Level of influence of selected factors upon Missouri agricultural education teachers' choice to instruct agricultural mechanics curriculum

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors influencing school-based agricultural educators in Missouri to instruct the curriculum found within the course Agricultural Construction 1 and/or Agricultural Construction 2. The Missouri Agricultural Mechanics Assessment was distributed via e-mail to all teachers who instructed Agricultural Construction 1 and/or Agricultural Construction 2, during the 2009-2010 academic school year (N = 257). A total of 203 (79%) teachers completed the instrument. Personal Importance was the most influential factor impacting their decision to teach the agricultural mechanics curriculum areas: Arc Welding, Project Construction, Oxy-Gas and Other Cutting/Welding Processes, Woodworking, Metals, and Finishing. Administration Importance was the least influential factor influencing Missouri agriculture teachers to instruct the agricultural mechanics curriculum areas. Overall, negligible to small relationships were found between teacher characteristics and the summated variables: Importance to Teach and Teacher Self-Efficacy, based upon teaching the curriculum areas.