Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 40-06, Section: A, page: 3059. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1979.

The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge base and opinions about agriculture that were held by an urban community college population in the state of Arizona. Faculty members, teaching freshmen composition courses, in the two largest urban community college districts in Arizona were randomly selected and asked to distribute the survey instruments in one of their classes. The knowledge and opinion portions of the survey each contained 40 statements designed to assess a broad scope of agricultural information. The study found that a majority of respondents were not sure about the answers they gave on the knowledge assessment portion of the study. There was a significant difference in the way that minorities responded to questions when compared with non-minorities in both portions of the study. No significant differences were found when comparing responses between those who had previously had agricultural education experiences with those who had not.

<p> As educators seek methods of instruction that assist in helping to make learning relevant for agricultural education students, service-learning has risen as a desirable technique for meeting prescribed educational objectives. A gap in the agricultural education literature exists, however, in terms of describing whether these learning experiences intrinsically motivate students. As such, this investigation was designed to describe FFA member's level of intrinsic motivation towards service-learning through participation in the 2013 National FFA Days of Service. Deci and Ryan's Self-Determination Theory (SDT) served as the theoretical base for testing FFA members intrinsic motivation through three empirically based constructs&minus;interest, value, and perceived choice. Results from the study found that FFA members did have an interest and valued their service-learning experience; however, they exhibited varied views in terms of their choice to participate. The findings illuminated a congruency when the tenets of service-learning were amalgamated with the axioms of SDT. Therefore, the researcher presented the Intrinsic Service Learning Model in hopes of assisting practitioners of the pedagogy with delivering an intrinsically motivated service-learning experience for students.</p>

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the Agricultural Literacy level of seventh and eighth grade science teachers in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. Respondents were tested in the eleven areas encompassing the definition of agricultural literacy as reported by Frick, Kahler and Miller study in the Agricultural Education Journal, Summer 1991. Findings of the study included: (1) science teacher in middle and junior high schools are not agriculturally literate according to the information gained from questions in the eleven concept areas proposed by Frick, Kahler, and Miller (1991); (2) There is no difference in the agricultural literacy level of science teachers in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah; (3) Gender does not affect the agricultural literacy level of science teachers; (4) Education in Agriculture does not affect the agricultural literacy level of science teachers; (5) There is no difference in agricultural literacy level of rural and urban science teachers; (6) Agricultural literacy is not changed in teachers who have lived on a farm or ranch after their eighth birthday.

The purpose of this study was to identify the specific tasks performed and not performed by extension workers in the district of Amman, Jordan in 1990, to determine the frequency with which these tasks were performed, to gather perceptions of tasks and task groups and to identify the frequency of the obstacles encountered. Analysis of task performance revealed the majority of tasks performed on a frequent basis were implementation tasks. Extension workers also ranked the implementation group as the most important group of tasks. Extension workers spent the least amount of time on tasks in the areas of planning and results. The most frequently occurring obstacles identified by extension workers were the lack of appropriate technology, lack of transportation and lack of teaching and communication equipment. Study results indicated a need for emphasis on teaching media and for broader participation of extension workers on planning and evaluation of results. Pre- and in-service training programs were recommended, as was the establishment of a media division.

Thesis--Columbia University, 1932. / Vita. Bibliography: iv p. at end.

The purpose of this study was to determine the need for development of educational materials for beekeepers by evaluating the following: the current status of the management of honey bee colony genetics in the United States; the self-perceived information needs of beekeepers; and the most acceptable formats for educational materials. The sample defined was 255 hobbyist, part-time and commercial beekeepers that were registered participants at national and regional beekeeping association meetings during 1990. Results indicated that commercial beekeepers prefer different formats of educational materials than hobbyist and part-time beekeepers. Other important findings include the following: (1) few beekeepers manage colony genetics, (2) beekeepers that do not manage colony genetics would be willing to manage colony genetics if their operations were threatened, and (3) self-perceived information needs appear to reflect a response to self-perceived threats. Additionally, beekeepers in all classes indicated that research findings were not presented in an acceptable format.

The purpose of this study was to determine the self percieved levels of Spanish proficiencies of the 1990 and 1991 Guadalajara students at the beginning of their respective summer SSL programs and at the end of the program, the circumstances under which the student uses their Spanish skills, the frequency of usage of these Spanish skills and the satisfaction that the 1990 and 1991 Guadalajara summer SSL program students derived from their participation in their respective SSL summer classes. Four hundred and fifty-nine students from the 1990 and 1991 classes were surveyed to supply the information used in this research document.

The purpose of this study was to determine teacher and program effectiveness in Consumer and Homemaking Programs in Arizona by using time on task as a measure. In effective program studies, the common critical variable was the individual teacher (Brophy, 1979; McGreal and McGreal, 1986). Teachers who were organized, started class on time and kept the students busy with relevant work maintained high time on task percentages. Using time on task as a measurement of effectiveness, the "Managing Learning Time" instrument (Halasz and Desy, 1984), was used. This study: determined that the majority of students were on task in Arizona Consumer and Homemaking Education classrooms. Time on task was affected more by teacher and classroom practices than by the course content. The focus of the on task behavior varied by subject matter. The majority of time was spent on theory, practice and basic skills in Consumer and Homemaking courses.

The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between (1) selected seedling conditions and (2) the participating farmers' knowledge of planting techniques and the seedling mortality of trees supplied by the Pan American Development Foundation's Agroforestry Outreach Project in Haiti. During the spring of 1990 planting season, 18 sample farmers and the trees they received were studied to determine the correlation of several seedling conditions with seedling mortality. Rootball condition, leaf drop, plant turgor, and internal box temperature were measured during seedling transportation from nursery to the field. The farmers' knowledge of planting techniques was determined by a test over a planting guide. The most significant findings were that the seedling mortality was not strongly correlated to either the individual conditions measured or the farmers' knowledge of planting techniques. Collectively, these seedling conditions accounted for approximately 25 percent of the total variation in the seedling mortality.