Knowledge of and Perceptions About Agricultural Communications Competencies as Perceived by Oklahoma Agricultural Education Teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine Oklahoma agricultural educators' basic knowledge level and perceptions about agricultural communications, especially as they related to the secondary curriculum for agricultural education. Participants were agricultural educators who attended the five district meetings during the 2006 Career Tech Summer Conference. Each respondent was asked to complete a three-part instrument.Findings and Conclusions: Oklahoma agricultural education teachers perceived 46 agricultural communications competencies in five constructs held much importance for high school agricultural education curriculum. Respondents perceived themselves to have high ability to teach ethics, leadership development, and professional development competencies and communications history competencies, and perceived their ability to teach communications history competencies, public relations, advertising, and marketing competencies, and research, information gathering, and writing competencies as average. Respondents did not have adequate knowledge to teach agricultural communications courses, which was not congruent with teachers' perceptions of ability.