2021
Phase II : Apply Classroom and Field Education Experiences to Enhance Student Participation and Success in CCA Certification
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Contributor/Checkoff:
Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
DiseaseField management Pest
Parent Project:
Student Introduction to CCA Using Classroom and Field Education
Lead Principal Investigator:
Gerald Toland, Southwest Minnesota State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
10-15-48-21233
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council
$5,000
Institution Funded:
Southwest Minnesota State University
$5,000
Brief Project Summary:

This project builds upon Southwest Minnesota State University first phase, expanding educational efforts. In Phase II of the project, we will continue to coordinate efforts with Minnesota Certified Crop Advisors organization to expand the reach of our CCA workshops, to increase student participation, enhance their preparatory efforts, and increase their success in achieving CCA certification. Portions of the grant will partially find CCA examination fees and for the development of a lending library of print and electronic materials that students can access at they prepare for the CCA exam.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, ag retailers, extension specialists, ag educators

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

Final Project Results

Update:
Complete Project Title: Phase II: Apply Classroom and Field Education Experiences to Enhance Student Participation and Success in CCA Certification

Goal Statement: SMSU’s educational program aims to increase student awareness, participation, preparation and success in achieving CCA Certification to better serve the needs our agricultural community.

Project Methodologies:
• Build upon experiences and lessons-learned from our Phase I CCA Educational Grant to gain more student awareness and interest in CCA certification, and increase the pass-rate for students who actually prepare-for and take the CCA International and Minnesota Exams.

• Use social media and virtual technologies to increase SMSU student awareness of the importance of CCA Certification.

• Supplement our in-person workshop planning to include opportunities for virtual or online participation to adjust to educational programs that meet student needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

• Collaborate closely with MSRPC representatives, and invite them to talk with our students and take-part in our CCA preparation workshops.

• Continue to use a portion of MSRPC grant funds to partially cover student CCA examination fees. Students are also expected to share in the financial responsibility of the exam expense.

View uploaded report Word file

View uploaded report 2 Word file

Project Results:

• Thanks to MSRPC support in consecutive years, SMSU students who sat for the International and MN CCA exams in April 2021 were offered a second chance to prepare for re-taking these exams.

• Dr. Alford informed about 40 different students across several different majors (Agronomy, Ag Communications and Leadership, Agricultural Solutions, Agribusiness Management, and Agricultural Education) about the importance of CCA certification, and the opportunity to participate in preparatory workshops.

• Dr. Alford provided faculty guidance for students preparing to take the remotely-proctored CCA Exams in November 2021. The effectiveness of Dr. Alford’s October 2021 CCA educational workshops benefited from our prior educational efforts, as well as the ASA statistical analysis of our students’ April 2021 exam performance.

• To help motivate our students, Dr. Alford also volunteered to take the CCA exams.

• Twelve SMSU students paid their share of the exam registration fees, and took the remotely-proctored CCA exams during November 3-10, 2021.

• Our students’ November exam results were a noticeable improvement over the April 2021 outcomes. Five (out of 12) students passed the International CCA Exams. Four students passed both the International and the MN CCA exams. Dr. Alford also passed the International CCA Exam.

• Thanks to his direct participation in the entire CCA certification process, Dr. Alford is now aware of the changes that SMSU should make in our Agronomy Program to better align course content with the knowledge areas emphasized in the CCA Exams.

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.