Educators’ perceptions of and intent to use VR to teach international agriculture topics in SBAE before and after a PD

Caroline Thurman; Jamie Alexander Greig; Taylor Ruth; Tyler Granberry; Nathan Conner

doi:10.37433/aad.v7i4.740

Authors

Caroline Thurman University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2697-8750
Jamie Alexander Greig The University of Tennessee, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7588-6374
Taylor Ruth University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
Tyler Granberry https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5269-9154 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7981-0027
Nathan Conner University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0063-4110

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v7i4.740

Keywords:

virtual reality, school-based agricultural education, teacher professional development, Theory of Planned Behavior, SDG 4 Quality Education

Abstract

This study examined school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers’ perceptions of and intent to use virtual reality (VR) to teach international agriculture topics before and after participation in a five-day professional development workshop. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, the study administered pre- and post-surveys to 27 SBAE teachers from two United States (U.S.) states to assess confidence, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intention, and global competence indicators. Findings indicated participants maintained highly positive attitudes and strong intent to use VR both before and after the workshop, while perceived preparedness to integrate VR improved notably following training. However, confidence to teach international agriculture and broader global engagement remained relatively stable, suggesting that technical VR training alone may not substantially strengthen teachers’ global instructional readiness. Results highlight VR’s potential as an accessible tool for expanding international agricultural education while emphasizing the need for sustained professional development, stronger curricular integration, and enhanced development of global competence. Recommendations include combining immersive technology training with deeper international agriculture content and institutional support to improve long-term implementation.

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