The University of NE-Lincoln ALEC Department and the Nebraska Agricultural Educators Association recently hosted a 2-day professional development BriefCASE at Crete High School. This professional development was held in conjunction with the Nebraska FFA Alumni and Supporters Conference.
Participants traveled from across Nebraska and South Dakota to participate in this excellent opportunity for intense professional development. The institute provided experience in a full year of curriculum for Animal Health and Veterinary Science. This professional development opportunity was funded, in part, by the Nebraska FFA Foundation which Miss Aylward received a scholarship from to attend. The curriculum was written by CASE 4 Learning. CASE is an acronym for Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education and is an initiative of the National Council for Agricultural Education (The Council.)
CASE 4 Learning is committed to designing an inquiry-based agricultural curriculum that meets the current demands of teachers, students, and industry. CASE 4 Learning provides comprehensive professional development and workshops for new and seasoned teachers to achieve lifetime certification, learn new coursework, and build a community of support. Upon certification, all CASE 4 Learning teachers have access to course updates, training, and support for the remainder of their career. The curriculum is designed to spiral and scaffold course concepts, incorporate APP (Activity, Project, or Problem) modalities, and meet core standards to equip teachers and schools to help students become lifelong learners and prepare them for college or careers.
While at the BriefCASE Institute, Miss Aylward experienced every lesson in the curriculum and learned how to deliver lessons using inquiry-based learning, shifting focus from teacher-led to student-directed learning.
“The Animal Health and Veterinary Science BriefCASE Institute benefitted me by providing a strong curriculum, which fully engages her students in their learning. The CASE curriculum provides hands-on experiences for students which set them up for career ready practices,” states Miss Aylward.
Hershey Public Schools looks forward to the continued impact of the CASE curriculum on the Hershey FFA program and students!