Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** stemming the rural brain drain is a…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** stemming the rural brain drain is a national concern. Researchers have found that as many as 40% of high school graduates who leave rural america to attend college never return. This project aims to provide rural teachers with the skills necessary to train their classes using inquiry-based instruction and micro-controllers. These automation controls are at the heart of precision agriculture and teachers will be provided with immersive learning experiences, classroom technology kits, and ongoing virtual professional development in one of three cohorts of teachers who receive two years of professional development. Year one participants will learn about automation, precision agriculture, arduino micro-controllers, electronic circuit prototyping, open-source sensor libraries, and practical applications to agriculture production. Teachers will return for a second year of advanced instruction in inquiry-based learning, using micro-controllers to control motors, build open-source CNC tablesto take to their schools, and receiveinstruction in 3-d printing and laser engraving. Longitudinal support of teachers attempting new innovations leads to increased levels of adoption of the innovation. The concerns-based adoption model will serve as the foundational process for monitoring teachers' concerns and providing just-in-time support to maximize the long-term impacts of the workshop. Long-term impacts are expected to include rural innovation centers where students apply the skills learned to enhance agricultural production in their rural communities.