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The U.S. has the world's largest organic food market. However, low domestic production and a low adoption rate of organic grain farming limit the overall development of this sector. Multiple organic stakeholders have called for a better understanding of cognitive and motivational aspects of farmers' decision-making processes to help policymakers, agricultural scientists, and extension practitioners to work more effectively with farmers to explore and adopt organic grain production. This paper assesses farmers' adoption motivations, long-term goals, and perceived benefits to examine the congruence between initial motivations, long-term goals, and current perceived benefits. We employed a sequential mixed-method approach that first interviewed organic farmers in Iowa, U.S. Then developed and administered a statewide survey for the organic farmers. Survey data were analyzed with confirmatory factor analysis, paired-samples t-tests, and heteroskedasticity-robust regression models. We identified five highly-rated motivations for farmers to adopt organic grain: 1) profitability, 2) personal safety, 3) natural resources stewardship, 4) consumers and public health, and 5) honor and tradition. We found organic farmers' long-term goals are strongly orientated to both productivism and stewardship but less strongly oriented to civic-mindedness. This research assessed five areas of benefits associated with organic grain farming: 1) economic benefit, 2) addressed health concerns, 3) environmental natural resources, 4) values and beliefs validation, and 5) social benefit. This study found the benefits farmers experienced by adopting organic grain farming aligned with most of their original adoption motivations and long-term goals, except for serving the motivation of consumer and public health concerns. By understanding the relative importance of the roles that different types of motivations play in farmers' decisions to adopt organic grain farming, policymakers and agricultural extension practitioners can strategically design effective policies and programs to encourage more U.S. farmers to consider raising organic grains to fulfill the market demand. Our findings deepen our understanding of how organic farmers synergizes the competing goal orientations into organic farming practices. This study also fills a gap in the literature that lacks understanding of farmers' perceived benefits of organic farming after adoption. By examining the relationships among farmers' adoption motivations, goal orientations, and adoption benefits, we can conclude that organic grain farming is working well for farmers, suggesting that further promotion and support for transition to organic grain farming is socially desirable.
Guang Han; J. Gordon Arbuckle; Nancy Grudens-Schuck. Motivations, goals, and benefits associated with organic grain farming by producers in Iowa, U.S. Agricultural Systems 2021, 191, 103175 .
AMA StyleGuang Han, J. Gordon Arbuckle, Nancy Grudens-Schuck. Motivations, goals, and benefits associated with organic grain farming by producers in Iowa, U.S. Agricultural Systems. 2021; 191 ():103175.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGuang Han; J. Gordon Arbuckle; Nancy Grudens-Schuck. 2021. "Motivations, goals, and benefits associated with organic grain farming by producers in Iowa, U.S." Agricultural Systems 191, no. : 103175.
This study presents the results of a survey of 842 teacher educators at 541 different institutions across the 50 US states that examined the state and direction of technology integration preparation in accredited teacher education programs. Using both descriptive statistics and regression analysis the study provides a general description of the characteristics of these teacher educators, their Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) adoption, and the relationships between individual and institutional factors and their TPACK adoption. The results of the research show that TPACK adoption is generally low among these teacher educators and that there are multiple personal and institutional factors that influence TPACK adoption. The participants had a significant amount of both K12 and teacher education experience and had high levels of comfort with their technological knowledge. Factors that were shown to influence TPACK adoption included the highest degree offered at their institution, their self-rated TPACK score, and their individual adoption of the International Society for Teaching and Education (ISTE) standards. The results address implications for teacher educator professional development and program accreditation.
Rick Voithofer; Michael Nelson; Guang Han; Autumm Caines. Factors that influence TPACK adoption by teacher educators in the US. Educational Technology Research and Development 2019, 67, 1427 -1453.
AMA StyleRick Voithofer, Michael Nelson, Guang Han, Autumm Caines. Factors that influence TPACK adoption by teacher educators in the US. Educational Technology Research and Development. 2019; 67 (6):1427-1453.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRick Voithofer; Michael Nelson; Guang Han; Autumm Caines. 2019. "Factors that influence TPACK adoption by teacher educators in the US." Educational Technology Research and Development 67, no. 6: 1427-1453.
Guang Han. Perceptions of secondary school agriculture teachers regarding biomass production education in Iowa. Perceptions of secondary school agriculture teachers regarding biomass production education in Iowa 2018, 1 .
AMA StyleGuang Han. Perceptions of secondary school agriculture teachers regarding biomass production education in Iowa. Perceptions of secondary school agriculture teachers regarding biomass production education in Iowa. 2018; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGuang Han. 2018. "Perceptions of secondary school agriculture teachers regarding biomass production education in Iowa." Perceptions of secondary school agriculture teachers regarding biomass production education in Iowa , no. : 1.
Biomass energy can mitigate climate change, revitalize rural economies, and achieve energy independence. Using biomass energy as subject matter content, American agricultural education programs at the secondary school level can prepare future agricultural professionals with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills to solve complex issues. Through a state-wide survey (N = 100) in the U.S., this study found agriculture teachers’ interest in biomass energy is motivated by economic, environmental, pedagogical, and learning factors. Nine relevant topics were determined as high training needs perceived by teachers. Teacher educators are recommended to incorporate the four factors and nine topics in planning, delivering, and evaluating in-service training programs of biomass energy for agriculture teachers.
Guang Han; Robert A. Martin. Teaching and Learning about Biomass Energy: The Significance of Biomass Education in Schools. Sustainability 2018, 10, 996 .
AMA StyleGuang Han, Robert A. Martin. Teaching and Learning about Biomass Energy: The Significance of Biomass Education in Schools. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (4):996.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGuang Han; Robert A. Martin. 2018. "Teaching and Learning about Biomass Energy: The Significance of Biomass Education in Schools." Sustainability 10, no. 4: 996.
Guang Han. Valerie Imbruce: From farm to Canal Street, Chinatown’s alternative food network in the global marketplace. Agriculture and Human Values 2018, 35, 905 -906.
AMA StyleGuang Han. Valerie Imbruce: From farm to Canal Street, Chinatown’s alternative food network in the global marketplace. Agriculture and Human Values. 2018; 35 (4):905-906.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGuang Han. 2018. "Valerie Imbruce: From farm to Canal Street, Chinatown’s alternative food network in the global marketplace." Agriculture and Human Values 35, no. 4: 905-906.
Guang Han; Robert A. Martin. Perceptions of Agriculture Teachers Regarding Education about Biomass Production in Iowa. Journal of Agricultural Education 2015, 56, 1 -15.
AMA StyleGuang Han, Robert A. Martin. Perceptions of Agriculture Teachers Regarding Education about Biomass Production in Iowa. Journal of Agricultural Education. 2015; 56 (3):1-15.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGuang Han; Robert A. Martin. 2015. "Perceptions of Agriculture Teachers Regarding Education about Biomass Production in Iowa." Journal of Agricultural Education 56, no. 3: 1-15.