Educational Value of 4-H Competitive Events as Perceived by Parents of 4-H Participants

Abstract

Competitive events are a major component of 4-H programs in the United States. Each year hundreds of youth participate in 4-H competitive events. Literature on competitions indicates both positive and negative effects on participants. The purpose of this study was to determine the educational value of 4-H competitive events as perceived by parents of 4-H participants. A secondary purpose was to identify factors that underlie competitive events using factor analysis. A descriptive-correlational research design with a mail survey was used to collect data. A total of 340 parents responded to a three-section survey which contained 32 statements relative to the value of 4-H competitive events, prior participation in 4-H and demographic information. Factor analysis extracted six factors which explained 62% of the total variance. Reliability analysis of the six factors revealed acceptable reliability (alpha ranged from 0.63 to 0.90). Parents of 4-H participants perceive that 4-H competitions have various positives and negatives. Positives include: helping youth to learn new things, setting goals, development of life skills, creativity, and preparing youth for a competitive world. Negatives were: aggressive behavior, cheating, and development of unhealthy practices. Four of the six 4-H participation variables were related to perceived value of competitive events.

Benchmarking the Kansas 4-H Judging System

“…Many studies discuss that competition prepares youth for a competitive world, while stimulating intrinsic motivation (Fetsch & Yang, 2002;Keith & Vaughn, 1998;Ladewig & Thomas, 1987;Weber & McCullers, 1986). Radhakrishna (2006) found that parents strongly agreed with many positive statements regarding 4-H competition. In studies designed to determined life skills learned through competitive 4-H projects, parents perceived many benefits, such as responsibility, setting goals, self motivation, social relations, and the development of character (Boleman, Cummings, & Briers, 2004;Davis, Kieth, Williams, & Fraze, 2000;Kieth & Vaughn, 1998).…”

“…Prvulovich (1982) argued that it is the innate differences in children's intellect, physical ability, and social capability that breeds competition itself; that competition in essence, is a natural process that enhances the original being. Radhakrishna (2006) pointed out that "competitions contribute to learning democratic values, combating juvenile delinquency, fostering responsible social behaviors…stimulating creativity…and developing life skills" (p. 71). Many studies discuss that competition prepares youth for a competitive world, while stimulating intrinsic motivation (Fetsch & Yang, 2002;Keith & Vaughn, 1998;Ladewig & Thomas, 1987;Weber & McCullers, 1986).…”

“…4-H members themselves reported that they enjoyed competition and that it motivated them to strive for excellence (Radhakrishna, Everhart, & Sinasky, 2006). In opposition, the literature revealed that parents were concerned with negative outcomes of 4-H competition, such as aggressive behavior, cheating, and the development of unhealthy practices, and financial greed (Kieth & Vaughn, 1998;Radhakrishna, 2006). Youth were also concerned about excessive parent involvement, unethical practices, and unhealthy characteristics that were prevalent in some competitive events .…”

Using the Delphi Technique to Determine Challenges Facing Oklahoma’s 4-H Program

“…Inclusivity has become a focus for youth organizations (Christens & Dolan, 2011). importance of parental involvement (Radhakrishna, Foley, Ingram, & Ewing, 2013;Wingenbach, Meighan, Lawrence, Gartin, & Woloshuk, 1999). However, with the busy lifestyles of today's families, it can be difficult to expect parents to fully commit to their children's activities.…”

Development and Validation of an Instrument to Assess Youth Motivation to Participate in Career Development Events

“…Although several studies have investigated student motivation in multiple educational contexts in agricultural education and several competitive contexts (Fox & Cater, 2015), few studies have looked at why youth chose to participate in CDEs. Other studies have assessed aspects such as coach perception of motivation (Lundry et al, 2015;Russell, Robinson & Kelsey, 2009), value of participation as perceived by parents (Radhakrishna, 2006), and demographics of student participants (Thieman, Bird, Vincent, & Terry, 2010) in CDEs. Russell et al (2009) reported that coaches motivated students through: (a) building upon the tradition and successes of the FFA chapter, (b) providing competitive opportunities, (c) promotion the potential to gain life skills, (d) providing a fun environment, (e) recruiting students with demonstrated potential success, and (f) making CDEs an integral part of the classroom.…”