THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELECTED VARIABLES AND THE SELF-CONCEPTS OF PRESERVICE TEACHERS OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE

The major purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between selected variables and the self-concepts of preservice teachers of vocational agriculture. A secondary purpose of the study was to describe the attitudes of preservice teachers of vocational agriculture and to determine the relationship between selected factors and the attitudes of these preservice teachers toward vocational agriculture.;The dependent variable was the self-concept of preservice teachers of vocational agriculture. The independent variables were: (1) years of enrollment in vocational agriculture, (2) level of participation in high school FFA, (3) level of participation in a supervised occupational experience program, (4) college grade point average, (5) level of participation in Collegiate FFA, (6) level of participation in Alpha Tau Alpha, (7) socioeconomic status, (8) attitude towards vocational agriculture, (9) amount of related occupational experience, (10) sex, (11) residential background, and (12) type of enrollment.;A packet of materials consisting of the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, an Attitude Inventory, and a questionnaire was administered to each preservice teacher of vocational agriculture during the Spring Term of 1979.;Seven null hypotheses were formulated and tested. The significant findings of this study were: (1) A positive but low relationship (r = .2079) was found to exist between Total Conflict and net income earned from the supervised occupational experience. (2) Positive but low relationships were found to exist between grade point average and Total Positive (r = .2286), Personal Self (r = .2393), and Family Self (r = .2270). (3) A positive but low relationship (r = .2151) was found to exist between Total Conflict and parents' net income. (4) Negative but low relationships were found to exist between Total Positive and vocational agriculture teacher (r = -.2677), vocational agriculture (r = -.2431), and combined attitude value (r = -.2392). Negative but low relationships were found between Behavior and vocational agriculture teacher (r = -.2572), vocational agriculture (r = -.2538), and combined attitude value (r = -.2528). Negative but low relationships were found to exist between Personal Self and vocational agriculture teacher r = -.2373), vocational agriculture (r = -.2592), and combined attitude value (r = -.2189). (5) The mean Personality Integration score of the single majors was significantly higher than the mean score of the dual majors. (6) Female preservice teachers of vocational agriculture had a significantly more favorable mean attitude score toward vocational programs than did males. (7) Preservice teachers of agriculture with rural residential backgrounds had a significantly more favorable mean attitude score toward FFA than either suburban and urban preservice teachers. (8) Those preservice teachers of vocational agriculture who were enrolled in a vocational agriculture program had a significantly more favorable mean attitude score toward FFA than did those preservice teachers who had never enrolled in vocational agriculture. (9) The preservice teachers of vocational agriculture who were members of the Collegiate FFA had significantly more favorable mean attitude scores toward vocational programs, FFA, vocational agriculture teacher, vocational agriculture, and combined attitude value than did those preservice teachers who were not members.;The sample consisted of 87 freshman, sophomore, junior and senior preservice teachers of vocational agriculture enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at The Pennsylvania State University, University Park Campus.