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Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Occupation Detailed Description

Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

The main tasks and work activities of Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary are to develop instructional materials, evaluate student work, attend training sessions or professional meetings to develop or maintain professional knowledge, stay informed about current developments in field of specialization. In general, for the Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, instructing, learning Strategies, speaking, reading Comprehension and other 14 skills are required.
Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Related ExperienceExtensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Job TrainingEmployees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
ExampleThese occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary jobs.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
0.00%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
0.00%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
1.40%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
98.60%

Tasks and Work Activities of Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
  • Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  • Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as crop production, plant genetics, and soil chemistry.
  • Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  • Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
  • Supervise laboratory sessions and field work and coordinate laboratory operations.
  • Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
  • Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  • Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
  • Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.
  • Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
  • Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
  • Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
  • Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
  • Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
  • Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment.
  • Act as advisers to student organizations.
  • Participate in campus and community events.
  • Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
  • Training and Teaching OthersIdentifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersTranslating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
  • Coaching and Developing OthersIdentifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
  • Develop instructional materials.
  • Evaluate student work.
  • Attend training sessions or professional meetings to develop or maintain professional knowledge.
  • Stay informed about current developments in field of specialization.
  • Teach physical science or mathematics courses at the college level.
  • Guide class discussions.
  • Write articles, books or other original materials in area of expertise.
  • Research topics in area of expertise.
  • Supervise student research or internship work.
  • Supervise laboratory work.
  • Prepare tests.
  • Administer tests to assess educational needs or progress.
  • Advise students on academic or career matters.
  • Develop instructional objectives.
  • Evaluate effectiveness of educational programs.
  • Maintain student records.
  • Write grant proposals.
  • Perform student enrollment or registration activities.
  • Promote educational institutions or programs.
  • Order instructional or library materials or equipment.

Skills and Abilities for Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • Learning StrategiesSelecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • ScienceUsing scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Systems EvaluationIdentifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • MathematicsUsing mathematics to solve problems.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • MemorizationThe ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
  • Number FacilityThe ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Mathematical ReasoningThe ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Slide projectorse.g. Carousel slide projectors
  • Digital camerase.g. Compact digital cameras
  • Compact disk players or recorderse.g. Compact disk CD players
  • Scannerse.g. Computer data input scanners
  • Laser printerse.g. Computer laser printers
  • Multimedia projectorse.g. Computer projectors
  • Teleconference equipmente.g. Conference telephones
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Pocket calculatore.g. Digital calculators
  • Digital camcorders or video camerase.g. Digital video cameras
  • Digital video disk players or recorderse.g. Digital video disk DVD players
  • Microphonese.g. Handheld microphones
  • Portable data input terminalse.g. Interactive whiteboard controllers
  • Touch screen monitorse.g. Interactive whiteboards
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Laser fax machinee.g. Laser facsimile machines
  • Liquid crystal display projectore.g. Liquid crystal display LCD projectors
  • Televisionse.g. Liquid crystal display LCD televisions
  • Microphone stande.g. Microphone podiums
  • MP3 players or recorderse.g. MP3 digital voice recorders
  • BiologyKnowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Food ProductionKnowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
  • Communications and MediaKnowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • GeographyKnowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Personnel and Human ResourcesKnowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.