Networks
Park, Travis D.
Cornell Faculty Member
Positions
- Associate Professor, Horticulture (HORT), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)
- Academic Director, Horticulture (HORT), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)
Travis Park is a professional agricultural science teacher educator and Director of the Cornell Teacher Education Program. His teaching focuses on implementation of experiential learning in agriculture and on disciplinary literacy.
Research Areas
- Affiliations
- Extension
- Research
- Publications
- Teaching
- Service
- Background
- Other
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Affiliations
Extension
Research
research overview
- The primary practical problems that my research addresses within agricultural science education are related to the questions, 1) what instructional strategies in agricultural education programs promote increased student achievement in the traditional academic areas, and 2) how do agricultural education programs contribute to student achievement and performance? (Osborne, 2007). My current research focuses on instructional strategies that enhance how students use reading, writing, and literacy to learn content. I am also interested in how teachers create an environment that fosters literacy in all its forms in the high school agricultural science classroom. Students in agricultural science rely upon many sources of information to make decisions and solve agricultural and environmental problems. What is the impact of implementing reading strategy instruction and creating classroom cultures that support literacy on student learning, overall student achievement, and motivation to read about concepts in secondary courses in agricultural science education and other CTE areas?
research activities
principal investigator on
- AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION OUTREACH: NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF FFA awarded by NYS DEPT OF AG & MARKETS 2008 - 2013
- AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM awarded by NYS DEPT OF AG & MARKETS 2012 - 2013
- ASSOCIATION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATORS awarded by NYS DEPT OF AG & MARKETS 2008 - 2013
- AUTHENTIC LITERACY APPLICATIONS IN CTE: HELPING ALL STUDENTS THINK LIKE SCIENTISTS IN CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION awarded by DEPT OF EDUCATION US 2008 - 2012
- NEW YORK AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM awarded by NYS DEPT OF AG & MARKETS 2007 - 2012
- SCIENCE ROADMAP FOR NATURAL RESOURCES awarded by NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE-USDA 2011 - 2013
co-principal investigator on
- ENHANCING BEGINNING FARMER SUCCESS THROUGH VIBRANT SUPPORT NETWORKS IN THE NORTHEAST awarded by NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE-USDA 2009 - 2012
- NEW F.A.C.E.S (FOSTERING AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND EXTENSION STUDENTS) awarded by NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE-USDA 2012 - 2017
- PARTNERSHIPS TO PREPARE SCIENCE TEACHERS FOR INCLUSIVE, BACK-TO-NATURE EDUCATION awarded by DIRECTORATE FOR EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES NSF 2012 - 2014
area(s) of concentration/expertise
keywords
- adolescent literacy
- agricultural education
- content area reading
- disciplinary literacy
- literacy
submitted impact statement
- Improving agricultural and scientific literacy in secondary agricultural science education through effective implementation of appropriate classroom practices
- Improving agricultural and scientific literacy in secondary agricultural science education through effective implementation of appropriate classroom practices
- Improving agricultural and scientific literacy in secondary agricultural science education through effective implementation of appropriate classroom practices
- Improving agricultural and scientific literacy in secondary agricultural education through effective implementation of appropriate classroom practices
Publications
individual publications
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academic article
- Experiential Learning Enhances Student Knowledge Retention in the Plant Sciences. . HortTechnology. 22:715-718. 2012
- Teacher job satisfaction and burnout viewed through social comparisons.. Journal of Agricultural Education. 53:31-44. 2012
- Creating a culture that fosters disciplinary literacy in agricultural sciences. Journal of Agricultural Education. 51:102-114. 2010
- It’s not all sappy; Developing professional relationships in the local community. The Agricultural Education Magazine. 82:22-23. 2010
- Practical literacy matters: Teacher confidence is key. Techniques. 85:45-47. 2010
- But, Mr. Park, this isn’t English class…. Making A Difference. n/a:2. 2009
- High school students’ perceptions and knowledge about agriculture based upon location. North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Journal. 53:17-23. 2009
- Homemade ice cream: Fundraising is family and community. The Agricultural Education Magazine. n/a:2. 2009
- Simply irresistible: Reality TV consumption patterns . Communication Quarterly. 56:208-225. 2008
- A model for the study of reading in school-based agricultural education. Journal of Agricultural Education. 48:13-23. 2007
- Agricultural science teachers’ attitudes about and use of reading in agricultural science instruction. Career and Technical Education Research. 32:161-186. 2007
- Reading strategy instruction in secondary agricultural science courses: An initial perspective. Career and Technical Education Research. 31:45-74. 2007
- Agriscience teachers’ attitudes toward implementation of content area reading strategies. Journal of Agricultural Education. 47:39-51. 2006
- Content area reading strategies and textbook use in agricultural education. Journal of Agricultural Education. 47:1-14. 2006
- A description of the characteristics attributed to students’ decisions to teach agriscience. Journal of Agricultural Education. 46:81-93. 2005
- Contributions of agricultural education, FFA, and 4-H students to agricultural colleges. Journal of Agricultural Education. 46:83-95. 2005
- Glitz, Glamour, and the Farm: Portrayal of Agriculture as The Simple Life. Journal of Applied Communications. 89:21-37. 2005
- Process and product variables for the study of reading in secondary agriscience. Journal of Agricultural Education. 46:11-21. 2005
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article
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report
Teaching
teaching overview
- EDUC 4410 provides a foundation for literacy activities in secondary education. Students examine current research, policy, and practice related to the acquisition of first and second languages, the dynamics of literacy in school contexts, and the development of academic language and literacy proficiency. EDUC 5350 provides future agriculture educators with a comprehensive overview of the components of an agriculture education program including the integration of supervised agricultural experience (SAE) and FFA. Students will examine factors affecting membership, purpose, design, operation, and administration of career and technical student organizations (CTSO). FFA organization structure and functions on the national, state, and local levels will be addressed.
