Perceptions of selected educators of the quality of instruction in secondary vocational agriculture programs

The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions held by selected educators of the quality of secondary vocational agriculture programs and instruction in Iowa. The specific objectives of the research were to: (1) determine the perceptions of selected educators toward the effectiveness and quality of agriculture programs in Iowa; (2) determine the perceptions of selected educators toward the effectiveness and quality of instruction in vocational agriculture in Iowa; and (3) assess the relationship between selected factors and perceived effectiveness of instruction and quality of secondary agriculture programs;The population studied consisted of agriculture teachers, counselors, superintendents and principals from all secondary schools in Iowa which had vocational agriculture as a component of their curriculum (249). A modified stratified random sampling technique was employed to obtain paired and non-paired responses from the population. Data were collected using a mailed questionnaire. Content validity of the instrument was established by a panel of eight agricultural experts. Data collection began January 8, 1988, and was completed on February 12, 1988. Two mailings were made resulting in a response rate of 81.6 percent. Data were analyzed using SPSSx. Internal consistency and reliability of the data collection instrument was determined to be.977. Significant differences were observed in all program areas studied between agriculture teachers and the other three groups studied. Agriculture teachers\u27 perceptions displayed a significant difference in all but two individual items in the area of agricultural instruction. Agriculture teacher mean scores were much higher than the other groups in the study. Level of educational achievement had a positive influence on perceptions of programs and instruction;The research concluded that: (1) A poor perception of the quality of secondary agriculture programs and secondary agriculture instruction was prevalent in a large percentage of the administrators of secondary vocational agriculture programs in Iowa. (2) There was a positive significant influence on perceptions of the quality of secondary agriculture programs and instruction by additional years of higher education