State Programs
State Summary 2010 — Missouri
State Contact
Ms. Diane Olson
Missouri Farm Bureau Federation
P.O. Box 658
Jefferson City, MO 65102
P: 573.893.1414
F: 573.893.1793
E: dolson@mofb.com
Website
Classroom Resources
WebQuest K-12 - www.mofb.org/webquest New webquest developed in 2010 Animal Care-5-7 Animal Agriculture Issues 8-12
Major Program Accomplishments or Outputs
Agricultural WebQuests are the top priority for MO AITC. This on-line resource couples technology skills and agricultural literacy. Teacher-created units contain streaming videos; photographs; approved agricultural links; evaluation rubrics and teacher pages. Currently 52 lessons are posted. Each is aligned to the Missouri Show Me Standards and National Learning Standards. Grade Level Expectations have now been added to assist teachers. Five webquest for English Language Learners (ELL) are available as are virtual fieldtrips. They are online at www.mofb.org/webquest.
Google Analytics Dashboard reports 87,779 hits with 247,642 pages viewed in 2010. Exhibiting at statewide teacher events including the MO Association of School Librarians promotes the resource to educators and pre-service educators. These venues provided over 4000 contacts.
Teacher in-service and pre-service workshops qualifying for Professional Development continue. Topics provide accurate portrayals of agriculture and ideas for infusing agricultural concepts into the curriculum.
Dent and Texas Counties hosted over 700 4th grade students during a Farm Day event providing hands-on experiences in agriculture.
$7500 in mini-grants was awarded to teachers providing assistance with resources, consumables and field trips to provide accurate agricultural messages to students.
County Farm Bureau volunteers provide program support for schools in their respective counties. These include field days, classroom resource persons, materials for classroom use and organizing teacher workshops.
Partnerships provide opportunities to multiply efforts. Venues including the American Royal, St. Louis Science Center, Missouri State Fair, Kansas City AgriBusiness Council, FFA, Sigma Alpha, St. Louis Agriculture Business Club and Agriculture Leaders of Tomorrow promote agricultural literacy to a variety of audience.
Major Program Impacts or Outcomes
76% of educators participating in workshops, in-service or pre-service education have utilized some of the materials within their classroom.
75% of the teachers/librarians introduced to the webquest program indicate they have visited the website and will utilize the program to enhance student learning.
93% of the teachers in the pre-service workshops indicate they have visited the website and will plan to utilize the materials and develop teaching units for use in the classroom.
79% of 4th grade teachers utilized agricultural concepts in their study of Missouri.
84% of the teachers participating in the Farm Day Programs in Dent and Texas Counties indicated they utilized the agricultural message pre/post within their classroom.
41% of schools across Missouri have linked their school page to the webquest site.
Biosketch
B.S. Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
M.S. from University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
Additional post-graduate studies at the University of MO
11/1/1985-Present-Director of Promotion and Education for Missouri Farm Bureau Federation
1969-1985-University of Missouri Extension Child and Family Development Specialist
11/1/1985-Present Missouri Agriculture in the Classroom State Contact
1997-1998 President-Elect of the National Agriculture in the Classroom Consortium
1998-1999 President of the National Agriculture in the Classroom Consortium