Mathematics and science provided through vocational agriculture in Texas

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which teachers and students of vocational agriculture believed they were providing or were being provided instruction on topics in vocational agriculture that contained concepts and skills in mathematics and science. Methodology. The population consisted of 1,500 teachers of vocational agriculture and their 30,000 students of Vocational Agriculture I (Vo-Ag I) and Vocational Agriculture II (Vo-Ag II) in Texas during the 1985-1986 school year. Two hundred programs were selected randomly to receive questionnaires. One hundred programs received questionnaires for Vo-Ag I and 100 programs received questionnaires for Vo-Ag II. Total response was 59 of the Vo-Ag I programs and 61 of the Vo-Ag II programs. No significant relationships were found between the length of time required for response and significant variables; thus, it was assumed there were no differences between respondents and nonrespondents. The results of this study were generalized to all teachers and students of Vocational Agriculture I and II in Texas during the 1985-1986 school year. Major Findings. (1) Teachers used a majority of the curriculum materials that contained concepts in mathematics and science (66 percent of topical materials). (2) Teachers believed they taught the material for different subject matter areas to varying degrees, but overall, they believed they taught the subject matter areas from moderately to thoroughly. (3) Overall, students believed they were taught the subject matter to a moderate degree, consistently rating their being taught lower than teachers rated their teaching. (4) Overall, as the teachers' perceived use of the curriculum materials increased, both the teachers' and students' perceived degrees of teaching and being taught the subject matter increased. Conclusions. Teachers and students of Vocational Agriculture I and II believed they were teaching and were being taught the subject matter contained in the curriculum materials that were identified by a jury of experts as containing concepts in mathematics or science. It follows, then, that because teachers were teaching and students were being taught the subject matter, concepts and skills in mathematics and science were being taught through vocational agriculture.