teaching activities
- EDUC-4200: Field Experience - Spring 2013
- EDUC-4410: Language, Literacy, and Schooling - Spring 2013
- EDUC-6010: Secondary Agriculture and Science Teaching Practicum - Spring 2013
- EDUC-6020: Practicum Seminar - Spring 2013
- EDUC-6200: Internship In Education - Spring 2013
- EDUC-6970: Graduate Individual Study in Education - Spring 2013
- EDUC-6980: Graduate Supervised Teaching in Education - Spring 2013
- EDUC-7000: Directed Readings - Spring 2013
- EDUC-7010: Empirical Research - Spring 2013
- EDUC-7020: Practicum - Spring 2013
- EDUC-8900: Master's Level Thesis Research - Spring 2013
- EDUC-9900: Doctoral-Level Thesis Research - Spring 2013
- HORT-4410: Language, Literacy, and Schooling - Spring 2013
- HORT-6010: Secondary Agriculture and Science Teaching Practicum - Spring 2013
- HORT-6020: Practicum Seminar - Spring 2013
- EDUC-2110: Seminar in Agricultural Science Education - Fall 2012
- EDUC-3320: Educational Programs in Agricultural Science - Fall 2012
- EDUC-4010: Special Methods of Instruction in Agricultural Science Education - Fall 2012
- EDUC-4200: Field Experience - Fall 2012
- EDUC-5320: Educational Programs in Agricultural Science - Fall 2012
- EDUC-6200: Internship In Education - Fall 2012
- EDUC-6970: Graduate Individual Study in Education - Fall 2012
- EDUC-6980: Graduate Supervised Teaching in Education - Fall 2012
- EDUC-7000: Directed Readings - Fall 2012
- EDUC-7010: Empirical Research - Fall 2012
- EDUC-7020: Practicum - Fall 2012
- EDUC-7030: Teaching Assistantship - Fall 2012
- EDUC-8900: Master's Level Thesis Research - Fall 2012
- EDUC-9900: Doctoral-Level Thesis Research - Fall 2012
- HORT-3320: Educational Programs in Agricultural Science - Fall 2012
- HORT-4010: Special Methods of Instruction in Agricultural Science Education - Fall 2012
- HORT-4960: Internship in Horticulture - Fall 2012
- HORT-5320: Educational Programs in Agricultural Science - Fall 2012
- EDUC-2110: Seminar in Agricultural Science Education - Spring 2012
- EDUC-4200: Field Experience - Spring 2012
- EDUC-4410: Language, Literacy, and Schooling - Spring 2012
- EDUC-6010: Secondary Agriculture and Science Teaching Practicum - Spring 2012
- EDUC-6020: Practicum Seminar - Spring 2012
- EDUC-6200: Internship In Education - Spring 2012
- EDUC-6970: Graduate Individual Study in Education - Spring 2012
- EDUC-6980: Graduate Supervised Teaching in Education - Spring 2012
- EDUC-7000: Directed Readings - Spring 2012
- EDUC-7010: Empirical Research - Spring 2012
- EDUC-7020: Practicum - Spring 2012
- EDUC-8900: Master's Level Thesis Research - Spring 2012
- EDUC-9900: Doctoral-Level Thesis Research - Spring 2012
- AGSCI-4940: Special Topics in Agricultural Sciences - Fall 2011
- EDUC-2110: Seminar in Agricultural Science Education - Fall 2011
- EDUC-4010: Special Methods of Instruction in Agricultural Science Education: Metal Fabrication - Fall 2011
- EDUC-4200: Field Experience - Fall 2011
- EDUC-5320: Educational Programs in Agricultural Science - Fall 2011
- EDUC-6010: Secondary Agriculture, Science, and Mathematics Teaching Practicum - Fall 2011
- EDUC-6020: Practicum Seminar - Fall 2011
- EDUC-6200: Internship In Education - Fall 2011
- EDUC-6970: Graduate Individual Study in Education - Fall 2011
- EDUC-6980: Graduate Supervised Teaching Education - Fall 2011
- EDUC-7000: Directed Readings - Fall 2011
- EDUC-7010: Empirical Research - Fall 2011
- EDUC-7020: Practicum - Fall 2011
- EDUC-7030: Teaching Assistantship - Fall 2011
- EDUC-8900: Master's-Level Thesis Research - Fall 2011
- EDUC-9900: Doctoral-Level Thesis Research - Fall 2011
- HORT-4960: Internship in Horticulture - Fall 2011
Service
outreach overview
