Secondary Agricultural Education Program and Human Influences on Career Decision Self-Efficacy

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) and components of the secondary agricultural education program. Additionally, the authors sought to describe secondary students' CDSE and career decision influences. This study's design was descriptive and relational and incorporated high school junior and senior student responses (n = 114) to surveys. Taylor and Betz' (1983) Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale, Short Form (CDSE-SF) was incorporated in addition to instruments developed solely for this study. This study's findings revealed secondary agricultural education students were mostly confident in their career decisiveness across all five constructs of the CDSE-SF. Participation in Career Development Events (CDEs) revealed low correlations with four constructs in the CDSE-SF. Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs) did not highly influence this group of participants' career decisions. The authors also discuss the perceived influence of identified persons and other components of the secondary agricultural education program based on student responses. Recommendations are made to teachers and parents to improve secondary students' career decision-making.

A Profile of Exemplary Rural Agricultural Entrepreneurship Education Programs

“…They also found $189 million in economic impact from SAE to Texas. Marx, Simonsen, and Kitchel (2014) sought to describe secondary student's career decision self-efficacy and career decision influences. They found involvement in supervised agriculture experience programs did not highly influence respondent's career decisions; however involvement in career development events had a high influence (Marx et al, 2014).…”

“…Marx, Simonsen, and Kitchel (2014) sought to describe secondary student's career decision self-efficacy and career decision influences. They found involvement in supervised agriculture experience programs did not highly influence respondent's career decisions; however involvement in career development events had a high influence (Marx et al, 2014). Further, they found parents and the agriculture teacher influenced career decisions (Marx et al, 2014(Marx et al, ).…”

An Observational Analysis of Coaching Behaviors for Career Development Event Teams: A Mixed Methods Study

“…Currently, the National FFA Organization offers 24 individual and team CDEs, with three-fifths of the overall FFA membership participating in CDEs at some level (National FFA Organization, 2015;Talbert & Balschweid, 2004). CDE participation is prevalent in SBAE programs across the nation and previous studies indicate students benefit from participation in a number of ways, including developing career related interests (Marx, Simonsen & Kitchel, 2014) and acquiring selected leadership and life skills (Russell, Robinson, & Kelsey, 2009). …”

“…Finally, teachers indicate a high level of interest in participating in professional development workshops or summer courses related to CDEs and CDE team preparation (Harris, 2008). Through prior CDE research in SBAE it is known that, (a) CDEs benefit students (Marx et al, 2014), (b) an integral part of being a highly effective SBAE teacher includes preparing students for and participating in CDEs (Roberts & Dyer, 2004), (c) teachers are concerned about (King et al, 2013), can benefit from (Torres et al, 2008), and teachers would like more professional development on CDE preparation (Harris, 2008). Given this research, it stands to reason the literature on effective coaching could inform and ultimately benefit CDE preparation in SBAE.…”

Previous Experience Not Required: Contextualizing the Choice to Teach School-Based Agricultural Education

“…Research and writing within agricultural education indicates the secondary agriculture teacher positively influences their students' career decisions in general (Esters & Bowen, 2005;Fraze, Wingenbach, Rutherford, & Wolfskill, 2011;Priest, Ricketts, Navarro, & Duncan, 2009;Marx, Simonsen, & Kitchel, 2014;Wildman & Torres, 2001), but more important to the present study, students' decisions to pursue teaching (Ball & Torres, 2010;Lawver & Torres, 2012;Park & Rudd, 2005). According Wildman and Torres (2001), top influences on students' choice of an agriculturally related college major included prior experience in agriculture, other agricultural experiences, agriculture and extension professionals, and perceptions of the academic department.…”