Rate My Professor Blake Colclasure

Blake Colclasure serves as Teaching Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications within the Herbert College of Agriculture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is also affiliated with the UT Institute of Agriculture and recognized as a Faculty Fellow in the Chancellor's Honors Program. Prior to his current role, Colclasure held positions including Senior Lecturer in the same department and was a Ph.D. student in Agricultural Education and Communication at the University of Florida, where he defended his dissertation on the effects of inquiry-based instruction. His academic background includes a B.S. in Agricultural and Environmental Science Education from the University of Illinois. Colclasure's research specializations encompass teaching and learning practices in agricultural education, course-based undergraduate research experiences, the integration of virtual reality in agricultural education, and the influence of media on beliefs related to agriculture and climate change. He has contributed significantly to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), participating in initiatives such as the SoTL Incubator and Finish Line Award programs at UT Knoxville.

Colclasure has authored or co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, including 'Examining a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience in a Food Systems Course' (NACTA Journal, 2025), 'Factors Relating to Agriculture Teachers' Perceived Use of Instructional Methods' (2022), 'Experience with Scientific Teaching in Face-to-Face Settings Promoted Usage of Evidence-Based Practices during Emergency Remote Teaching' (CBE—Life Sciences Education, 2022), 'Enhancing Agricultural Education through Virtual Reality' (2024), and 'Cable News Media's Influence on Climate Change Beliefs' (2023). His work 'A Philosophical Perspective In and About Agriculture' was named Article of the Year by the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education. Notable awards include the EUReCA Faculty Research Mentor Award from the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, the NACTA Jack Everly Journal Award (2024), and recognition at the American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE). Colclasure has served as Search Committee Chair for faculty positions in his department and contributes to undergraduate mentoring through multi-semester research capstones and honors programs, enhancing student engagement in agricultural sciences.