Agricultural safety education: Formative assessment of a curriculum integration strategy

The purpose of the study was to assess an agricultural machinery safety curriculum for teacher training focused on hands-on integration activities to assist with training youth in machinery safety skills. Teachers attended a single 10-hour summer training seminar, hosted in Montana, South Dakota, or Utah during 2017. Teachers completed the National Tractor and Machinery Safe Operation (NSTMOP) Exam to measure existing knowledge prior to beginning the training. Upon seminar completion, teachers took an NSTMOP post-test to measure knowledge gain of agricultural safety practices and hazard recognition associated with machinery and vehicles. A total of 116 teachers completed the training. Fifty-three participants (45.7%) self-identified as female and 63 (54.3%) identified as male. The average participant was 35 years of age (SD = 11.3) and had nine and a half years of teaching experience (SD = 9.2). The average NSTMOP pre-test score was 35.45 out of 50 (SD = 3.3), and the average NSTMOP post-test score was 40.28 out of 50 (SD = 4.4). Participants’ scores increased by 10 percentage points. A paired samples t-test was used to determine statistical significance. The difference between pre-test and post-test was statistically significant (t(110) = -10.3, p < .001). Open-responses indicated continuation of hands-on activities centrally focused on “how to teach” skills training that is relevant to the students. Teachers suggested developing new activities each year with a rotation of topics for upcoming seminars. Research is needed to determine training influence on behaviors of young workers in agriculture.