An Examination Of Student Participation In National FFA Career Development Events

Barry Croom, North Carolina State University

Gary Moore, North Carolina State University
Jim Armbruster, National FFA Organization

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine why students participate in National FFA
Organization career development events and to examine factors related to their participation. A
survey was completed by 2145 National FFA Organization members and by 206 National FFA
Organization advisors and coaches. National FFA Organization members who participate in
national career development events are generally pleased with the conduct of the events and find
them valuable to their education. National FFA Organization members are trained for career
development events primarily by their teacher. This training generally lasts between one and five
hours per week and will most likely occur after normal school hours. Teachers and students in
this study disagree as to the reason why members participate in national career development
events. Teachers believe that the most important reason for participation is competition, but
students indicate that the most important reason for participation is that the event relates to their
career choice.

Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, Volume 59, 2009 Page 109
 Introduction

National FFA Organizations [FFA] provide leadership and personal development

opportunities for students enrolled in career and technical education. Students learn skills related
to specific occupations and, in a broader sense, develop their technical literacy through exposure
to the general concepts of business and industry. The finished product is a students knowledge
of the agriculture industry. The FFA proposes to add value to this product by improving a
students leadership ability, personal communication skills and personal work habits. The
personal and professional development provided by the FFA is intended to assist them once they
enter the workforce. For the student who is enrolled in agricultural education primarily for the
purpose of providing agricultural literacy, the FFA provides the opportunity to experience all
aspects of the industry.

In 2004, the National FFA Organization completed a five-year review process of the FFA
career development events and found that a mechanism was needed to align CDEs with
projected careers as they become available in the food, fiber and natural resources industry.
Furthermore, the FFA needed to find ways to involve more middle grade students in career
development events. The report also indicated a need to continue efforts to assist new teachers in
improving overall participation in CDEs and to document the relationship between curriculum
and career development events. The report further indicated a need to continue efforts to improve
participation in CDEs by a diverse population of students enrolled in agricultural education
(National FFA Organization, 2004).

This research project sought to examine one segment of the total FFA program career
development events [CDEs]. According to the National FFA Organization (2000), one of the
most highly esteemed benefits of FFA membership is the connection established between the
student and the agriculture industry. The career development events program is intended to
provide students with the opportunity to practice skills learned in the classroom and on the job,
but does it effectively meet both the FFA programs goals and the goals of individual FFA
members? Are career development events meeting the career needs of FFA members?

Theoretical Framework

The purpose of this study is to determine why students participate in national career
development events and to examine factors related to their participation in national career
development events. In order to assess the effectiveness of career development events, the
researchers conducted an evaluation study, and the theoretical base for it is derived from the
CIPP model developed by Stufflebeam and Shinkfield (1985). The goal of the CIPP evaluation
model is not to prove, but rather to improve programs (Stufflebeam, 2001). To accomplish
program improvement, this model utilizes four core components, or types of evaluations
context evaluation, input evaluation, process evaluation, and product evaluation. The context
evaluation component determines the needs of a specific program and helps to define the
programs objectives. The input evaluation phase identifies resources needed by the program.
The process evaluation answers the question, How well has the program been implemented?

Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, Volume 59, 2009 Page 110
 The final evaluation phase examines the outcomes of the program to determine if the
objectives have been met (Stufflebeam, 2003). The CIPP model is useful because it is relatively
easy to organize the evaluation process around the four components (Worthen, Sanders,
Fitzpatrick, 1997). This comprehensive model allows the context, input and process evaluations
to take place while simultaneously waiting for the product evaluation (Payne, 1994). Because of
the impact this model has on program administration, it is important to have both internal and
external evaluators. This helps control bias in interpreting results (Stufflebeam, 2001).

