| With the boom of biorenewable energy, biomass production has become an important segment in agriculture industry (Iowa Energy Center, 2013). A higher workforce will be needed for this burgeoning biomass energy industry (Iowa Workforce Development, n. d.). Instructional topics in agricultural education should take the form of problems and questions faced by the agriculture industry itself (Phipps, Osborne, Dyer, & Ball, 2008). This study sought to assess the perceptions of secondary agriculture teachers regarding biomass production education in Iowa. Results of this study indicated that teachers held strongly to moderately positive perceptions toward biomass production and moderately positive perceptions toward teaching about biomass. In addition, seven topics related to biomass production education were identified with higher needs for future inservice training. Past experience of teachers participating in workshops about bioenergy was found to have a positive impact on teachers' perceptions regarding teaching about biomass production. In conclusion, teachers have a need for in-service training about biomass production education. It is recommended that institutes, extension organizations and corresponding professional organizations should hold more workshops about biomass production. |
