Student's Rationale For Selection Of Agriculturally Related Courses In High School By Gender And Ethnicity

The literature shows that a student's decision to enroll in agricultural education programs is affected by intrapersonal factors including interests, attitudes, and value systems, as well as perceptions of course content, pedagogical strategies, and career potential. Sociocultural factors, including gender and ethnicity, have also been shown to affect student attitudes, beliefs, and enrollment in agricultural courses is needed to facilitate recruitment and inform guidance counseling and curriculum development. Reasons tenth grade students use to enroll in agricultural courses were examined in twelve (12) geographically distributed pilot high schools in New York State participating in an Agricultural Technology Program. Students rated their agreement with twenty two (22) potential reasons for studying agriculture on a Likert type scale ranging from 1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree. Comparisons were made by gender and ethnicity. This study showed that student's reasons for enrolling in agricultural courses could be categorized in five conceptual domains including preparatory for job and higher education, developmental skills, academic enhancement, response to social pressure, and participation in activity centered learning. Few gender or ethnic differences were identified. Implications of results on curriculum development , guidance counseling, and recruitment in agricultural education and Tech Prep programs were discussed. This study helped clarify the rationale that students use in their selection of agriculturally related courses in high school and explored potential gender and ethnic differences. The findings were part of a comprehensive study of a statewide, federally funded Agricultural Technology Preparation Program. Tech Prep Programs were designed to improve vocational education and facilitate recruitment. New curricular innovations and guidance policies were part of the strategies that were envisioned. Results of this study helped facilitate achievement of these goals. Additionally, the study provided a model for analysis that could be used with other Technology Preparation Projects in Agricultural Education. Student recruitment is not a new concern in agricultural education. Rossetti, Elliot, Price and McClay (1990) focused on this issue as a major problem and identified strategies to recruit students into vocational education. Thompson and Russell (1993) emphasized the link between declining enrollment in agricultural education and a shortage of qualified individuals in the food and agricultural sciences. They recommended developing an understanding of student attitudes and beliefs about agricultural science to facilitate recruitment. Agriculture teachers have been found to recognize the importance of recruitment and often play an important role in counseling students (Jackson, 1987). Similarly, Kotrlik, Harrison, and Wall (1986) found that agriculture teachers were often as influential as the guidance counselor in affecting student career decisions. However, in many schools it has been the guidance department that schedules students and has the administrative jurisdiction to place students in classes. Therefore, as Matulis and Osborne (1990) indicated, the support of guidance counselors is crucial to