To gather contextual data, the National FFA Organization has established a career
development events advisory board to annually review and make recommendations regarding
changes in the structure and operation of career development events. Every five years, the
National FFA Organization completes a systematic and comprehensive review process of career
development events to determine if they are congruent with the FFA mission, and that they are
still relevant to technological advancements in the food, fiber, and natural resources industry
(National FFA Organization, 2004). The National FFA Organization also gathers demographic
data from participants during the career development events. This includes data about FFA
members, coaches, and the schools, FFA chapters and communities where the school resides.

To gather input and process data, the National FFA Organization collects opinion data
from member participants and their coaches during the career development events. Some of the
data that might be collected from these opinion surveys includes information about the school
curriculum in agricultural education, instructional materials used to prepare teams, and funding
for CDE team preparation and travel to the national event. Informal observations by CDE event
staff and national FFA staff are also valuable sources of data.

For many teachers, even beginning teachers, interacting with students through participation
in FFA activities is an enjoyable part of the job of teaching (Talbert, Camp, and Heath-Camp,
1994). Although managing the FFA program is a demanding task (Mundt & Conners, 1999), one
of the effective teaching responsibilities identified by Roberts and Dyer (2002) is to prepare
students for participation in career development events.

Overall, FFA members believe that the FFA provides valuable assistance in helping
students choose a career and that FFA programming also helps them reach certain education
goals as well (Croom and Flowers, 2001). Those students who are involved in FFA activities and
who choose to attend college are significantly more likely to earn a baccalaureate degree (Ball
and Garton, 2002). Students who participate in a number of FFA activities including career
development events complete their agricultural education program and tend to enter an
agricultural occupation (Fraze and Briers, 1986; Bowen and Doerfort, 1989). However, Scanlon,
Yoder, Hoover, and Johnson (1989) report that the essential practices perceived to be most
effective by teachers in recruiting and retaining FFA members were participation in career
development events, FFA activities, and awards programs. Rossetti, McCaslin, and Gliem (1996)
found that FFA members reported that the reason why they chose to be a member was based on
the organizations ability to help them achieve future career goals. The study further reports that
a students interest in FFA activities and programs and the enjoyment derived from them, and
leadership skill development were major reasons for being a member. The National FFA
Organization should develop new career development events based upon emerging student

Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, Volume 59, 2009 Page 111
 interests and agricultural technologies. These recognition programs should be periodically
reviewed to determine their effectiveness in motivating students (Shinn and Vaughn, 1993).

Purpose And Objectives

The purpose of this study is to determine what motivates students to participate in

national career development events and to examine factors related to their participation in career
development events. The specific research questions addressed by this study are:

1. What motivates students to participate in national career development events?

2. What are the perceptions of students regarding the conduct of the national career
development events?
3. How are students prepared to participate in the national career development events?
4. Is there a difference between advisors and students perceptions of participation and
preparation in career development events?

Procedures

The population for this study was the total number of registered participants in the career
development events held at the 2003 National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. This
population included both the FFA member participants and their coaches, and was selected
because these individuals had advanced to the highest level of participation in this FFA program.
The student survey was completed by 2145 FFA members and the teacher survey was completed
by 206 adults who serve as the coach for a particular student or team in a career development
event. Respondents in the student survey were asked to complete 31 items related to the
educational value of the national career development events in which they participated, the
quality of the event itself, and methods of recognition. The Likert-based items on the survey
instrument ranged from 1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree, and from 1 = least
important to 5 = most important. Respondents in the teacher survey were asked to complete 24
items related to the educational value of the national career development events in which they
participated, the relationship to curriculum, types of instruction materials and training methods.
Likert-based items on the instrument ranged from 1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree,
and from 1 = least important to 5 = most important. A team of professional educators who work
closely with national FFA career development events developed the instrument. The instruments
validity was established by teacher educators with experience in FFA programs. A reliability
analysis yielded Kuder-Richardson 20 coefficient scores of .79 for the student survey and .70 for
the teacher survey. The instrument was administered to participants upon completion of their
respective career development event.

