Program Coordinator and Associate Professor of Agricultural and Extension Education
Jessica Marie Blythe was born and raised in Connecticut. Her interest in agriculture was instilled in her by her family at a young age. Playing in the garden, driving around the farm, and enjoying the natural areas around the state started a lifelong passion for agriculture and natural resources.
Her interest and experience in agricultural education continued when she attended the Suffield Agriscience Center for high school and was an active member of the FFA chapter. In 2005, she earned her Bachelor of Science at the University of Connecticut in ornamental horticulture. To pursue her interests in agricultural education and becoming a secondary agriculture teacher, Jessica moved to Florida to complete a master’s degree in Agricultural Education from the University of Florida.
Upon graduation in 2007, Jessica accepted a position as an agriculture teacher at Baker County High School in northern Florida. Dr. Blythe, developed the horticulture pathway and taught four different courses. During her years as a secondary teacher, she strived to increase the relevance of content in students’ lives and integrate academic content into agricultural contexts. Dr. Blythe was presented the National Association for Agricultural Educators Teacher Turn the Key award, and with her co-teacher was awarded Outstanding Middle/High School Program by the Florida Association for Agricultural Education.
Her interest and experience in agricultural education continued when she attended the Suffield Agriscience Center for high school and was an active member of the FFA chapter. In 2005, she earned her Bachelor of Science at the University of Connecticut in ornamental horticulture. To pursue her interests in agricultural education and becoming a secondary agriculture teacher, Jessica moved to Florida to complete a master’s degree in Agricultural Education from the University of Florida.
Upon graduation in 2007, Jessica accepted a position as an agriculture teacher at Baker County High School in northern Florida. Dr. Blythe, developed the horticulture pathway and taught four different courses. During her years as a secondary teacher, she strived to increase the relevance of content in students’ lives and integrate academic content into agricultural contexts. Dr. Blythe was presented the National Association for Agricultural Educators Teacher Turn the Key award, and with her co-teacher was awarded Outstanding Middle/High School Program by the Florida Association for Agricultural Education.
After four years of teaching, she returned to UF to complete a Ph.D. in Agricultural Education and Communication. Dr. Blythe has continually conducted meaningful research related to the integration of STEM in agricultural education and teacher professional development. It is her dream to continue her passion for agricultural education by preparing the next generation of secondary agriculture teachers and providing meaningful research that can enhance student learning across the nation.
Publications
- Blythe, J. M., DiBenedetto, D. A. & Myers, B. E. (2015). Inquiry-based Instruction: Perceptions of National Agriscience Teacher Ambassadors. Journal of Agricultural Education, 56(2), 110-121. doi: 10.5032/jae.2015.02110
- Shoulders, C. W., Blythe, J. M., & Myers, B. E. (2013). Teachers' perceptions regarding experiential learning attributes in agricultural laboratories. Journal of Agricultural Education, 54(2), 159-173.
- Hurst, S.D, Conner, N.W., Stripling, C.T., Blythe, J.M., Giorgi, A, Rubenstien, E.D., Futrell, A., Jenkins, J., & Roberts, T.G. (2015). An Exploration of the Formal Agricultural Education System in Trinidad and Tobago. Journal of Agricultural Education, 56(1), 141-154. doi: 10.5032/jae.2015.01141
- Conner, N. W., Stripling, C. T., Blythe, J. M., Roberts, T. G., & Stedman, L. P. (2014). Flipping an agricultural education teaching methods course. Journal of Agricultural Education, 55(2), 66-78.
- Conner, N. W., Stripling, C. T., Blythe, J. M., & Roberts, T. G. (2013). Rethinking course structure: Student perceptions of flipping a classroom [Abstract]. NACTA Journal, 57, Supplement