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John Ameroso nominated as expert in plant systems by Agricultural Education Assessment Project (AEAP) team

March 29, 2006

How can you gain qualifications when there is no agreement as to what they are?

That's the problem facing agricultural education in New York State. There are no existing state or national standards at the secondary level, and available agricultural education exams, different in each locale, aren't meeting needs of state programs.

Cornell University Department of Education received a 3-year grant to tackle this problem. Under the leadership of Professor William G. Camp, Director of Agricultural Science Education, the Cornell University Department of Education Agricultural Education Assessment Project (AEAP) team is working with the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to set standards, nominate subject matter experts, and generate agreement. Standards and benchmarks for all pathways of agricultural science were set in the spring semester of 2005.

This month, John Ameroso, Extension Associate with Cornell University Cooperative Extension New York City, was nominated as an expert in the field of plant systems. Ameroso, along with two other Cooperative Extension professionals, was invited to participate in the development of a statewide agricultural education examination.

"The workshop was quite successful in its productive outcome of valid test questions not only in plant systems but also animal systems," said Ameroso.

Over two days in March 2006, the team of Extension staff and Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) educators performed what is known as an "item construction and item validation workshop", listing major topics or skills that the experts considered essential in their area. Lists were whittled down through discussion, establishing consensus on a core curriculum. Students' recall, understanding, critical thinking, and problem solving skills were considered. Reliable, valid multiple-choice test items were created.

The March 2006 workshop was a step forward. Such an examination would benefit agricultural science education programs at the secondary level, could lead to technical endorsements in fields of science, math, social studies, and English, and could be used for career and technical accreditation.

The best part of the workshop for John "was the opportunity to interact with Cornell's Department of Education, and agricultural educators outside the Cooperative Extension system."

For more information about Food Security & Markets, contact John Ameroso, Extension Associate, at (212)340-2946.