THE EFFECT OF AN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS

Purpose. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a science agriculture program on academic growth and attitude toward school.;The experimental group received sixty minutes of science instruction daily, consisting of thirty minutes in the classroom and thirty minutes on the agricultural farm. The control group was instructed in science for sixty minutes daily within a traditional classroom setting, utilizing a standard textbook and lecture format.;Findings. An examination of the results revealed the following findings: (1) there were no significant differences in reading, math, or overall academic gains between the experimental and control groups. However, the experimental group made significantly greater academic growth in science than the control group; (2) there were no significant differences indicated in academic growth between males and females; (3) there were no significant differences in student attitude toward school between the experimental and control groups, nor between males and females.;Recommendations. The following recommendations were proposed: (1) science agriculture at Valley Center Middle School should be continued and expanded; (2) a longitudinal study of at least three years should be conducted to determine if the Valley Center Middle School science agriculture program can significantly improve academic growth in reading, math, and science; (3) research should be conducted to determine whether science agriculture treatment can have a positive impact on student attitude toward school; and (4) research should be done on a wider geographical scale.;Procedures. Students participating in the study were enrolled in grade eight at Valley Center Middle school during the 1979-80 and 1980-81 school years. Subjects were randomly assigned to a science agriculture experimental group or a traditional science control group, each group consisting of thirty-nine students. The Stanford Achievement Test and the California State Attitude Survey were administered as pre-tests and post-tests.