Masters Theses

Kevin L. Rose

Date of Award

5-1996

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agriculture and Extension Education

Major Professor

Roy R. Lessly

Committee Members

Randol G. Waters, Ben T. Powell

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the benefit of agricultural related judging teams on former 4-H members in Giles County. The objectives of the study included: 1) to identify selected demographic characteristics of the judging team participants, 2) to determine if judging team participation influenced respondents' decision to attend college and major area of study, 3) to determine if judging participation influenced respondents' choice of a career, 4) to measure perceptions of the influence judging team participation had on the respondents' development of life skills, 5) to determine if life skills developed aided respondents in acquiring a job, and 6) to determine if a relationship existed between independent variables and the dependent variables in the study.

A questionnaire was developed and mailed to 115 former Giles County 4-H members that participated on agricultural judging teams with 56 returned. Descriptive statistics including measures of central tendency were used to report the Findings.

The respondents tended to agree that judging team participation influenced their knowledge of possible areas of study. Those who "agreed" that this was true indicated that the subject matter area of the teams and the opportunity to work with a 4-H agent had "moderate" influence on their knowledge of possible areas of study. The respondents who "agreed" that judging team participation influenced their decision to attend college indicated that the opportunity to visit a university had "considerable" influence on their decision. Those respondents who "agreed" that judging team participation influenced their major area of study indicated that the subject matter of the teams and the opportunity to visit a university had "considerable" influence on their major area of study.

Respondents indicated that judging team participation only "moderately" influenced their knowledge of possible careers. However, the respondents agreed that judging team participation influenced the development of life skills. They also indicated that life skills developed through judging team participation had "moderate" influence on their ability to acquire a job.

The independent variable, years of judging team participation, was analyzed with relation to the dependent variables, decision to attend college and major area of study, choice of a career, development of life skills and ability to acquire a job. As the number of years participating increased, so did the respondents' perception that judging team participation influenced their development of the dependent variables listed above.

Gender was also analyzed in relation to these dependent variables. Males tended to agree that judging team participation influenced their knowledge of possible areas of study where females did not. Both males and females indicated that judging team participation only "moderately" influenced their knowledge of possible careers. Both males and females agreed that judging team participation influenced their development of life skills. Males indicated that life skills developed through judging team participation had "considerable" influence on their ability to acquire a job. Females, however, indicated that life skills developed through judging team participation had only "moderate" influence on their ability to acquire a job.

Judging team participation had the greatest influence on the development of life skills according to the study's respondents. It also had a positive influence on their knowledge of possible areas of study in college. In addition, the longer former 4-H members participated on judging teams the more influence judging team participation had on the respondents' decision to attend college and their major area of study, choice of a career, development of life skills and the life skills developed on their ability to acquire a job.

In addition to these conclusions, recommendations for program improvement and future study were also included in the study.

Download
Files over 3MB may be slow to open. For best results, right-click and select "save as..."

Share

COinS