The Rookie: Describing the Challenges and Perceptions of a University Researcher's First Semester Teaching

Research faculty often And themselves teaching classes with little to no knowledge of effective teaching methods. As faculty in the agricultural education discipline, we are uniquely positioned to provide support and training to increase the self-efficacy of faculty members in this position. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the teaching experience for a researcher with no formal teacher training. The instructor and students kept weekly journals reflecting on their teaching and learning experiences during class. After analyzing the instructor's journal individually, we met as a team and agreed on four common themes. Those themes were then compared with the students' journals to provide a well-rounded view of the class experience. The themes identified included confidence in teaching ability and knowledge of topic, dedication to providing a quality learning experience, planning and time commitment, and building rapport with students.