- I do not have a formal extension appointment. Still, as an agriculture teacher educator, I feel that the teachers of agriculture throughout New York State are constituents who deserve and need outreach and engagement efforts, especially through (a) ongoing professional development, (b) collaboration on research, (c) representation on state-level FFA and agricultural education policy bodies, and (d) educating about food, agriculture, and natural resources. Thus, the roles that I have used to collaborate with these stakeholders and extend knowledge from Cornell University to practicing teachers in New York State are (1) to represent Cornell University on the New York State FFA Leadership Training Foundation (NYSFFALTF) Board of Directors, the New York Agricultural Education Leadership Council, and the New York Association of Agricultural Educators (NYAAE) board; (2) to assist with planning for the annual New York Association of Agricultural Educators summer conference and new teachers’ workshops; (3) develop grant proposals pertaining to critical needs expressed by agriculture teachers and their agricultural science students, (4) and to provide direction for the Cornell Agriculture Outreach and Education extension program through the Department of Education. Cornell Agriculture Outreach and Education consists of the New York Agriculture in the Classroom program and the Agricultural Education Outreach program which serves school-based agricultural education in New York State.
service to the profession
- American Association for Agricultural Education Chairperson 2011 -
- Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy (ESCOP) Social Sciences Subcommittee Committee Member 2008 -
- Alpha Zeta Honorary Member 2006 -
- Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness Member 2006 -
- Academy for Career and Technical Teacher Education (The Academy) Member 2005 -
- American Education Research Association Member 2005 -
- Association for Career and Technical Education Research Program Organizer 2005 -
- New York Association of Agricultural Educators Member 2005 -
- International Reading Association Member 2003 -
- North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Member 2003 -
- American Association for Agricultural Education Member 2002 -
- Gamma Sigma Delta Member 1996 -
- Phi Kappa Phi Member 1996 -
- National Association of Agricultural Educators Member 1993 -
- National FFA Alumni Member 1992 -
- Farm House International Fraternity Board Member 1991 -
- AAAE, Research Committee Committee Member 2008 - 2011
- AAAE-North Central Region, Research Committee Committee Member 2007 - 2009
- AAAE, Research Reporting Protocol Committee Committee Member 2008
- Strengthening Academic Learning through Agricultural Education Special Interest Group Chairperson 2008
- New York State FFA Leadership Training Foundation Board of Directors 2008
- New York State FFA Leadership Training Foundation, Capital Campaign Committee Committee Member 2006 - 2008
- National FFA Alumni Task Force, National FFA Organization Committee Member 2008
- AAAE-North Central Region, Research Conference Host 2008
- National FFA Affiliation Program Task Force, National FFA Organization Committee Member 2008
reviewer or editor for
Background
education and training
- Ph.D. in Agricultural Education, University of Florida 2005
- M.S. in Agricultural Education, Purdue University 2002
- B.S. in Agricultural Education, Purdue University 1996
awards and honors
- NYAAE Post-Secondary All Star Team, 2007
- NACTA Graduate Teaching Award, 2005
- Outstanding Graduate Student, 2005
- Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant, 2004
- G. A. Ross Outstanding Senior, 1997
- Outstanding Senior, 1996
- Outstanding Future Educator, 1996
- Honor Society, 1996
Other
college
- CALS
research keyword
- adolescent literacy
- agricultural education
- content area reading
- disciplinary literacy
- literacy
name prefix
- Dr.