Factors Influencing Minority And Non-Minority Students To Enroll In An Introductory Agriscience Course In Texas

Abstract

The authors investigated attitudes toward agriculture of minority and non-minority students to identify reasons for enrolling and perceived enrollment barriers. A stratified random sample of all students enrolled in two introductory agriscience courses in 60 agriscience programs was selected and surveyed using a five-part questionnaire. The major findings and conclusions were that: 1) the majority of students and teachers were white males; 2) minority students, especially minority females, were underrepresented; 3) minority students tended to be from non-farm, non-rural areas; and, 4) minority students had more negative perceptions regarding agriculture and agricultural education, and were more likely to perceive their reasons for enrolling as being beyond their control, perceived more barriers to enrolling, and were less likely to see opportunities for themselves in agricultural careers or to perceive agriculture as diverse. The following recommendations were offered: 1) the agricultural education profession should focus awareness and informational activities on the elementary grades and should conduct recruitment activities no later than the middle school grades; 2) efforts should be conducted to recruit more minorities into agriscience teaching; and, 3) activities should be conducted to reduce the perceived barriers for minority students.

Factors Influencing Enrollment in an Urban Agricultural Education Program

“…Past studies have indicated numerous factors influencing student enrollment behaviors including parents, friends, and significant others (Luft & Geise, 1991;Marshall, Herring, & Briers, 1992;Reis & Kahler, 1997); circumstantial/disavowance reasons (Marshall, Herring, & Briers, 1992); interests (Connors, Moore, & Elliot, 1989;Marshall, Herring, & Briers, 1992); image, future value, and perceptions of agriculture (Hoover & Scanlon, 1991;Talbert & Larke, 1995); and career and educational preparation, developmental skills, academic enhancement, response to social pressure, and participation in activity enhanced learning (Sutphin & Newsom-Stewart, 1995). Although these studies have identified numerous factors influencing enrollment in secondary programs of agriculture, there has been limited research efforts focused on students enrolled in secondary agricultural programs within urban areas.…”

Urban FFA Members’ Sense of the Organizational Culture of the FFA

“…The rural organizational culture (Martin & Kitchel, 2013) presented at the National FFA Convention was not a major barrier. They did not express negative perceptions of FFA members (Hoover & Scanlon, 1991;Phelps, Henry, & Bird, 2012) and agriculture (Jones & Bowen, 1998;Talbert & Larke, 1995). Some members even tried to tie the rural messages to their urban context.…”

“…The ruralness and mainly white FFA members of the convention created a sense of curiosity, nervousness, and wanting among some members. However, they did not talk about negative stereotypes of rural FFA members (Hoover & Scanlon, 1991;Phelps, Henry, & Bird, 2012) and agriculture (Jones & Bowen, 1998;Talbert & Larke, 1995;Warren & Alston, 2007). Some of the other Belmont FFA members were not as enthusiastic about the rural themes.…”

Journal of Applied Communications vol. 95(2) Full Issue

“…Attitudinal barriers include minority students' negative perceptions of agriculture and agricultural programs (Bowen, 1993;Bowen, Bowen, & Heinsohn, 1997;Myers, Breja, & Dyer, 2004;Sutphin & Newsom-Stewart, 1995;Talbert & Larke, 1995;Talbert, Larke, & Jones, 1999), misperceptions of career paths and/or availability (Bowen et al; Sutphin & Newsom-Stewart), and a view that the profession is made up of, and for, White men (Bowen et al; Sutphin & Newsom-Stewart).…”

“…95). Agricultural education researchers have stated that peers can influence one's attitudes about careers and recommend workshops or seminars during elementary and secondary education to introduce minority students to agriculture and agricultural programs (Bowen et al, 1997;Talbert & Larke, 1995).…”