Masters Theses

Date of Award

3-1973

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agriculture and Extension Education

Major Professor

Robert S. Dotson

Committee Members

Cecil Carter Jr, Phyllis Iman

Abstract

This study was concerned with the characteristics of viewers of a Washington County educational television nineteen-program series on chair renovation. The purpose was to investigate certain characteristics of respondents who had previously renovated furniture, who had renovated during the educational television series and who planned to renovate a chair following the series, and to compare them with those respondents who had not. Data were collected from homemakers responding to a mail evaluative questionnaire in a five-state area in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, and West Virginia. A total of 1,477 evaluation forms were judged to be complete and accurate and all were used in the analysis. For purposes of the analysis, data from the 1,477 viewers were studied under four major headings according to the relation of the respondents': (1) membership status; (2) previous renovation of furniture; number of Extension units in the series watched; and (4) chair renovation rating.

Thirteen independent variables were identified and used as a basis for comparing certain characteristics of respondents who had renovated furniture and who had not renovated. Contingency tables were used to show the relation between the dependent and independent variables. Chi square statistical analyses were made to show the significance level of relations identified. Chi square values which achieved the .05 level were accepted as being statistically significant computations were done by The University of Tennessee Computing Center.

Major findings of the study were:

1. Respondent Extension-related membership status was significantly related to previous formal educational training. Though the test did not identify the area of variation, it appeared to focus on 4-H leaders, and parents (i.e., the former appeared to be slightly better and the latter less-well educated, respectively, than others).

2. Respondent Extension-related membership status was significantly related to all but one source of publicity that encouraged participation in the classes. The test identified television, newspapers, letters from the home agent, and "others" as the sources where the respondents in the various membership statuses varied significantly. Four-H leaders reported television and newspaper more frequently, while home demonstration club leaders reported letters from the home agent more than others. Differences on radio were not significant.

3. Respondent Extension-related membership status was significantly related to renovation of a chair before watching the series. More home demonstration club members and leaders and 4-H parents had renovated chairs previously than was true of 4-H leaders and non-members.

4. Respondent Extension-related membership status and three types of future television programs desired was significantly related. Significant differences were noted on a specific craft (more home demonstration clubs, 63 percent, and 4-H leaders, 69 percent, than others indicating interest), food preservation (more 4-H parents, 49 percent, and non-members, 44 percent, than others showing interest), and food buying (more 4-H parents, 35 percent, and non-members, 32 percent, than others expressing interest).

5. Respondent Extension-related membership status and certain types of classes attended were significantly related. Extension-sponsored and "other" classes had been attended by more leaders prior to viewing than by members of other categories participating. Differences on night classes were significant while others were not.

6. Whether or not respondents renovated chairs while the educational series was in progress was significantly related to their previous formal educational training. Though the test did not show where the differences occurred 5 observation of tabled data suggested that those renovating chairs tended to have at least some high school work, while non-renovators more frequently did not respond or indicated grammar school or at least some college.

7. Whether or not respondents renovated chairs while an educational television series was in progress and whether or not respondents assisted someone else in renovating chairs were significantly related. More viewers renovating chairs themselves during the educational television series tended to assist others in renovating them.

8. Whether or not respondents renovated chairs while an educational television series was in progress and whether or not respondents intended to renovate chairs after having seen the educational television series were significantly related. More of those not renovating chairs during the educational series were certain they did not plan to do chairs following the series.

9. The actual number of Extension units watched by respondents and whether or not they had renovated chairs while the educational television series was in progress were significantly related. This suggests that those renovating chairs during the series tended to watch a significantly higher number of the Extension units, and those not renovating tended to watch fewer.

10. The actual number of Extension units watched by respondents and whether or not they had assisted someone else in renovating chairs while the educational television series was in progress were significantly related. This means that those helping someone else to renovate chairs during the series tended to watch more Extension units than others; while those not assisting others tended to watch fewer.

11. The actual number of Extension units watched by respondents and whether or not they intended to renovate chairs after seeing the educational television series were significantly related. More of those who had chair renovation plans viewed more Extension units in the series; the reverse also applying with those not having plans for renovation.

12. The actual number of Extension units watched by respondents was significantly related to each of six topics for future television programs desired by respondents. A summary of results showed that the following television series topics were significantly related to the number of Extension units viewed: (1) buying home furnishings; (2) window treatment; (3) food preservation; (4) food buying; (5) work simplification; and (6) money management. The higher the number of units watched, the greater the likelihood they would select each of the six topics listed.

13. Respondent chair renovation rating was significantly related to "other" sources of publicity (e.g., telephony face-to-face contact, meetings) regarding the series. Relations with remaining sources (i.e., letters from home agents, newspaper, radio, television) were not significant.

14. Respondent chair renovation rating was significantly related to having renovated chairs before watching the educational television series. Thus, those who had renovated prior to viewing tended to have higher renovation ratings. This means that more of those who had completed chairs before the series also did so during the series and planned to renovate more following the series.

15. Respondent chair renovation rating was significantly related to renovating chairs while the series was in progress.

16. Respondent chair renovation rating and whether or not • respondents assisted someone else in renovating chairs during the educational television series were significantly related. Thus, more viewers helping someone else renovate had higher renovation ratings; while more not helping someone else had lower.

17. Respondent chair renovation rating was significantly related to respondent plans to renovate chairs after having seen the series. This is, of course, partially due to the fact that plans to renovate were included as one of the three criteria used for renovation ratings.

18. Respondent chair renovation rating and the viewing of each of the fifteen suggested Extension units were significantly related.

19. Respondent chair renovation ratings and whether or not respondents were satisfied with their renovated chairs were significantly related. Those having higher renovation ratings tended to be better satisfied with renovated chairs.

20. Respondent chair renovation rating was significantly related to the number of units watched. Those viewing more units tended to have higher renovation ratings.

21. Respondent chair renovation rating was significantly related to all types of adult education classes previously attended. Those having previously attended more adult education classes tended to rate higher.

Implications and recommendations also were made.

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