Journal of NACAA

Perceived Usefulness of Aquaponics to Teach Agriculture, STEM, and Life Skills in the Classroom

ISSN 2158-9429

Volume 16, Issue 1 - June 2023

Editor: Linda Chalker-Scott

Abstract

We surveyed 117 teachers to investigate perception of classroom-based aquaponics as a teaching tool for STEM, life skills and student engagement. Overall, respondents perceived Aquaponics as useful. Agriculture teachers perceived higher utility for teaching agriculture, lower student engagement, and lower utility for collaborative learning compared to non-agriculture teachers. Science teachers perceived lower utility of aquaponics as a teaching tool for agriculture, math, and physics compared to non-science teachers. We found a time in teaching effect for life skills but no time effect for usefulness as a teaching tool. We attribute this to sample size and recommend efforts to link aquaponics and academic subjects.

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