CRITICAL WATER RELATED CURRICULUM NEEDS AS PERCEIVED BY AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE TEACHERS IN PROGRAMS LOCATED WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE OGALLALA AQUIFER

Abstract

This study is part of a larger project pertaining to water related curriculum in agricultural science programs located in areas that are dependent upon the Ogallala Aquifer. Portions of South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas were included in the study. This study sought to determine critical needs in curriculum and professional development related to teaching water related topics. Forty-five topics, as identified in the literature, comprising four factors were presented to 356 agricultural science teachers to determine perceived importance and the degree to which the topics were included in their programs. Using Witkin’s (1984) need assessment matrix analysis, three topics were found to be critical needs, one topic was found to be a low-level successful ability, 18 were found to be low-level needs, and 23 were found to be high-level successful abilities. Recommendations concerning practice and future research were made as a result of this study.