About

Jack Elliot, Ph.D., is a professor in the Texas A&M Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications (ALEC), where he has served two terms as Department Head. His leadership efforts included initiating advisory committees that helped raise resources for facilities such as an agricultural mechanics building and a video production laboratory, as well as scholarships. Currently, he serves as the Regional Director for Africa for the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture & Development. His academic background includes a B.S. in Agricultural Education from Washington State University, an M.A. in Agricultural Economics from Washington State University, and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Education from The Ohio State University. His areas of expertise focus on sustainable international agricultural development, with particular emphasis on community-based participatory approaches, empowering women, and educating youth. Prior to his academic career, Jack and his wife Maureen were dryland grain farmers and cattle ranchers in Belt, Montana, and he continued a custom harvesting business for 17 years. His professional contributions include serving as president of the International Association for Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE), where he was also the first journal editor, and participating in the USAID Higher Education Learning Network Steering Group. His research and publications address topics such as agricultural extension in developing countries, needs assessment models for agricultural education, and methods of teaching agriculture.

Research topics

• Sociology
• Social Science
• Computer Science
• Psychology
• Psychotherapist
• Communication
• Business
• Epistemology
• Programming language
• Marketing
• Mathematics education
• Management
• Social psychology
• Economics
• Geography
• Pedagogy

Selected publications

• Go on a Wild GooseChase

  NACTA Journal · 2025-07-02

  articleOpen access

  N/A for Teaching Tip

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Narrative Inquiry Exploring Young Adults in Production Agriculture Story of Hard Work

  Journal of Agricultural Education · 2024-12-31

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Higher education educators are transitioning to more student-centered learning approaches, including designing educational material and actively teaching. Further, young adults ages 18-26 typically make up higher education classrooms. Young adults in higher education are at a fundamental phase where they make decisions that affect their education and career. More specifically, young adults with a background in production agriculture can be at a crossroads when it comes to returning to the agricultural operation or determining different career paths. There is a sizeable research emphasis on the stress, work-life balance, and mental health of owners or operators of agricultural operations. However, there is very little research regarding the impact working and living in the agricultural operation has on the children or young adults of the farmers or ranchers. This study uses a qualitative narrative inquiry approach to examine young adults who grew up in production agriculture and their relation to hard work. Story episodes served as the unit of analysis, where the story episodes occur within the small stories of each participant that then live within the meganarrative. The meganarrative describes how young adults feel pressure to return to the agricultural operation, may feel guilty for leaving, and have poor work-life balance. However, above all, they have a deep sense of appreciation for production agriculture and their work ethic gained from working on the farm or ranch. Higher education educators can use this information when designing education material. Further, this information is helpful for agricultural industry with topics such as succession planning.

  PublisherDOI

• The Impact of Long-Term International Experiences on Career and Technical Educators: A Phenomenological Examination of the International Agricultural Education Fellowship Program

  Career and Technical Education Research · 2024-12-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  In 2020, the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture and Development established the International Agricultural Education Fellowship Program (IAEFP) funded by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service. The IAEFP provided an opportunity for nine fellows to live in Ghana and implement the school-based agricultural education system, originally based on the vocational agricultural education model from the 1917 Smith Hughes Act. A phenomenological qualitative approach examined the impact of a 10-month international fellowship experience on the fellows and their perceived impact on the rural communities they served from 2021-2022. This study examined the participants' cultural awareness, agricultural enhancement, and professional formation as a result of participating in a long-term international experience. Through analysis, six themes emerged including programmatic adjustments, international development, challenges, personal and professional growth, and personal positivity's. Recommendations from results include for future like-programs to provide intentional and timely training to match context, increase host community and school communication, use reflection and mental health services, carefully outline emergency protocols to participants, adapt participants' roles and responsibilities to match location, and ensure programmatic location sustainability.

