Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1991

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agriculture and Extension Education

Major Professor

Randol G. Waters

Committee Members

Cecil E. Carter Jr, Martha Jo Tolley

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to learn the perceptions of junior high and high school personnel concerning the educational value of the Greene County 4-H program. This involved perceptions of the values of 4-H, the public image and role of the agent, extension initiatives, networking and school linkage and the 4-H curriculum.

Selected demographic variables of the school personnel included: gender; city verses county system employment; present position; rural or urban setting for the first 18 years of life; and exposure to 4-H.

Data were collected from one hundred and fourteen usable surveys that were personally delivered to school personnel.

The instrument was developed primarily from instruments used by Clinkscales (1984) and Burkett (1980), with specific sections designed for this Greene County study. The study design was descriptive correlational. Means, standard deviations and correlations coefficients were used in this study along with "substantive differences" as defined by Morrison and Henkei. (1973) The Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficients were calculated to describe the exposure to 4-H relationships.

Major findings include:

1. Over 68 percent of the respondents were 4-H members and over 78 percent had seen 4-H projects and displays.

2. School personnel that responded had a very positive view of the values and objectives of the 12 4-H variables.

3. "4-H members acquire positive attitudes toward themselves and gain feelings of self-worth" was the variable receiving the highest score.

4. Personnel responded positively that the 4-H agents' role should be to manage and train volunteers and add enrichment to in-school efforts through training and recognizing volunteers.

5. Personnel responded positively that 4-H could enhance the teaching of Nutrition, Diet and Health: Family Economic well-being; and Environmental concerns with inschool "hands-on" experiences, and reach "at-risk" youth.

6. Personnel responded positively that camping is an integral part of 4-H, and that schools and 4-H could work together more to utilize the local facility.

7. Respondents felt that teens could be trained and could positively contribute to the extended school programs.

8. Relatively few respondents had used the 4-H educational materials. Those most frequently used Included: plants and animals, environment, language arts and art.

9. There was little substantive difference in the relationships of the respondents perceptions of the selected demographic variables. The more exposure the respondents had to 4-H the more likely they were to use the curriculum materials.

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