Abstract:
Women in agricultural education at the secondary level are significantly under-represented, comprising only 14.6 percent of the total population. The evolution of women in the field of agricultural and extension education is not well documented. Knowledge about women who have pioneered positions in agricultural education provides valuable information for upcoming generations of female educators. The purpose of this descriptive study was to create a profile of women currently involved in agricultural and extension education at the postsecondary level. A questionnaire was sent to a census of women with teaching responsibilities listed in the 2001 AAAE directory. In establishing a profile, women in this study possess similar characteristics as their male counterparts in relation to job satisfaction, personal demographics and types of subjects taught. However, few women reported that other women served as their role models or that they, themselves, were serving as mentors to young female faculty members. Additionally, although women indicated a high level of satisfaction with their current job, more than two-thirds felt they had experienced barriers related to gender. Most common barriers cited were: lack of acceptance from peers and students; inequity related to status and benefits, balancing work and family and a lack of strong role models who accept both males and females.
Keywords:
women, agriculture, extension education, minority
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