An evaluation of instructional content, activities, and objectives in the development of leadership knowledge and skills of participants in the Leadership Extension Program of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to measure the perceived helpfulness of the Leadership Extension Program's instructional topics to develop knowledge and skills, improve job performance, and manage people and programs and to evaluate the attainment of program objectives. The population for this study consisted of Class I and Class II participants of the Leadership Extension Program. Both groups were surveyed using data collection instruments that were designed to evaluate instructional topics in five leadership areas and to evaluate program objectives. The data were analyzed and reported by objective. The four objectives were accomplished by using descriptive statistics and reporting frequencies, percentages, and central tendencies, conducting one-way analysis of variance on each of the scales by selected variables, calculating correlation coefficients for the selected scales, and using t-Test analysis to compare scales. The major findings of this study were as follows: 1. All leadership topics within the five leadership areas were found to be at least somewhat helpful toward the development of leadership and management skills. 2.All program objectives were indicated to be at least considerably attained. 3. Control group females were more likely than males to perceive the topics within organizational dynamics to be fairly helpful. 4.Control group participants who did not anticipate promotion were more likely than participants who did anticipate promotion to perceive the topics within developing people and programs to be very helpful and within organizational dynamics to be fairly helpful. 5.Control group participants with home economics responsibilities were more likely than participants with agriculture responsibilities to perceive the topics within organizational dynamics to be very helpful. 6.Treatment group participants with home economics responsibilities were more likely that participants with youth responsibilities to perceive the topics within Extension education to be very helpful. 7.For control group participants, there were statistical relationships between years of employment and organizational dynamics and influencing people. 8.There were several moderate to high, positive statistical relationships between the five leadership areas of the program. 9.There was no statistical difference in the program objectives attainment scores between the control group and the treatment group.