Home satisfaction, work satisfaction and the presence or absence of children were quantitatively assessed using responses from 132 Virginia vocational home economics teachers. Analysis of variance was used to examine whether home satisfaction and the presence or absence of children made a significant difference in work satisfaction. Those items which teachers found most and least satisfying in both their work and home situations were also identified. The analysis of variance found that mean home satisfaction scores made a significant difference upon work satisfaction, while the presence or absence of children did not. The interaction of home satisfaction and children made no significant difference. Home and family items teachers identified as being most satisfying were personal habits, housing, health of family members, and personal health. Those least satisfying were amount of time for self! division of household duties, time together as a family, and family schedule. Aspects which were the most satisfying at work were amount of commuting time, amount of control over job, opportunity to work independently, and friendships at work. Those which were least satisfying were flexibility of work schedule, opportunities for advancement, salary, and meal and break times. Overall, this group of vocational home economics teachers indicated a high level of satisfaction with work and home life. / Master of Science

In an effort to determine the extent and type of usage of the libraries of the various high schools in District "M," a questionnaire was formulated. The group of students who composed the Graduate Seminar at Radford College during the Summer Session, 1950, cooperated with the study by responding to the first draft of the questionnaire; then by offering constructive criticisms. With the incorporation of their suggestions, the resulting instrument; found in Appendix "C," was mailed to all of the schools included in the study. The questionnaire was divided into two sections: first, Organization and Administration of the Library; second, Kind and Extent of Library Usage. / M.S.

This study examined the teaching performance, academic achievement, and perceived staff value of teachers recruited through the Chesapeake Career Commitment Program as compared to those teachers recruited through a more traditional method. The problem statement of this study was to determine what differences existed between the Career Commitment teachers and the traditionally recruited teachers. Grade point averages, scores on the National Teachers Examination, evaluation of teaching performance by the respective principals, evaluation of teaching performance by the central office evaluator, and the staff value of teachers expressed by ranking scores were analyzed for both the Chesapeake Career Commitment teachers and the traditionally recruited teachers. Additionally, the reasons stated of both groups for accepting employment with Chesapeake Public Schools, and the retention rate for both groups was investigated. The subjects in this study were the 1985 Career Commitment teachers and certain selected teachers who were matched with the career teachers. The matched teachers were selected because they had not taught before and were assigned to the same school as was a Career Commitment teacher. Related literature was examined regarding supply and demand of teachers, recruitment, the need for quality teachers, measures of academic achievement, teacher retention and the development of Chesapeakes' Career Commitment Program. The findings reveal a measurable difference between the performance of teachers recruited through the Career Commitment Program and those teachers recruited in the traditional method exists. Findings suggest that: (1) the Chesapeake Career Commitment Program is very successful and should not only be continued but expanded beyond the present scope, and (2) that it may, if properly structured be equally effective to recruit and hire teachers prior to conclusion of all classwork and student teaching rather than observe the traditional delay until all educational work is completed. The principals, as a group, viewed the Career Commitment teachers as being more of a staff asset than the traditionally recruited teachers. / Ed. D.

Staff development, which is designed to help individuals grow personally and professionally in a supportive environment, is an important responsibility of supervisors in state and local education agencies. For teachers entering the field, staff development is particularly important since beginners often find the first years of teaching difficult and overwhelming. However, research related to the training needs of beginning special education teachers is limited. The purpose of this study was to: (a) identify competencies which beginning and experienced teachers of students with mild disabilities (emotionally disturbed or ED, educable mentally retarded or EMR, and learning disabled or LD) perceive as being necessary for effective special education teaching and (b) determine differences in training needs among beginning and experienced special education teachers. Survey methodology was used to gather information to answer the research questions. A staff development questionnaire was developed that contained 80 items under 7 broad categories: assessment/diagnosis, individual educational programs and planning, integration and collaboration, curriculum, instructional strategies, behavior strategies, and advocacy issues. The questionnaire was based on Virginia certification requirements, the professional literature, teacher interviews, and expert reviews. Teachers were asked to judge the relevance of the 80 skills to their teaching positions and to rate the extent to which they felt a need for additional training in each of the skill areas. Questionnaires were mailed to 1,056 ED, a EMR, and LD teachers in Virginia. Six hundred two teachers responded for a response rate of 57%. Data were analyzed* using descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. Major findings of the study include the following: (1) special education teachers perceived that the 80 competencies were extremely relevant to their jobs; (2) both beginning and experienced teachers indicated moderate training needs in the seven areas; (3) beginning LD teachers rated the need for IEP skills higher than experienced teachers; (4) experienced EMR teachers perceived that 5 of the 7 broad categories were more relevant than did beginning EMR teachers; and (5) EMR teachers rated need for training in curriculum higher than LD teachers. Implications for educational agencies, such as information on training priorities and teacher preparation programs are discussed. / Ed. D.

