ADULT EDUCATION PHILOSOPHIES PRACTICED BY AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IN PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, AND WEST VIRGINIA

Abstract

Zinn’s (1990) Philosophy of Adult Education Inventory (PAEI) was used to determine the adult education philosophies practiced by Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia secondary school agricultural education teachers. The target population of this study included all agricultural education teachers from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia who taught during the 1998- 99 academic year. Proportional stratified sampling (n = 314) was employed to ensure equal representation from each state identified in the target population. One hundred and eighteen secondary agricultural education teachers responded to the survey (38%). Slightly more than two-thirds of the educators in the tri-state area identified with the progressive philosophy. Large effect sizes were found in the correlations between three pairs of the philosophies. Medium effect size correlations were also found in the correlations between another four pairs of the philosophies. In addition, small effect size correlations were discovered between the humanistic philosophy and state variable as well as progressive philosophy and adult education payments. Over three fourths of the respondents indicated they taught adults. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents reported having receiving formal training in teaching adults and slightly over three fourths of the respondents who indicated they taught adult classes were paid to teach the classes.