction for AED student teachers to gain hands-on
experience.

AZACTE - Host welding instructors summer training workshop at our Ag Technology Education
Center for the past three years.

Houston Stock Show & Rodeo Ag Mechanics Project - Served as invited judge of constructed ag
mechanics projects.

USDA - Outreach & Assistance Grant targeting underserved farmers and ranchers in Arizona
(2012-present); Western SARE Grant (2014-16) for providing solar energy education training for
Arizona Cooperative Extension Agents and Specialists.
MARKETING
Marketing our degree program includes conducting events and activities which bring potential
students to our facilities. During the spring semester, we host two events targeting high school
agriculture students. The first event is our annual Agriculture Mechanics Career Development Event
(CDE). We host up to 100 contestants from 25 high schools in this national-qualifying skills event. Our
second activity is the William ‘Chase’ Foster Memorial Agriculture Power & Machinery Skills Event.
This activity serves as another avenue to invite secondary agriculture education students to our UA
Campus Agriculture Center facility and focuses on testing student knowledge and skills in safely
operating agriculture power equipment.
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AATA Outstanding Post-Secondary Education Award Application
Dr. Edward A. Franklin
Since acquiring an automated plasma arc cutting system, we have engaged in making custom
metal cut-out projects to promote agriculture and the University of Arizona. Our cut-outs have been
donated to such organizations as Arizona Cooperative Extension, Pima County 4-H, College of
Agriculture & Life Sciences (CALS), and Arizona FFA Foundation.
Recently, I have been successful in obtaining multiple grants to provide financial support to fund
our efforts to improve our instructional program.

UA Green Fund Committee - A combination of four (4) annual grants and two (2) mini-grants for
projects including the construction of a biodiesel demonstration trailer, a virtual welding
simulator, installation of a complex rainwater harvesting system, energy-efficient laboratory
lighting, a welding water recycling/conservation system, and materials and supplies for the drip
irrigation Team Activity for the annual 2014 State Agriculture Mechanics CDE.

Lincoln-Electric Equipment Grant – We received a Power Wave 3000c multi-processor welding
machine from Lincoln-Electric to update our inventory of welding equipment.

O’Brien Diversity Grant – Recently, I was awarded a $4,000.00 grant to support our effort to
take our student teacher class to Kayenta, AZ to conduct a renewable energy micro-teaching
experience for students at Monument Valley HS for this fall semester. The grand funds travel,
lodging, meals, and materials.

UA Faculty/Student Interaction Grant – Funding was obtained to support the Project Imuris
International Microteaching activity with our AED 460 student teacher preparation
PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
Effective educators strive to update their knowledge and skills of the subject matter presented to
students. Here are examples of activities I have engaged in to learn new knowledge, improve my skills,
and create new learning opportunities for my students:
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AATA Outstanding Post-Secondary Education Award Application
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Dr. Edward A. Franklin
CERET Train the Trainer Academy – In 2013, I had the opportunity to participate in the CERET
Train the Trainer Academy in Golden, Colorado. The focus of the week-long workshop was
working with biofuels. In July 2014, I will continue to participate with this professional
development program and travel to Paonia, Colorado to participate in an Advanced PV Train the
Trainer academy conducted at Solar Energy International (SEI).

Solar Energy International – In 2012, I started my professional growth in solar energy
participating in a grid-direct photovoltaic system workshop. Since then, I have completed four
different PV online and hands-on training workshops and seminars with SEI including an
advanced grid-direct PV workshop, a PV system trouble-shooting workshop, and most recently a
battery-based PV system workshop. In June, I will travel to SEI in Paonia to participate in a weeklong hands-on battery-based system workshop.

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo - In March 2014, I served as a judge of agricultural mechanics
projects exhibited by Texas FFA members at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. The event
featured over 400 student entries which were evaluated by nearly 100 invited judges. My
responsibilities included evaluating the documentation for the Restored Tractor Projects
Division (37 entries), and as part of the team assigned to evaluate and score the class of
bumper-pulled specialty trailers. Evaluation of the 21 entries included interviews with the
student exhibitors, evaluation of project documentation, and quality and craftsmanship of the
actual projects. Additionally, I served on the jury to select the Grand and Reserve Grand
Champion Projects.

Iowa State University Ag Mechanics CDE – Invited to serve as an electrical wiring judge for the
state Agriculture Mechanics Career Development Event.

CASE Institute – Invited to participate in process to identify agriculture power curriculum topics
for the CASE Institute.
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