Perceptions and Instructional Practices used by West Virginian Secondary Agricultural Teachers in Meat Science Education

A focus on classroom integration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts has resulted in secondary teachers broadening the scope and delivery of STEM principles in their classes. Because agriculture classes allow students to convert abstract ideas into concrete ideas, they provide a useful setting to teach STEM concepts. Using secondary agricultural classes to teach science is effective and has contributed to higher standardized science test scores, as opposed to a science class alone. West Virginia is known for meat processing facilities and meat technology learning activities in its public schools. However, little is known about how the content is delivered or if secondary agricultural teachers are using meat science as a context to introduce STEM components into school-based agricultural education (SBAE) programs. This study found approximately two-thirds of the West Virginia SBAE teachers educate students about meat science, even though only slightly over half have access to a meat science laboratory. In addition, this study found that the majority of West Virginia SBAE teachers who teach meat science have already integrated STEM components into their curricula