A systems approach to 4-H club management

• Main Author: Pyle, David Dale
• Other Authors: Patton, Don C.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: 4-H clubs.; Interaction analysis in education.; Agricultural education > Mathematical models.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/179848; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/415377

The 4-H Interaction Evaluation Model was developed to illustrate relationships between the 4-H program, as a sub-system, and a larger society as a greater system. The model specifically focused upon cognitive, affective and psychomotor skill development of 4-H boys and girls. Research instruments were designed to assess 4-H member outcomes of the cognitive and affective domains for 4-H members at two levels within the clothing, beef and photography projects.A random sample of 4-H boys and girls enrolled during 1975 in six selected project divisions participated in the study. Selected 4-H members resided in 12 counties in each of three states, Indiana, Nebraska and Missouri. Research instruments were administered as a pre-measurement of existing skill levels to participating 4-H members during May and as a post-measurement of terminal skill levels during September, 1975.Two major hypotheses were developed. Hypothesis I was an inclusive hypothesis of all skills classified as cognitive skills and stated that no significant mean score increases between pre-measurement and post-measurement would occur. Hypothesis II was an inclusive hypothesis stating that no significant mean score differences on three attitudinal sub-scales would occur between the two administrations of the attitude sub-scales.The resulting data were analyzed to determine the proportion of 4-H members performing the specified skills adequately at the time of each administration of the research instrument and the significance of observed mean score differences for each skill assessed. A correlated t test for significance utilizing a one-tailed test was used to test all skills contained under Hypothesis I. A correlated t test for significance utilizing a two-tailed test was used to test attitudinal sub-scale changes under Hypothesis II. All skills contained as sub-hypotheses were rejected at the .05 level of confidence.The following conclusions were based upon the findings of the study:1. Attitude of 4-H members toward the 4-H project division generally change little during one project year.2. Criterion levels established for attitude sub-scales generally are within reach of the 4-H member.3. Terminal 4-H project mean attitude sub-scale scores are generally lower at advanced levels than first year levels indicating that advanced 4-H members hold a more positive attitude toward the project than first year members.4. Attitudinal changes are more likely to occur within the beef and photography projects than in the clothing project. No significant differences were observed in the three attitude sub-scales in the clothing project levels.5. Criterion levels established for cognitive objectives are either too high for all but ten of the cognitive objectives studied or the project experiences are inadequate to guarantee 4-H member achievement.6. Among the three beginning 4-H project divisions, increased levels of measured cognitive achievement occurred most frequently in the clothing project and least frequently in the photography project difference among the three projects is not observable for the advanced divisions. 7. Measured cognitive gains are more frequent for beginning project divisions in Indiana and Nebraska while for Missouri, the gains are more frequent for advanced project divisions.8. Generally, a larger number of 4-H members can reach specified criterion levels for objectives on the post-test than on the pretest.9. Except for the beef project in Indiana, the increase in percentage of 4-H members reaching criterion levels from pre-test to post-test is greater for beginning project divisions than advanced project divisions.10. A total of 43 of the 220 objectives developed for the study are inappropriate, evaluation items utilized are inadequate or the attendent project division programs need major revision because terminal cognitive mean scores were lower than entering cognitive mean scores.