A REGIONAL DELPHI STUDY OF THE PERCEPTIONS OF NVATA, NASAE, AND AAAE MEMBERS ON CRITICAL ISSUES FACING SECONDARY AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Abstract

This study utilized the expertise of secondary agriculture teachers, state supervisors and agriculture teacher educators to identify critical issues that secondary agricultural education programs will face over the next five years. This study was conducted using a four stage Delphi technique. The population for the surveys included secondary agriculture teachers, state supervisors and teacher educators throughout the Western Region of the American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE). The national officers of AAAE, NASAE and NVA TA were also included in the study. The total number of teachers, supervisors and teacher educators included in the study was 82. The respondents to survey one listed over 400 critical issues. The top 20 categories were then used in the second survey. Only two categories: funding focal agricultural education programs and recruitment and retention of secondary agriculture teachers were ranked as extremely important issues in survey two. In surveys three and four respondents determined their level of agreement with specific critical issues. An AN0 VA found that there was a significant difference in the way teacher educators and state supervisors ranked the importance of the reduction in state supervisors. Teacher educators indicated the issue was very important while state supervisors indicated it was extremely important