Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-2001

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agriculture and Extension Education

Major Professor

Roy R. Lessly

Committee Members

Martha Jo Tolley, Randol Waters

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the perceptions of Putnam County Explorer and Junior 4-H Program by Local Public School Educators regarding The University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension 4-H educational program. The study focused on respondent's perceptions regarding the Objectives of 4-H, Communication Strategies and Image of the agent, Knowledge of the 4-H Curriculum, the Tennessee 4-H Priority Program Areas. The study strived to determine the relationships between these variables and selected demographic variables including: gender, age, number of years employed, present position, area the respondents were raised, and whether their children were in 4-H. The study was descriptive/coorelational. The target audience was school personnel including principals, assistant principals, fifth and sixth grade teachers, and fourth grade teachers in the Putnam County public school system. A total of 115 questionnaires were hand delivered to each school. Of the 87 returned, 24% were principals or assistant principals, 46% were fifth and sixth grade teachers, and 30% were fourth grade teachers. A closed ended Likert-type scale was used for the decision making statements on the survey. Questionnaire data were tabulated by the researcher using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS for windows version 10.07). The findings were deduced through the use of descriptive statistics, t-test and ƒ-test, and Duncan's Multiple Range Test for multiple comparisons. The t-test and ƒ-test were used to determine the level of significance of the findings for the Post Hoc comparisons. The level of significance was p ≤ .05. The instrument consisted of two parts. Part I collected respondent's perceptions concerning Objectives of 4-H, Communication Strategies and Image of the agent, Knowledge of the 4-H Curriculum, the Tennessee 4-H Priority Program Areas. Part II collected demographic information regarding the respondents: age, gender, level of education, years employed, present position, where they were raised and whether their children were 4-H members. The educators participating in this research indicated that 4-H members were acquiring public speaking and self-expression skills through their participation in the 4-H program. Respondents indicated that e-mail, personal visits, personal letters, and telephone calls were the most effective methods for the 4-H agent to communicate with school personnel. The findings in the study indicate that educators preferred personal contact over mass media as a means of communicating with the 4-H agent. Educators indicated that the 4-H agent should keep school personnel informed of the 4-H mission and provide recognition (plaques, banquets, etc.) to 4-H volunteer leaders. Furthermore, educators reported using the history and language arts materials more than any other 4-H curriculum. Respondents indicated that an in-school 4-H program provides youth an opportunity to gain leadership skills, and teaches citizenship skills. Female educators agreed more favorably that members acquired the 4-H objectives, with the image of the agent statements, and with the ability of 4-H to address priority program areas than did the male educators. Respondents 36 to 45 years old indicated more agreement that the agent train volunteers to plan and conduct 4-H club meetings than did educators over 55 years old. Of the 12 respondents that participated in the study over age 55, nine were principals. Principals agreed less strongly that the agent train volunteers to plan and conduct 4-H club meetings than did teachers. Principals more strongly agreed that the agent should keep school personnel informed of the 4-H mission, devote time to public relations, and provide recognition to volunteers than did fourth and fifth and sixth grade educators. Also, educators who had been employed 11 to 20 years and 21 years or more agreed more strongly that the agent should keep school personnel informed of the 4-H mission than did educators who had been employed 10 years or less. Principals, that participated in the study, had been working eleven years or longer. Fourth grade teachers agreed more favorably that the agent "use volunteers to administer the curriculum" than did principals or fifth and sixth grade teachers.

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