Deeper Learning
Inspired by the Study of Deeper Learning: Opportunities and Outcomes supported by the Flora Hewlett Foundation, I began imagining how deeper learning could transform agricultural education. While serving as an Associate Professor at MTSU, I teamed up with two colleagues, Dr. Chaney Mosley and Dr. Song Cui, to bring that idea to life. Together, we wrote a proposal that was awarded $450,000 by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to create the Deeper Learning Institute—a space where high school agriculture teachers could come together, learn from one another, and reimagine their classrooms through project-based learning (PBL).
The Institute focused on helping teachers connect agricultural systems and technology with deeper learning practices so students could engage in meaningful, hands-on experiences that build college and career readiness. Over two years in Tennessee, more than 50 teachers joined this journey, designing powerful PBL units that gave students new ways to think, create, and solve problems.
When I joined JMU, I was able to bring the grant with me and continue the work in Virginia. There, another 50 teachers from different disciplines participated, expanding the impact even further. Across four years, the project developed five content knowledge assessments, supported the creation of over 100 PBL units, and impacted more than 2,000 students—each gaining opportunities to learn deeply and see agriculture in a new light.