  PublisherDOI

• Work In Progress: A Scoping Review of Social Network Analysis Methods in Engineering Education

  2024-11-06 · 1 citations

  reviewOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Art and Science of Teaching Agriculture: Four Keys to Dynamic Learning

  Virginia Tech Publishing eBooks · 2023 · 5 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Computer Science
  • Mathematics education
  • Computer Science

  <br><b><i>The Art and Science of Teaching Agriculture: Four Keys to Dynamic Learning</i></b> is a 240-page methods of teaching book. Specifically, it is a collection of thoughts, best practices, strategies, and techniques for planning, delivering, and assessing teaching and learning. This resource is assembled from among the best teaching professors in agricultural communication, education, and leadership in America. The authors offer the opportunity to build confidence in planning, delivering, and assessing the depths of the variables inherent in learning for secondary and postsecondary educators in both formal and nonformal educational environments. You will quickly grasp the four fundamental keys of solid, basic, time-tested formal and nonformal teaching: Laying the Foundation, Connecting with Students, Designing Instruction, and Applying Learning. These keys are shared with you through the unique voices of the authors to provide a multiperspective approach to teaching. <b>Are you reviewing or adopting this book for a course?</b> <br>Please help us understand your use by filling out <b><a href="https://bit.ly/teachagriculture_interest">this form</a></b>. <b>How to access this book</b> <br>The main landing page for this book is <b><a href="https://doi.org/10.21061/teachagriculture">https://doi.org/10.21061/teachagriculture</a></b>. <br>The open textbook is freely available <b>online</b> in multiple formats, including: PDF, ePub, and <b><a href="https://pressbooks.lib.vt.edu/teachagriculture">Pressbooks</a></b>. <br>A paperback print version (in color) is <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Art-Science-Teaching-Agriculture-Learning/dp/1957213663">available for order here</a></b>. <b>ISBNs</b> <br>ISBN (PDF): 978-1-957213-71-2 <br>ISBN (Pressbooks): 978-1-957213-72-9 <br>ISBN (EPUB): 978-1-957213-70-5 <br>ISBN (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Art-Science-Teaching-Agriculture-Learning/dp/1957213663">print</a>): 978-1-957213-66-8 <br><b>Table of contents</b> <br><b>Key #1: Laying the Foundation</b> <br> 1. The Discipline of Agricultural Education <br> 2. Psychology of Learning <br> 3. Principles of Teaching and Learning <br><b>Key#2: Connecting with Students</b> <br> 4. Learning as Problem Solving <br> 5. Inclusive Teaching <br> 6. Dynamics of Teaching <br><b>Key #3: Designing Instruction</b> <br> 7. Planning for Effective Instruction <br> 8. Delivering Content With Technology <br> 9. Assessing Agricultural Education <br><b>Key #4: Applying Learning</b> <br> 10. Applied Leadership Development through FFA <br> 11. Supervised Agricultural Experiences <br> 12. Effective Use of the Agriculture Laboratory Environment to Support Student Learning <br><b>About the editors</b> <br><i>M. Susie Whittington</i> <br>M. Susie Whittington, Ph.D. is a Distinguished Professor of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and Executive Director of the Second-Year Transformational Experience Program at the Ohio State University. She was the first woman inducted as a Fellow in the American Association for Agricultural Education. <i>Rick D. Rudd</i> <br>Rick D. Rudd, PhD, is the Community Viability Chair of Excellence and Professor of Agricultural and Extension Education (ALCE) at Virginia Tech. Rudd served as ALCE Department Head from August 2006–July 2019. He served as Interim Associate Dean and Director of Virginia Cooperative Extension and Professor in 2009–2010. He received his PhD from Virginia Tech in 1994. He earned his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the Ohio State University. <i>Jack Elliot</i> <br>Jack Elliot, PhD, is the Regional Director for Africa for the Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture and Development. He serves on the USAID Higher Education Learning Network Steering Committee and leads the Council of Research and Evidence (CORE). He is a professor in the Texas A&M Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications (ALEC) where he served two terms as the Department Head. Elliot received his BS and MS in Agricultural Education and Agricultural Economics from Washington State University. He earned his PhD in Agricultural Education from the Ohio State University. He was awarded the FFA National VIP Award in 2023. <b>Project support</b> <br>Support for editorial work, graphic design, accessibility, publication assistance, and project management was provided by the Open Education Initiative of the University Libraries at Virginia Tech. <b>Suggested citation</b> <br>Whittington, M. Susie, Rick Rudd, and Jack Elliot, ed. (2023). <i>The Art and Science of Teaching Agriculture: Four Keys to Dynamic Learning</i>. Blacksburg: Virginia Tech Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education. <a href="https://doi.org/10.21061/teachagriculture">https://doi.org/10.21061/teachagriculture</a>. Licensed with <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/deed.en">CC BY NC 4.0</a>. <b><a href="https://bit.ly/teachagriculture_errata">View errata</a> | <a href="https://bit.ly/teachagriculture_errors">Report an error</a></b> <b>Accessibility</b> <br>Virginia Tech is committed to making its publications accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The Open Education Initiative is committed to continuous improvement regarding accessibility. The text, images, headings, and links in the PDF and HTML versions of this text are tagged structurally and include alternative text, which allows for machine readability. Please contact openeducation@vt.edu if you are a person with a disability and have suggestions to make this book more accessible. <b>Illustration and cover design</b>: Kindred Grey