Findings

The 2145 student respondents were almost equally divided according to gender, although
the females held a slight majority at 48.5% when compared to the male respondents (48.4%).
The majority of respondents were Caucasian (92.2%) with the second largest ethnic population
in the study being Native Americans (1.6%). There were no African American respondents in the
survey. Most of the students were juniors and seniors in high school (61.8%), and the majority of

Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, Volume 59, 2009 Page 112
 respondents had been FFA members for three or more years (76.5%). The majority were from a
rural farm community (63.4%). Almost half of the respondents reported that the chapter FFA
degree was the highest degree they held at the time of the national career development events,
and 12.9% reported that they had earned no degree at all. Seventy-five percent of respondents
reported that the 2003 national FFA career development event in which they were participating
was their first one. Twenty-four percent of respondents had participated in two or more national
career development events.

Participants were asked to rate five items based upon the impact these items had on their
decision to participate in the national CDE. Participants ranked competition as having the least
impact on their decision to participate in a national career development event. The item that most
influenced the respondents decision to participate was that the national CDE related to their
career choice (see Table 1). An independent samples t-test found that female students ranked
career choice significantly higher than male students. Male students rated the opportunity to earn
scholarships and to develop leadership skills significantly higher than female students.

Table 1

Participants decision to participate in a national career development event.

Male Students Female Students
Item (n = 1039) (n = 1041)
Mean SD Mean SD t-value
Relates To Career Choice 3.04 1.39 2.87 1.45 2.81*
Leadership Development 3.21 1.21 3.71 1.18 -.9.46*
Scholarship Awards 3.53 1.31 3.75 1.19 -3.95*
Travel/Fun 3.80 1.23 3.72 1.21 .1.42
Competition 3.92 1.09 3.98 1.06 -1.24
Note. 1 = Most Important, 2 = Important, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Moderately Unimportant, 5 = Least
Important. *p<.01.

Respondents reported that participation in the national career development event evaluated
their current knowledge of the agriculture subject specific to the event (M = 4.13, SD = 0.91),
and that classroom instruction was useful preparation for the event (M = 3.84, SD = 1.09).
Respondents agreed that participation better prepared them for future employment opportunities
(M = 3.81, SD = 1.03), and exposed them to new career areas associated with the career
development event (M = 3.60, SD = 1.10). To a lesser extent, respondents agreed that
participation was valuable to their career preparation (M = 3.47, SD = 1.18) and that it related to
their supervised agricultural experience (M = 3.21, SD = 1.34) (see Table 2).

Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, Volume 59, 2009 Page 113
 Table 2

Mean scores of respondents regarding the educational value of the career development event.
Item Mean SD
This specific event evaluated my current knowledge and ability. 4.13 0.91
The instruction I received during my agriculture classes prepared 3.84 1.09
me to participate in this event.
By participating in this event, I am better prepared to compete for 3.81 1.03
future employment opportunities.
My participation in this event exposed me to new career areas. 3.60 1.10
Participation in the event was a value to my career preparation. 3.47 1.18
The event was related to my supervised agricultural experience. 3.21 1.34
Note. 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree.

Respondents agreed that the instructions they received regarding the computerized
scoring process (M = 4.27, SD = 0.91) as well as overall event procedures were clearly explained
(M = 4.03, SD = 1.02). Rules were enforced fairly (M = 4.18, SD = 0.99) and distractions were
limited (M = 3.54, SD = 1.17). The facilities were adequate for the event (M = 3.96, SD = 0.98),
and materials used by the respondents allowed them to perform at their best performance level
(M = 3.90, SD = 1.02) and they were able to complete the event activities in a timely manner (M
= 3.92, SD = 1.17). Overall, respondents reported that both they (M = 3.92, SD = 1.03) and their
team members (M = 3.84, SD = 1.03) were prepared to participate in the event (see Table 3).

