Selecting, Planning, Supervising, and Evaluating Student SAE Improvement Projects Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office July, 2002

What are Improvement Projects  Series of planned, supervised learning activities, related to classroom instruction in some way, and designed to produce educational value for the student

Where Improvement Projects “Fit In”  Supplements and compliments rest of SAE program  Need not relate to primary SAE program of the student  Should relate to some aspect of the ag ed instructional program

What Does Not “Fit In”  Not a major category of SAE. Should not stand alone  Routine parts of larger SAE program do not count Ex. Maintenance of greenhouse for student whose major SAE project is producing greenhouse tomatoes

Purposes of Improvement Projects  Skill development (occupational and avocational)  Practical application of classroom instruction  Pursue interests with support & guidance of teacher  Application of theory  Economic and aesthetic return

Selecting Improvement Projects  Related to career goals  Related to in-class instruction  Provide practical experience  Contribute to self, family, or community  Realistic and “do-able”

Planning  Select tentative projects at beginning of year  Teacher uses student SAE plans in constructing teaching calendar  Student uses SAE plans when selecting class assignments when options are available

Supervising Projects  Teacher supervision visits are important  Visits build community and parental support for program  Student gets personal attention

Evaluating Projects  Summative  Were objectives accomplished?  Did student learn anything?  Credit for grade  Normative  Do we need to change the plan?  Self-evaluation by student

Examples  Install a computerized recordkeeping system  Plan and install landscaping for home  Build a storage building for lawn equipment  Construct a nature trail for the elementary school  Organize a soil test program for neighborhood homeowners  Conduct a monthly “adopt-a-highway” cleanup program

Recordkeeping  Page 26, Virginia SAE recordbook  Appendix N, Experiencing Agriculture manual