Middle school programs in agricultural education are unique educational experiences that provide middle school aged children in Virginia with a basic understanding of agriculture and its applied sciences. Curriculum innovations such as the one for Virginia middle schools provide guidance for teachers in the field and offer a base from which programs can operate. However, the benefits of educational innovations are never fully realized until the teacher in the classroom adopts and implements the changes. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between teacher characteristics and the adoption of agriscience curriculum in Virginia middle school agricultural education programs. The population for this study consisted of the 57 middle school teachers of agricultural education in Virginia. All of the teachers were surveyed with an 81% response rate obtained. Selected conclusions drawn from the findings were: 1. There are two distinct groups of middle school agricultural education teachers in Virginia, those who are teaching a large part of the approved curriculum and those who are teaching only a small portion of the curriculum. 2. Teacher attitude toward agriscience is a significant predictor of the amount of agriscience curriculum taught. 3. Teacher knowledge of agriscience is a significant predictor of the amount of agriscience curriculum taught. 4. Teacher expectations of agriscience curriculum is a meaningful predictor of the amount of agriscience curriculum taught. Selected recommendations drawn from the findings and conclusions are: 1. Given the existence of the significant contribution of the teachers’ positive attitude toward the amount of agriscience curriculum taught by middle school teachers of agricultural education in Virginia, more effort by teacher education, the Virginia Department of Education, and agricultural interests in Virginia should be devoted to building positive attitudes toward agriscience. 2. Given the significant contribution of the teachers’ knowledge toward the amount of agriscience curriculum taught by middle school teachers of agricultural education in Virginia, more effort is needed by teacher education to prepare prospective teachers in agriscience content and methodology as part of their teacher preparation. The Virginia Department of Education and agricultural interests in Virginia should also commit to teacher training through inservice and other activities involving agriscience education. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between teacher effectiveness and agreement with the philosophy adopted by the Agricultural Education Division of the AVA. The study also investigated the relationship between teacher effectiveness and the strong beliefs about quality vocational agriculture programs held by teachers. The primary subjects for this study were agricultural teachers in Virginia identified by state supervisors of vocational agriculture and verified by selected teacher educators in agricultural education as the most and least effective agricultural teachers. A total of 40 teachers were identified as most effective and 33 were identified as least effective. In addition, the general population of 368 agricultural teachers in Virginia was used to investigate the relationship between selected demographic variables and agreement with philosophical concepts. Selected conclusions drawn from the findings were: 1. The philosophy adopted by the Agricultural Education Division, AVA does not contain the beliefs most likely to distinguish between the most and least effective teachers. 2. There are beliefs not included in the philosophy adopted by the profession that do seem to be related to teacher effectiveness. 3. The most effective teachers are more likely to express beliefs about the teacher being the key to effective programs while the least effective teachers are more likely to express beliefs about external factors being the key to effective programs. 4. Additional education is a better predictor of teacher effectiveness than either age, experience or agreement with any of the specific concepts adopted by the profession. Selected recommendations drawn from the findings and conclusions are: 1. Research is needed to determine what other beliefs are held by vocational agriculture teachers and how those beliefs are related to teacher effectiveness. 2. Research is needed to determine what factors other than beliefs are related to teacher effectiveness. 3. The philosophy of the profession should emphasize that effective agricultural programs depend on the teacher taking personal responsibility for and being committed to those programs. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which relationships exist between the perceptions of local supervisors of social studies, social studies teachers, and building principals relative to the role of the local supervisor of social studies education. Data were gathered to determine the perceptions of supervisors, teachers, and principals regarding actual and ideal performance on forty-two selected supervisory activities. The descriptive-survey method was utilized in the study. Population sample included twenty local social studies supervisors, one hundred and ninety-seven building principals, and four hundred and sixty social studies teachers. The four hundred and sixty social studies teachers (twenty-five percent) and one hundred and ninety-seven building principals represented employees in each school division in Virginia during the 1980-81 school year where local supervisors of social studies education were employed full-time. Mail questionnaires were developed, piloted, and forwarded to the selected sample population. Usable responses were received from three hundred and twenty-five teachers (seventy-one percent), one hundred and fifty-one building principals (seventy-seven percent), and twenty local supervisors of social studies (one hundred percent). The alpha level selected for determination of statistical significance and rejection of the seven null hypotheses was p < .05. Descriptive statistics, correlated t tests, uncorrelated t tests, and the Spearman rho (ρ) were used in analyzing the data. Data were reported by means, frequencies, ranks, standard deviations, and percentages. To analyze data within groups the correlated t test was used. The uncorrelated t test was used to analyze the data between groups. To determine the relationship between the rank differences reported by the sample groups, Spearman rho (ρ) correlations were computed using the formula: ρ = l - (6Σd²)/[N(N² - 1l)] In a comparison of perceptions of local supervisors of social studies education versus perceptions of teachers regarding actual performance on forty-two selected supervisory activities, it was determined that there was a high agreement between teachers and supervisors as to the order of priority placed on activities by supervisors. The Spearman rho computation based on rank differences of actual time spent as perceived by supervisors and the teacher's perceptions of actual time spent yielded a high positive correlation. Also, principals and supervisors were in close agreement as to the priority of supervisors' actual use of time. A high positive correlation was found to exist based upon rankings of the two groups relative to actual use of supervisors' time. Significant differences were noted between the perceptions of local supervisors of social studies education and those of social studies teachers and building principals relative to ideal supervisory performance. Teachers and supervisors were in moderate agreement relative to the setting of priorities for time utilization by supervisors across the forty-two activities. Principals and supervisors were in high agreement relative to the priorities based on ideal rankings for supervisors. Major findings of the study were as follows: 1. Supervisors, teachers, and principals agreed that supervisors should spend more time on nearly all of the identified activities than they currently do. 2. Each group surveyed agreed that the ideal performance of supervisors should be closely related to that group's perceptions of what supervisors currently do. 3. There was a high positive correlation between the supervisors, teachers, and principals as to the allocation of priorities by supervisors. 4. There was a moderate to high positive correlation across groups as to how supervisors should allocate their time. / Ed. D.