Seven items on the survey instrument asked respondents to rate the common methods of
recognition for participation in career development events (see Table 4). Respondents rated
scholarships (M = 4.52, SD = 0.84) as the most important method of recognition among all other
items. Respondents also rated tangible representations of their achievement in the form of
medals, plaques, and trophies (M = 3.60, SD = 1.06). Respondents also rated publicity in news
media (M = 3.33, SD = 1.14), award functions (M = 3.32, SD = 1.10), and internships (M = 3.29,
SD 1.26) as important. Respondents were neutral towards certificates as a form of recognition
(M = 2.90, SD = 1.16) and main stage recognition (M = 3.14, SD = 1.21).

More than two-thirds (68.6%, n = 1472) of respondents planned to attend a college or

university as a full time student upon graduation from high school, and 6.5% (n = 140) plan to
attend college on a part-time basis. An additional 4.7% (n = 101) plan to continue their education
in a technical school. When asked what they would do if they attended college, 17.4% (n = 373)
of members would pursue a degree in food, fiber and natural resources while 70.3% of members
(N = 1508) would seek a degree in another career area. Thirty-five respondents have no future
educational plans at the time this survey was administered. After high school, 16 students expect
to become employed full-time in the food, fiber and natural resources industry and 19 students
(0.9%) plan to seek full-time employment in an industry not related to agriculture.

Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, Volume 59, 2009 Page 114
 Table 3

Mean scores of respondents regarding the quality of the national career development event.
Item Mean SD
I understood the instructions given for completing the computer score sheets. 4.27 0.91
Event committee enforced the rules for this event in a fair manner. 4.18 0.99
The degree of difficulty was appropriate for this level of competition. 4.11 0.94
Event procedures were explained clearly by event officials. 4.03 1.02
Facilities used for the event were adequate. 3.96 0.98
I was prepared to participate in this event. 3.92 1.03
I had enough time to complete the event activities. 3.92 1.17
Materials used during the event allowed me to perform at my best level. 3.90 1.02
My team was prepared to participate in this event. 3.84 1.03
Distractions were limited. 3.54 1.17
Note. 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree.

Thirteen percent (n = 279) of respondents reported that they eventually intend to seek a
career in the food, fiber and natural resource industry in which they will use the skills they
learned as a direct result of their participation in a specific career development event. An
additional 165 respondents (7.7%) plan to enter a food, fiber and natural resource career, but not
in the CDE area in which they participated. Eight hundred and seven respondents (37.6%) plan
to use the skills they learned in this event in a career not related to the food, fiber and natural
resource industry. Skills notwithstanding, 346 respondents (16.1%) plan to pursue a career
outside of the food, fiber and natural resource industry. Fifty-two students (2.4%) plan to enter
military service.

Table 4

Respondents opinions on the importance of selected recognition methods.

Items Mean SD
Scholarships 4.52 0.84
Plaques/Medals/Trophies 3.60 1.06
Publicity, Local or Regional Newspaper Articles 3.33 1.14
Recognition at Award Functions 3.32 1.10
Internships with Event Sponsors 3.29 1.26
Main Stage Recognition 3.14 1.21
Certificates 2.90 1.16
Note. 5 = Most Important, 4 = Important, 3 = Neutral, 2 = Moderately Unimportant, 1 = Least
Important.

The majority of career development event coaches who completed the survey instrument
were agriculture teachers (98.5%), and three out of every four career development event coaches
were males (75.8%). Almost all of these coaches were Caucasian (96.1%), 2% were Native
American, 1% Pacific Islander, and 1% Hispanic. There were no African American or Filipino
respondents for the coaches survey in the career development events at the 2003 National FFA

Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, Volume 59, 2009 Page 115
 Convention. Most of the teacher respondents (43.7%) had prepared between one and three teams
for national competition. Slightly less than one-third (30.7%) of all CDE coach/respondents had
taught for 21 years or more. Most of the respondents reported teaching in a comprehensive high
school with grades nine through 12 (72.4%), and most of these schools are in a rural farm
community (54.1%). The majority of respondents work in a one-teacher (43.3%) or a two-
teacher (34.3%) program. Roughly three-fourths of the teacher respondents (77.7%) reported that
less than half of the students they teach come from an agricultural background.

