Bumpers College Creates High School Ag Curriculum

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The agricultural communications curriculum for Arkansas high school programs developed by the Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas has been approved and distributed throughout the state.

Six schools in the state piloted the agricultural science and communications curriculum last spring, and feedback from teachers and the state Department of Career Education were used for revisions over the summer.

The project was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and has been approved for funding for two more years.

“It is critical that we work with our state agricultural science teachers to expand and improve the curriculum,” said Leslie Edgar, associate professor in the agricultural education, communications and technology department. “The passion for this project was driven by our deep desire to educate all students about careers in agriculture and agricultural communications. Our connection with our state agriculture teachers also provides an excellent mechanism to recruit students to our university and the Bumpers College. We have enjoyed working with the teachers and spending time on secondary agriculture science programs.”

The revised curriculum is designed to be used to teach the existing Agricultural Leadership and Communications course or to be integrated into other courses to meet curriculum framework requirements in writing, communications and careers.

The new curriculum is divided into four modules: writing, design, multimedia and careers. Writing focuses on journalistic writing and public relations; design teaches photography, graphic design and layout; multimedia addresses videography, digital audio broadcast, social media and web design; and careers focuses on history and college preparation. The curriculum is available at aect.uark.edu.

This is the second phase of the Visual Communications on the Road in Arkansas program, according to Edgar, who is the project director. The first phase included the development of a mobile classroom with visual communications equipment (computers with software, video cameras, microphones, tripods, digital cameras). Sixty-three high school videos were produced and are available on YouTube.

“Relationships were built and strengthened through interaction with university faculty and secondary agriculture teachers and students,” said Edgar. “The program increased student awareness of opportunities to pursue degrees in higher education and for careers in agriculture and specifically in agricultural communications.”