In this thesis the author has conscientiously attempted to portray in clear fashion the status of all V.P.I. graduates, post graduates, and those qualified to teach in vocational agriculture since 1918. The material collected, it is hoped, will serve as a source of information for professors at V.P.I. who have to do with guidance and placement. Furthermore, it is expected that the information contained herein, will show certain pertinent facts concerning the department of vocational education in question. Is the department efficient? Do its graduates secure jobs? Are salaries commensurate with time spent in securing degrees? Does the higher degree have any significance so far as increase in salary or steps in advancement are concerned? Have the V.P.I. graduates obtained positions of unusual responsibility and honor? Has service rendered by these graduates been hit or miss, or has it been constructive and definite over a long period of time? What has been the percentage of V.P.I. agricultural men who have entered occupations allied to farming? Are there any facts which indicate success n these allied occupations? Such questions as the above, and others, are answered in this thesis. In attempting to collect the information mentioned above the author has made use of the Alumni Office files; the records in offices of the various supervisors of Agricultural Education - Dr. W.S. Newman, State Board of Education, Richmond, Va.; Mr. D.J. Howard, Assistant State Supervisor, Winchester, Va.; Mr. T.V. Downing, District Supervisor, Ivor, Va.; Mr. J.O. Hoge, District Supervisor, Blacksburg, Va.; Mr. F.B. Cale, District Supervisor, Appomattox, Va.; department files; Alumni files; Registrar's office; Cormier's thesis and questionnaires. Grateful acknowledgment is made to these men as well as to Professors E.C. Magill, H.C. Groseclose, H.W. Sanders, and other school officials who have rendered valuable assistance in the arduous task of preparing this thesis. / Master of Science

Job satisfaction and its related phenomena have been of considerable interest for many years. Review of the job satisfaction literature, however, revealed few studies which examined the job satisfaction of both full-time and parttime community college faculty. The purpose of the study was (1) to determine the level of job satisfaction among occupational-technical faculty in relation to ten factors based on Herzberg's et al. (1959) Motivation-Hygiene Theory and (2) to determine the relative difference of job satisfaction between full-time and part-time occupational-technical faculty in the Virginia Community College System. Specific research questions explored the level of job satisfaction, the level of job satisfaction among the ten factors of Herzberg's et al. (1959) Motivation-Hygiene Theory, and the proportion of variance in job satisfaction explained by selected demographic variables among full-time and part-time occupational-technical faculty in the Virginia Community College System. A total of 255 occupational-technical faculty were selected to participate in the study, 127 full-time and 128 part-time. These faculty were mailed a packet of survey materials containing a Data Form and a modified version of the Wood's Faculty Satisfaction/ Dissatisfaction Scale. The overall usable response rate was 70.2% (n=177). The response rate for the full-time occupational-technical faculty was 78.6% (n=99) while the response rate for the part-time occupational-technical faculty was 62.4% (n=78). Results of the study indicated that both the full-time and part-time occupational-technical faculty were generally satisfied with their jobs, 76.7% and 89.7% respectively. Both full-time and part-time occupational-technical faculty reported the highest level of satisfaction for the factor the work itself and the lowest level of satisfaction for the factor salary. Although both full-time and part-time occupational-technical faculty were generally satisfied with their jobs, the part-time faculty were more satisfied with their jobs than were their full-time counterparts. It should be noted, however, that the actual proportion of variance explained by status (i.e., full-time or part-time) was small and may not be of practical significance. Recommendations for local and state level administrators responsible for supervising full-time and part-time occupational-technical faculty were delineated. Recommendations for future research were described. / Ph. D.