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In this new decade of the twenty-first century, research reports the same concerns about agricultural literacy in primary and high school students globally. A systematic review of agricultural literacy studies published between 2000 and 2020 which assess the agricultural literacy of the target population; evaluated an agricultural education program or curriculum; or developed instruments to measure agricultural literacy was conducted. The review method followed an internationally recognized protocol for selecting, screening, analyzing, and reporting outcomes. Results found that definitions of agricultural literacy have evolved from an awareness to a measure of a deeper understanding developed throughout the years of formal schooling by both formal and informal education and experiences. Informal agricultural knowledge may be gained through numerous sources and misconceptions are apparent even among those with informal familial knowledge networks. Developing agricultural literacy in school-aged children through formal education is critical. Recommendations offer innovative ways of developing agriculturally literate young people that can be used to design, deliver and evaluate programs which aim to increase the agricultural literacy of primary and secondary students across the globe.

This paper aims to explore the structure of agricultural industry school partnerships (ISPs) by applying Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory to partnerships delivered in Gippsland, Australia. Agricultural ISPs are one potential setting for industry-relevant learning and career education to occur. This may assist in alleviating agricultural workforce shortages and addressing educational issues related to student career outcomes. A mixed methods case study methodology was employed, with data analyzed through frequency counts and Braun and Clarke's method of thematic analysis. Surveys (n = 111) and semi-structured interviews (n = 57 pre-participation, n = 68 post-participation) were used with educators (n = 56) and industry participants (n = 62) from ISPs delivered through CQUniversity Australia's Raising Aspirations in Careers and Education—Gippsland project from 2021–2023. This research finds that the agricultural ISPs studied function as interdependent ecological systems. The facilitator played a crucial role in delivering the ISPs, including connecting educators and industry partners. The study is limited by the number of agricultural ISPs explored and by only collecting data from two stakeholders within the system. However, these findings contribute to a greater understanding of the complex structure of agricultural ISPs, which can help those creating ISPs to consider and understand all stakeholders' needs. Exploring ISPs as ecological systems also provides a lens to approach research improving similar educational practices. Further research could deepen our understanding of these systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is a significant contributor to the global economy and critical for future food and fibre production. To maximise the industry efficiencies and improve sustainability, a knowledgeable workforce is essential. Today's school-aged youth will be the next generation agriculture workforce. However, there is concern that today's youth are more detached from agriculture than ever before, viewing the industry as an unattractive career prospect and possessing low levels of agricultural literacy. Using a qualitative approach, this research presents the results from an open-response survey item asking Australian primary and secondary students to 'list three words you think of when you hear the word 'agriculture''. Focus groups with Australian primary and secondary teachers were also conducted to explore these findings. Overall, students appear to have what can be described as a conventional understanding of agriculture as it relates to traditional farming, particularly animal production. However, students appeared to have a lower level of understanding and perception of the industry in less-traditional settings, including modern careers and the technologies involved. Improved agricultural education in Australia, including both formal and informal programs on possible career paths and technology adoption in the industry is recommended to support knowledge development of the modern sector to attract the next generation workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology Mandatory (Tech Mandatory) is a compulsory subject for New South Wales (NSW) Stage 4 students and aims to engage students in production and design activities applicable to Agriculture and Food Technologies (AFT), Digital Technologies (DT), Engineered Systems and Material Technologies. The GPS Cows Module, an agricultural education module focused on livestock and Global Positioning System (GPS) livestock data, was co-designed by the NSW Department of Education and CQUniversity Australia. Teachers had previously expressed concern about being able to successfully teach some content of the Tech Mandatory curriculum's AFT and DT components. Accordingly, the GPS Cows Module focused on livestock production and using digital solutions to address real-world problems. To introduce teachers to the GPS Cows Module and increase Module uptake, several one-day professional learning workshops were run in 2018 and 2019 across NSW, Australia. A post-workshop survey was used to evaluate the GPS Cows Module and the suitability of content related to AFT and DT learning outcomes. Participants agreed or strongly agreed that the Module content would address some of the AFT (92.8% combined) and DT (95.5% combined) outcomes of the curriculum. Over 72% of participants felt their students would find GPS Cows engaging and were excited to teach the Module. However, there were some barriers to implementation including perceptions of student ability, access to technology, teacher confidence and time. Overall, the GPS Cows Module comprises of high-quality content to address some of the AFT and DT outcomes of the Tech Mandatory curriculum. Additionally, it reinforces the