Most respondents (60.3%) believed that instruction about the area of agriculture
represented by the career development event was integrated into their curriculum (see Table 5).
The teacher-respondents overwhelmingly agreed that the career development events accurately
evaluated student knowledge and ability (90.3%).

Table 5

Teachers views on the relationship between classroom instruction and curriculum to career
development events
Responses
How the event related to classroom instruction. (n = 184)
Frequency Percent
No relationship to the curriculum. 13 7.1
The curriculum included a unit of instruction. 48 26.1
The curriculum integrates several units of instruction. 111 60.3
The curriculum specialized in this area of agriculture. 12 6.5

Competition was the most frequent answer given by teacher-respondents (48.5% very
important, 37.9% important) as the most important reason why students prepared for career
development events (see Table 6). Teacher respondents also indicated that their encouragement
often motivated students to prepare for career development events (41.9% very important, 30.3%
important) and that travel and the fun associated with it were also very important reasons (30.7%
very important, 33.7% important).

Table 6

Teacher-Respondents perceptions of why students are motivated to prepare for the career
development event.
Item n Mean SD
Competition 198 1.71 .86
Encouraged by agriculture teacher 198 2.01 1.10
Travel/fun 199 2.22 1.11
Development of leadership skills 198 2.25 1.12
Relationship to program curriculum 197 2.72 1.17
Relates to students career choice 198 2.83 1.21
Note. 1 = Most Important, 2 = Important, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Moderately Unimportant, 5 = Least
Important.

Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, Volume 59, 2009 Page 116
 When Do Agriculture Teachers Train Their CDE Teams?

Students were asked when they were trained for the CDE's. There was no single clear-cut
answer. CDE teams appear to be trained during class time, after school, before school and on
holidays and weekends. The data indicate most teachers use a combination of these times.
However, there were some observable trends. It is a rare teacher who does all of the CDE
training before school. Only .61 percent of the responses fell into this category while 13.5
percent of the responses indicate teachers never train CDE teams before school. The most
identified time to train CDE teams is after school (see Table 7). The majority of teachers spent
one to five hours per week training students for national CDE competition (see Table 8).

Table 7

When Agriculture Teachers Train Teams as Reported by Students

Very
Never Sometimes Moderately Frequently Always
During Class 6.04% 9.50% 4.37% 3.65% 1.39%
Before School 13.50% 7.21% 1.95% 1.56% 0.61%
After School 1.97% 7.38% 6.63% 6.66% 2.51%
On Holidays and Weekends 5.57% 9.94% 4.65% 3.56% 1.36%
Note. The National FFA had students check one of 11 categories (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%,
40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100%) for each row of data. Because of the unwieldiness
of these data, the data were regrouped into five categories (Never = 0%, Some Times = 10, 20 &
30%, Moderately = 40, 50 & 60%, Very Frequently =70, 80, & 90%, Always = 100%). The
number of responses in each category were summed and then divided by the grand total number
of responses to derive a percentage.

Table 8

Time spent preparing students for the national FFA career development event
Responses (N = 192)
Time was spent preparing students for the event
Frequency Percent
All training completed during a scheduled class. 11 5.7
1-2 hours per week beyond classroom instruction 68 35.4
3-5 hours per week beyond classroom instruction 71 37.0
5-10 hours per week beyond classroom instruction 31 16.1
More than 10 hours per week beyond classroom instruction 11 5.7

Conclusions

Conclusion 1: Among a list of potential reasons why students participate in national FFA
career development events, the most important reason selected by students was to learn skills
that will translate into a career option for them once they graduate from high school. Female
participants are significantly more likely than males to participate because the career
development relates to their career choice. Male participants are more likely than females to
participate for leadership development and scholarships.

Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, Volume 59, 2009 Page 117
 Conclusion 2: Even though almost half of the FFA members who participate in national
career development events indicate that they do not plan to pursue careers in the food fiber and
natural resource industry, they are generally pleased with the conduct of the events and find them
valuable to their education.

Conclusion 3: The agriculture teacher primarily trains FFA members for national FFA
career development events. This training generally lasts between one and five hours per week
and will most likely occur after normal school hours.

Conclusion 4: Teachers and students in this study disagree as to the reason why members
participate in national career development events. Teachers believe that the most important
reason for participation is competition, but students indicate that their most important reason for
participation is that the event relates to their career choice.

Discussion and Implications

Some cynics may say that students participate in national CDEs because, The students
won the state event. This answer is too simple because students choose whether or not they will
advance to national competition. Furthermore, it does not explain why students chose to
participate in career development events in the first place, nor does it explain why they chose to
devote the time and effort necessary to be in a position to win the preliminary events leading up
to the national event.

The concept of CTSO career development events rests largely on a system of competition,
and it is surprising that students rank competition as the least of reasons behind their decision to
prepare for a career development event. In addition to career choice, students also ranked
leadership development and scholarship awards above competition, suggesting that students are
becoming more concerned about developing skills in the competition that really matters to them
finding, acquiring, and building a career in a chosen occupation. In this case, career
development events are succeeding because students believe that they are receiving content-
specific instruction and are better prepared for a chosen career because of it.

The ratings given by member respondents indicate that the National FFA Organization is
running a smooth operation with regard to career development events. Students know what is
expected of them when they compete, and the event is structured so that students feel that they
have done their best work.

If you wish to make a student happy upon completion of the career development event, it
may be best to award a scholarship for exemplary achievement in addition to plaques and
trophies. Many students in this study intend to go to college after their high school years, and
financing a college education is very much on their minds. As more women move into executive
leadership positions in business, there emerges an opportunity for the FFA and agricultural
education to deliver high quality businessoriented leadership training, and provide the
scholarships necessary for young women to continue their education in college.

Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, Volume 59, 2009 Page 118
 Out of the 2145 survey responses received from students at the 2003 career development
events, none came from African American students. It would seem that if there were any African
American students in the national career development events that at least one or two would have
completed the survey instrument. The obvious implication is that African American students are
an underserved population in agricultural education and FFA, especially when it comes to
reaching the highest level of career development events. The obvious recommendation is for the
agricultural education profession find ways to involve African American students in career
development events, but a better investment of time and resources might be to find better ways to
turn them on to agricultural careers. If the profession can convince African American students
and their instructors that an agriculturally related career is an alternative for them, then perhaps
we will see increased participation by them in national career development events.

Although students indicates their reason for participating in a national career development
event was because it related to their career choice, a significant number of them planned to seek
careers outside of the food, fiber and natural resources industry. Is this an indication that the
mission of agricultural education has shifted more toward agricultural literacy than career
preparation? Will the agricultural education profession be content serving a significant
population of students who do not intend to pursue a career in the industry?

The lack of a discernable pattern in the training schedule for national career development
events suggests that teachers are finding it difficult to schedule practices when all team members
can be present. Teachers and students might be finding themselves dodging meetings, after
school work schedules, after school transportation problems, and other school and FFA activities
in search of the ideal practice time for CDEs. Teachers may soon experience burnout if they
spend too much of their personal time preparing students for career development events.

Teachers rated competition as the issue of primary importance while the students rated it
the issue of least importance. Students rated career preparation as their primary reason for
participation in national CDEs while teachers rated it as the issue of least importance. One
might suggest that teachers are overemphasizing competition at the expense of the students.
However, a more accurate answer may be that competition is what keeps teachers motivated to
prepare students for career development events year after year. The students are receiving awards
and important career preparation, and the teachers are receiving recognition for having their
students appear in a national career development event. The prestige of having won a state career
development event and advancing to national competition may be one of the intangible rewards
teachers earn in a life devoted to teaching.

