Special Issue: Teach and Build Soft and Transferable Skills in Agricultural and Applied Economics

Call for Papers

Applied Economics and Teaching Resources is calling for manuscripts related to the subject area of teaching and learning soft and transferable skills in Agricultural and Applied Economics. The rapid development of AI and machine learning has introduced much uncertainty in what future jobs look like and what skills students need for a future world. This AETR Special Issue calls for research, teaching innovation and methods, case studies and teaching commentaries on student skill development theories and practices, especially on soft, psychosocial, or interpersonal skills that are generally applicable to all professions, being transferable between jobs. In particular, we are seeking submissions that exemplify innovative and effective approaches for:

• Researching, analyzing, and mapping how student skills are evolving in a work environment that is rapidly changing and increasingly digital, especially for agricultural, food, and natural resources economics and management graduates. These could be presented as Education Scholarship and Research, Case Studies, or Teaching Commentary articles.
• Developing and implementing teaching design and learning experience that makes soft and transferable skills an integral part of what students learn. A non-exhaustive list of examples includes the High-Impact Practices (HIPs) such as Collaborative Assignments and Projects, Diversity/Global Learning, ePorfolios, Internships, Service and Community-Based Learning, Undergraduate Research, and Writing-Intensive Courses. These could be presented as Educational Innovations and Methods, Case Studies, or Teaching Commentary articles.
• Documenting and analyzing a range of potential approaches in program curriculum designed to integrate student soft and transferable skill development throughout their college career. A non-exhaustive list of examples includes First-Year Seminars and Experiences, Capstone Courses and Projects, Common Intellectual Experiences, and Learning Communities that encourage integration of learning across courses. These could be presented as Educational Innovations and Methods or Teaching Commentary articles.
• Researching and examining relative feasibility, effectiveness and enduring viability of alternative approaches in building student soft and transferable skills, either as analysis of a specific approach, or as comparative studies of two or more approaches, as listed in the previous bullet points. These could be presented as Education Scholarship and Research, Educational Innovations and Methods, or Teaching Commentary articles.
• Considerations about diversity, equity and inclusion as dimensions of students’ access and participation in soft and transferable skill development practices are encouraged.

With the rise of the GenAI and its impact of future workforce, this special issue aims to collect emerging research and innovative teaching practices regarding student skill development in Agricultural and Applied Economics. We expect this special issue will be of broad interest to agricultural and applied economists, including those who are directly involved in undergraduate and graduate education, their administrators (both Department Heads and Deans), industry and private partners who intend to collaborate with academia in problem solving and talent seeking.

The special issue will be managed by both Dr. Na Zuo (nazuo@arizona.edu) and Dr. Jason Bergtold (bergtold@ksu.edu), editors of AETR.

Special Issue Timeline:

If you are interested in making a submission to the special issue, please submit a 300-word abstract to Dr. Jason Bergtold (bergtold@ksu.edu) by March 20, 2026. The abstract should describe the overall theme/topic of the manuscript, how it relates to the special issue call, and how it can be used for educational purposes. Your abstract will be reviewed once submitted and you will then be informed if you will be invited to submit a submission to the special issue.

Full papers for accepted abstracts must be submitted through AETR online by September 30, 2026. All papers will go through a double-blind peer review process and be available online via Advanced Access for readers once accepted. All submissions will need to follow the AETR submission guidelines at: https://www.aetrjournal.org/contribute/submission-guidelines. If you have questions about the special issue, please email the AETR editors.