A study was made of the effects of training for 30 minutes, three days a week for 20 weeks on certain physiologic measures of sedentary men between 49 and 65 years of age. Twenty-two subjects volunteered for the experimental group, and 8 others for the control group. Exercise sessions were conducted on a quarter-mile track and consisted of continuous bouts of walking and jogging. The average daily energy expenditures progressed from 228 to 365 kilocalories between weeks 4 and 20. For the same period, average exercise heart rates (HRs) progressed from 149 beats/minute (83 per cent maximum HR) to 155 beats/minute (91 per cent maximum HR). The experimental group showed significant increases in maximum oxygen intake (VO2 max) from 2.47 to 2.90 liters/minute (18 per cent) and in maximum pulmonary ventilation (VE max) from 105 to 121 liters/minute (BTPS), and decreases in resting HR, diastolic blood pressure, body weight, skinfold fat, and abdominal girth. Serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels and heart volume remained unchanged. The control subjects showed no significant changes. Regression analysis, with use of age as a covariate, showed a small but significant inverse relationship with changes in VO2 max. It was concluded that men of the 49-65 age group respond favorably to endurance exercise and show a magnitude of change similar to that found in previous investigations of similar design with younger subjects.

The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act Amendments of 1990 mandated that states develop a system of performance measures and standards to be used for program evaluation and improvement. The purpose of this study was to examine the systems of performance measures and standards that each state had approved in response to the Perkins Act of 1990 for secondary vocational programs and identify implications for agricultural educators. Ninety-six percent of the states reported academic measures and standards for secondary programs. Academic areas of mathematics, reading, and language were ranked high by states as an approved measures for academic skill in both basic and advanced skill area. For other performance, one hundred percent of the states had approved at least one measure for secondary programs. The most common types of measures for other performance were work skill attainment and any placement. Agricultural educators need to be aware of these measures and standards as they plan and modify programs. Agricultural educators should place more emphasis on mathematics, reading, and language. In addition, agricultural educators need to increase their knowledge and skills related to assessment since states indicated a heavy reliance on locally developed assessment techniques.