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Going the Distance: Examining the Impact of a Long-Term International Fellowship

  Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education · 2023-04-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  AgriCorps, an American organization, created a fellowship program to connect agricultural professionals to school-based agricultural education in developing countries. Previous scholars researched the impacts of international experiences on learners, usually through the lens of short-term study abroad. This study seeks to examine the impact of long-term international fellowship experiences in education and provide recommendations for future like-programs by analyzing the experiences of previous AgriCorps fellows. Fellows lived and taught school-based agricultural education in a community in Ghana or Liberia. Eighteen previous AgriCorps fellows participated in a semi-structured interview through a virtual meeting platform. The interviews were used to collect data on fellows’ experiences and perceptions. Through our analysis, 12 themes and 64 sub themes emerged. The initial themes include 1) growth after fellowship, 2) thoughts on AgriCorps post experience, 3) challenges, 4) AgriCorps responsibility, 5) discrimination, 6) enjoyed the culture, 7) reflection, 8) developed development philosophy, 9) adjusting to fellowship life, 10) engaging community, 11), language and 12) relationships built. With recommendations to provide language training, have established protocols for sexual harassment and health emergencies, ensure access to mental health and reflection resources, and assist participants in adapting back into home country culture.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Case of Contradictions: How Prolonged Engagement, Reflexive Journaling, and Observations can Contradict Qualitative Methods

  International Journal of Qualitative Methods · 2023 · 26 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Sociology
  • Computer Science
  • Psychology

  Interviews and focus groups are common methods for conducting qualitative research. They provide in-depth descriptions of a phenomenon by listening to and analyzing participants' words. Yet, when a researcher immerses themself in an environment for a prolonged period participants are able to act and think naturalistically rather than in a formal interview setting. Prolonged engagement allows the researcher to blend into the participants' environment, therefore increasing the likelihood that the activities that occur in the presence of the researcher do not differ from the activities that occur without the researcher present. This prolonged interaction can provide more in-depth data including observations and address questions of credibility, rather than only conducting an interview or focus group. However, the observations can also bring forward contradictions participants display that differ from the interview or focus group conversation. By spending 3 months in Ghana with the International Agricultural Education Fellowship Program conducting monitoring and evaluation efforts, using a mixed-methods approach, contradictions arose from observations and reflexive journaling that would not have been found without the prolonged engagement. The purpose of this study is to provide methodological insight by examining how contradictions from interviews and focus groups arise when the researcher is immersed in the participants' environment and highlight the importance of prolonged engagement, observations, and reflexive journaling to qualitative credibility.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• It’s Who We Are: New Approaches, Supported by Evidence

  Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education · 2022-01-31

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  This issue poses the question, “Where do we go from here?” Agricultural and extension educators are well equipped to grow, reimagine, and improve our work. First, we go to our foundational training and educational background and apply those key principles in a new contextual setting. 1) Although we never left the country, we built a virtual study abroad using Kolb’s model (1984) of experiential learning to incorporate all four phases into our VHIE teaching and learning process. 2) Creating the SPS Policy Framework for Africa introduced our team to the Continental SPS Committee, which provided credibility to conduct two virtual 4-day participatory workshops to initiate the strategic plans for food safety and plant health. 3) When we addressed the impact of COVID-19 in Africa, we employed the most fundamental, important, and effective educational attribute, caring. 4) Conference attendance improved during the pandemic. However, agricultural and extension educators don’t view virtual meetings as a replacement for in-person meetings. 5) Students who have intercultural competence are in high demand. Lewin's Theory of Planned Change explains the virtual student exchange rapid growth phenomena. The increase in students of color and low SES within intercultural competency programs is a welcome benefit. The problems that COVID-19 brought upon the globe challenged our educational, extension, and outreach systems. I observed that agricultural and extension educators utilized their foundational delivery background and talents to adjust quickly to the contextual COVID-19 pandemic world. We grew, reimagined, and improved our delivery and outreach because that is who we are.

  PublisherDOI

• Applying a Needs Assessment Model for Improving Agricultural Education in Guinea

  Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education · 2020 · 1 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Sociology
  • Social Science
  • Business

  Extension education is considered an essential component of improving agricultural sustainability by diffusing innovations that increase crop yield and alleviate poverty in Guinea, Africa. To accomplish learning outcomes, extension agents must be confident and competent in their instructional abilities. This is achieved by self-evaluation of their training needs. The objective of this quantitative research was to conduct a needs assessment with leaders of the Farmer-to-Farmer educational program to identify their training needs. A purposive sample of thirteen higher-education leaders of the Farmer-to-Farmer program were asked to identify their educational needs and prioritize items contributing to the knowledge gap following their participation in a ten-day training. The Borich Needs Assessment Model was used to calculate the mean weighted discrepancy score (MWDS) of all items. The top five content areas with the greatest reported needs were: Power Point presentations (MWDS = 5.72), teaching financial management (MWDS = 5.51), using SWOT analysis (MWDS = 4.5), teaching marketing concepts (MWDS = 4.36) and incorporating stakeholders (MWDS = 4.35). Following a Pre/Post-Test, the top five content knowledge improvement areas and percent increase in reported knowledge were utilizing strategic planning (176%), using Borich (1970) for program needs assessment (153%), using SWOT analysis (122%), analyzing external influences in educational programs (115%) and strategies to conduct farm trials (67%). Respondents reported increased confidence in seeking stakeholder needs and building resources to increase program value. The results have implications to build education equity and sustainability in Guinea. Keywords: Borich needs assessment, agricultural extension education, Guinea agriculture, program planning, strategic planning, Farmer-to-Farmer

  PublisherDOI

• Merits of Creating a Revised CTE National Research Agenda for 2020

  Journal of Research in Technical Careers · 2018-05-16 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  This article promotes the idea that clearly focused scholarly inquiry needs direction developed through a collaborative and informative process. The authors propose that the National CTE Research Agenda adopted in 2008 should be revised and updated to reflect the contemporary issues and policies of the career and technical education profession. The aim of this discussion is to propose a systematic research approach with the potential to influence policy for career and technical education. The challenge for our profession will be to create a united and informed agenda that will transform policy, promote innovation in scholarly endeavors, and foster improved outcomes for all CTE stakeholders.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Miyuki Omori‐Miyake

  Ehime University

  36 shared

• Masanori Iseki

  National Center for Global Health and Medicine

  36 shared

• Susanne Ziegler

  RWTH Aachen University

  28 shared

• Juan Pablo Pratt

  Hospital Central de las Fuerzas Armadas

  24 shared

• Yuan Zhu

  Nanjing Sport Institute

  24 shared

• Xiaodong Sun

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  24 shared

• Weichung Joe Shih

  Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

  24 shared

• Hua Carroll

  Biogen (United States)

  16 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications

  Texas A&M University