Education Teacher In-service Programming Needs Assessment instrument, which was.pdf

Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research 46 Volume 55, Number 1, 2005 Teacher Preparation and In-Service Needs Associated With Management of the Total Program of Agricultural Education in Georgia John C. Ricketts Dennis W. Duncan Jason B. Peake John Uesseler University of Georgia Abstract The purpose of this descriptive census study was to survey agriculture teachers (N = 348) in Georgia to determine perceived level of importance, competence, and pre- service/in-service training needs for a set of non-instructional, agriculture teacher competencies, specifically associated with duties related to managing the “total program” of agricultural education. Sixty one percent of the teachers (n = 212) completed a modified version of Joerger’s (2002) Minnesota Beginning Agricultural Education Teacher In-service Programming Needs Assessment instrument, which was based on Borich’s (1980) Needs Assessment Model. Mean and Standard Deviation were calculated to indicate teachers’ perceived level of importance and competence for each professional competency, while Mean Weighted Discrepancy Scores were calculated to represent in-service and pre-service needs. Teachers considered all of the non- instructional competencies needed for managing the total program of agricultural education important. They also considered themselves at least somewhat competent in each of the competencies. According to the Georgia agriculture teachers in this study, the most important training need for either pre-service teacher education or professional development was advising students about post-secondary education in agriculture. Other highly rated pre-service/in-service training needs included preparing FFA proficiency award applications and FFA degree applications, developing an effective public relations program, and developing Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) opportunities for students. 47 Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Re