Recommendations

As a result of this study, it is recommended that further research be conducted in the area
of program planning and resource allocation in agricultural education programs. Teachers may
need assistance in effectively managing their agricultural education program so that the amount
of personal time needed for CTSO activities during weekends and holidays can be significantly
reduced. It is also recommended that the National FFA Organization partner with the agricultural
education profession to seek ways to effective strengthen diversity among students. National
CTSOs should also continue its system of evaluation for career development events. CTSO

Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, Volume 59, 2009 Page 119
 career development events should maintain their relevancy as advances are made in business and
industry.

References

Ball, A. L., & Garton, B. L. (2002). Agricultural youth organizations and university learning
communities: The impact on agriculture students academic performance and degree
completion. 2002 National Agricultural Education Research Conference Proceedings. Las
Vegas, NV.
Bowen, B.E. & Doerfort, D.L. (1989). Occupational aspirations of state FFA contest and award
winners. Journal of Agricultural Education, 30(2), 49-54.

Croom, D., & Flowers, J. (2001). A question of relevance: FFA programs and services as
perceived by FFA members and non-members. 2001 Southern Agricultural Education
Research Conference Proceedings. Forth Worth, Texas.
Fraze, S. D. & Briers, G.E. (1986). The relationship between participation in selected FFA
activities and the career choice of program completers in vocational agriculture in Texas.
Journal of the American Association of Teacher Educators in Agriculture, 28(1), 17-25.

Mundt, J.P. & Connors, J.J. (1999). Problems and Challenges Associated with the first years of
teaching agriculture: a framework for preservice and inservice education. Journal of
Agricultural Education. 40(1), 38-48.

National FFA Organization. (2000). Brand identity research. Indianapolis: Author.

National FFA Organization. (January, 2004). CDE awards and recognition revision process
2006-10: Status Report, January 2004. Indianapolis: Author.

Payne, D. A. (1994). Designing educational project and program evaluations. Boston: Kluwer.

Roberts, G.T. & Dyer, J. E. (2002) Characteristics of effective agriculture teachers. 2002
National Agricultural Education Research Conference Proceedings: Las Vegas, NV.

Rossetti, R., McCaslin, N.L., & Gliem, J.A. (1996). A nationwide examination of FFA
membership: factors influencing students decisions on whether or not to become
members. Alexandria, VA: National FFA Organization.

Scanlon, D.C., Yoder, E. P., Hoover, T.S., & Johnson, S.S. (1989). Factors affecting past and
prospective enrollments in secondary school agricultural education programs and FFA
membership. Alexandria, VA: National FFA Organization.

Shinn, G., & Vaughn, P. (1993). Understanding the value of contests and awards: National FFA
Organization. Indianapolis: Synergy Research.

Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, Volume 59, 2009 Page 120
 Stufflebeam, D.L. (2001). Evaluation models. In G.T. Henry, & J.C. Greene (Eds.), New
directions for evaluation. a publication of the American Evaluation Association. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Stufflebeam, D.L. & Shinkfield, A.J. (1985). Systematic evaluation. Boston: Kluwer-Nijhoff.

Stufflebeam, D.L. (2003). The CIPP model for evaluation. In Kellaghan, T., Stufflebeam, D.L.,
& Wingate, L. A. (Eds.), International handbook of educational evaluation Part One:
Perspectives. Boston: Kluwer.

Talbert, B.A., Camp, W.G., & Heath-Camp, B. (1994). A year in the lives of three beginning
agriculture teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 35(2), 31-36.

Worthen, B.R., Sanders, J.R., & Fitzpatrick, J.L. (1997). Program evaluation: Alternative
approaches and practical guidelines (2nd. ed.). New York: Longman.

Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, Volume 59, 2009 Page 121