High School Agricultural Communications Competencies: A Natioinal Delphi Study

The major purpose of this study was to identify competencies that should be achieved by high school students who complete courses in agricultural communications. Identification of the competencies came from industry leaders, high school agricultural education teachers, and agricultural communications university faculty. As a means of accomplishing the purpose of the study, answers to the following questions were sought: 1. What specific topics should be included in a high school curriculum for agricultural communications? 2. For each topic identified, what competencies should agricultural communications students possess upon completion of the program? 3. For each competency identified, at what scholastic level should they be introduced to the student? A three-round Delphi technique was the principle procedure used to conduct the study with a total of 75 individuals being asked to participate in round one. In the first round, the panel identified 11 topic areas that should be included in a high school agricultural communications course: (1) Writing; (2) Computer/Information Technology; (3) Agricultural Industry; (4) Communications History; (5) Professional Development; (6) Research/ Information Gathering; (7) Ethics; (8) Public Relations/Advertising/ Marketing; (9) Leadership Development; (10) Legislative Issues; and (11) Communication Skills. Resulting rounds produced 93 competencies within the 11 topic areas that were identified for potential inclusion in the high school curriculum. Of the 93 competencies, two were eliminated due to lack of agreement by the panel. Scholastic level ratings by the panel further reduced the number of competencies appropriate for high school students to 76 and categorized the remaining competencies according to appropriateness for introduction at the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior level.