importance of authentic data, real-life case studies, and a variety of accompanying resources to effectively implement into a teaching program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australian Government has prioritized science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in recent years to ensure that the country has an adequate future workforce. The agriculture industry is a major employer with a diverse range of occupations heavily focused on STEM. Many students do not realize the career opportunities in the sector, which is currently facing severe workforce shortages. Industry school partnerships (ISPs) have been identified as one creative model to improve students' knowledge of an industry and aspirations for associated careers. Whilst ISPs have been implemented in the STEM context, limited research understands how industry organizations are involved in, influence, and interconnect with ISPs. Australia's Rural Research and Development Corporations (RRDCs) are legislated agricultural industry bodies and were selected to investigate due to the value ISPs could provide to this STEM-focused industry with workforce shortages. This qualitative case study analyzed data from the most current RRDC strategic and annual operating plans as of 27 July 2023 and semi-structured interviews with an employee(s) in a position relevant to student education of all 15 RRDCs in 2022. The key findings were that ISPs were considered part of the solution to address industry sustainability, though RRDCs were commonly only informally involved. Collaboration between industry partners, facilitators, and teachers at strategic and management levels and across commodities was essential. RRDCs were found to be strongly connected to ISP ecosystems through their role in research and development. We argue that RRDCs are positioned as essential stakeholders with the scope to improve agricultural ISP ecosystems as part of their role in driving agricultural innovation. These findings support the application of ecological systems theory to agricultural ISPs and help us to understand these structures. This paper aims to help those creating ISPs to consider and understand all stakeholders, including industry bodies, to deliver quality future partnerships that benefit both STEM sectors and primary and secondary student education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores teacher perceptions of agriculture and the subsequent influence of these perceptions on student career pursual in the sector. This quantitative study used a post-workshop survey to evaluate 185 Technology Mandatory teachers' knowledge, experience and perceptions of the agricultural sector. Participant's connection to agriculture was related to their childhood and current school locations. Childhood upbringing in a town or rural setting also impacted participants having an agriculture-related qualification, the likelihood of encouraging students to consider a career in agriculture, and an increased understanding of the job opportunities in the sector. This study highlights the importance of direct experiences with agriculture to increase teacher knowledge and perception of the sector and to encourage agriculture as a potential career for students, particularly if a teacher's childhood or school location is in a major city. The findings of this research provide preliminary evidence that formative learning experiences, exposure and education has an impact on perceptions of agriculture and these in turn are associated with teacher endorsement of careers in this area to their students. There are limited studies that highlight the current perceptions of teachers in Australia about agriculture as a career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Genetic improvement in the cattle production industry is a driver of productive, economic and sustainable improvements. Farmers have genetic tools that make it easier for them to make decisions considering their social and productive reality. Although there are new techniques and tools to improve livestock genetics, and despite efforts to promote their use through agricultural extension, there is still a gap between the creation of these tools and their actual use by livestock farmers. This review was conducted to understand how genetic improvement tools in livestock production are being promoted globally. Most studies carried out surveys or interviews with farmers and stakeholders on both social and productive topics. Although social factors are known to affect whether these improvements are adopted or not, the use of social theories to understand this is still in its incipient. More research is needed to understand how to successfully promote the use of these genetic tools in specific productive regions. In the cattle industry, tools for genetic improvement play a crucial role in animal selection. The changing circumstances faced by farmers and the significant part agricultural extension plays in these changes must be considered. Despite progress in genetic selection tools and the push for their adoption through extension services, a disconnect persists between the development of new strategies and tools for genetic improvement and their adoption by livestock farmers. This systematic review is designed to globally investigate the methodology and outcomes of extension research aimed at advancing genetic improvement in beef cattle. Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, a search was conducted across four databases for studies published from January 2012 to June 2023. Twenty-one articles were selected and reviewed. The research design in the articles predominantly employed mixed methods, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative approaches. While social factors are acknowledged as influencers in the adoption process, the application of theories or frameworks from social sciences is still in its early stages. To successfully implement extension activities that promote the use of genetic tools in cattle for a specific production region, more participatory research is required where farmers are actively involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]