Owl Pellets: Tips for Ag Teachers

Is it wrong to feel hesitant about using AI in agricultural education? In the fourth episode of our Season 12 AI mini-series, It’s Not Wrong to Be Hesitant, hosts Brian Myers, Becky Haddad, and Mike Retallick explore the concerns, questions, and values shaping how educators respond to artificial intelligence. From protecting student learning and critical thinking to questioning the costs and benefits of AI, this conversation encourages teachers to reflect on what matters most before embracing or rejecting new technologies. Tune in for a thoughtful discussion about why hesitation can be an important part of making informed decisions about AI in education.

Can AI help students become better welders without replacing the judgment and craftsmanship that make them skilled professionals? In the third episode of our Season 12 AI mini-series, AI in the Shop: Feedback, Skill, and Judgment, Alex Stocker joins us to explore how artificial intelligence can support student feedback and technical skill development in agricultural education. From providing faster feedback to helping students evaluate their own performance, this conversation examines how teachers can balance technology, efficiency, and hands-on learning while keeping professional judgment and craftsmanship at the center. Tune in for practical insights on using AI to strengthen learning in the shop

What if AI could help students ask better questions instead of simply giving them answers? In the second episode of our Season 12 AI mini-series, AI as a Thinking Partner: Inquiry, Not Answers, Jeremy Hall joins us to explore how artificial intelligence can support student curiosity, inquiry, and agriscience fair project development. Discover how teachers can use AI to encourage deeper thinking while helping students develop the knowledge and judgment needed to evaluate and refine ideas. Tune in for practical insights on making AI a thinking partner rather than a shortcut to learning!

What problem are we really trying to solve with AI in agricultural education? In the first episode of our Season 12 mini-series, AI Isn’t the Point: What Problem Are We Trying to Solve?, hosts Brian Myers, Becky Haddad, and Mike Retallick explore how artificial intelligence is changing education and what these changes mean for ag teachers and students. From managing teaching responsibilities to preparing students for a technology-driven world, this conversation challenges educators to look beyond AI tools and focus on what truly matters in teaching and learning. Tune in as we kick off this exciting mini-series!

How can ag teachers continue creating meaningful opportunities for students without sacrificing all their time and energy? In this episode, Finding Your Margin: Turning Noble Sacrifice into Sustainable Teaching, Tiffany Marzolino joins us to discuss teacher margin-the balance between the load teachers carry and the power and resources they have to manage it. Tune in for practical ideas on setting boundaries, navigating busy seasons, redefining success, and building support systems that make great teaching more sustainable.

Authors: Tiffany A. Marzolino, Aaron J. McKim, Catlin M. Goodwin, and R. Bud McKendree

How can ag teachers make STEM feel less like an add-on and more like a natural part of agricultural education? In this episode, Pulling STEM into Ag: Systems Thinking That Teachers Can Use Next Week, we explore how systems thinking can help teachers connect science, technology, engineering, and math through authentic AFNR challenges. Tune in for practical ideas for connecting classroom/lab instruction, FFA, and SAE while making integrated STEM manageable, relevant, and applicable to students’ everyday lives.

Article: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/16/2/253?utm_source=researchgate.net&utm_medium=article

Authors: Neil A. Knobloch, Christopher J. Eck, Aaron J. McKim, and Hui-Hui Wang

Can a little friendly competition make a big difference in the ag classroom? In this episode, Friendly Rivalry, Real Learning: Making Classroom Competition Work, Joe Ramstad joins us to explore how SBAE teachers can use competition to increase student engagement, check understanding, and support learning. Tune in for practical ideas for keeping competition fun, fair, low-stakes, and focused on what students are actually learning.

Article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/3303/2543

Authors: Joe Ramstad and Scott Smalley

What really prepares ag teachers to lead safe, engaging, and effective hands-on learning in the lab? In this episode, Planting Confidence in the Lab: What Really Prepares Ag Teachers, we explore how mentorship, industry experience, teacher preparation, professional development, and real-world experiences shape teachers’ confidence and readiness for laboratory instruction. Tune in for practical ideas for strengthening lab skills, building support systems, and creating meaningful hands-on learning experiences regardless of your program’s resources.

Article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/3303/2543

Authors: Kevin Sanders, Mark Hainline, Scott Smalley, and Joe Ramstad

What helps ag teachers turn what they know into teaching that actually works for their students? In this episode, From Research to Barn Floor: Building PCK That Works Next Week, Jenny E. Bennett and colleagues explore how agricultural educators develop pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) through experience, professional development, relationships, and their teaching environments. Tune in for practical ideas on building confidence, using your professional network, adapting curriculum, and turning everyday classroom constraints into better learning opportunities.

Article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/3218/2514

Authors: Jenny E. Bennett, Aryn Baxter, Kellie J. Enns, and Nathan Clark

In this episode of Owl Pellets: Tips for Ag Teachers, Brian Myers, Becky Haddad, and Mike Retallick sit down with Jason Dossett to discuss his research, Conceptualizing Curriculum Planning: Analyzing Agricultural Educators' Instructional Planning Processes. Whether you're a first-year teacher building your first lesson plans or a veteran educator looking to refine your planning process, this episode offers research-based strategies that can help you create meaningful learning experiences while navigating the everyday realities of agricultural education.

Research Article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/3284/2524

Authors: Jason Dossett, Sadie Hundemer, R. G. (Tre) Easterly III, and J. C. Bunch