An evaluation of selected Tennessee Extension 4-H project literature

The purpose of this study was to evaluate existing Tennessee 4-H literature in terms of manual content, project unit division, record form utility and completeness, responsibility for manual development and handling of projects for which literature is not available. Suggested manual content and other criteria were also to be rated and ranked. Data for this study were collected by the use of a questionnaire mailed to all professional county Extension personnel doing full time or part-time youth work in FY 1975. The questionnaire was developed with the aid of a panel made up of the 4-H staff and a graduate committee. The questionnaire was sent to all 194 Agents. A total of 172, 89 percent, completed and returned them. The t-test and chi-square analyses were used. Major study findings, among others, included the following: 1. Seventeen manual content criteria formulated for agent reaction were approved. 2. Agents with more than four Honor Club initiates and Home Economic majors tended to rate manual content criteria higher. 3. Agents rated literature for five of 43 projects and activities excellent, 16 Good, 17 Fair and five Poor on quality of content. 4. Agents with Agricultural majors and with more than four years of experience rated more projects Excellent. 5. Agents preferred the eight-unit system of Project and Activity literature division and development. 6. Agents with more than four Honor Club initiates, B.S. degrees. Home Economics majors, and less than four years of Extension experience rated the eight-unit system higher. 7. Agents preferred including records in each manual for projects with manuals for each year. 8. Agents with more than four Honor Club initiates and Home Economics majors rated having record forms available for each year included in the manual higher. 9. Agents tended to rate projects having more units available higher than others. 10. Agents with four or less Honor Club initiates. Master's degrees. Agriculture majors and more than four years of Extension experience tended to rate more projects higher. 11. Agents rated six projects Good, according to adequacy of record forms 28 Fair and nine Poor. 12. Master's degree agents. Agriculture majors and those with four or more years of Extension experience rated more record forms available for projects Good than others. 13. More agents felt that Specialists, Agents, Volunteer leaders and 4-H members should all be involved in 4-H literature development as a group. 14. Agents with more than four years of Extension experience and Master's degrees preferred Specialists and Agents be the ones to write and serve as a reading committee for 4-H literature. 15. Agents agreed generally that projects for which manuals were not available should not be offered. 16. Agents preferred using private industry and adult Extension publications on projects and activities not having literature. Implications regarding meaning of the findings and recommendations for use of findings and further research were included.