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.' 9., ‘

EFFECTIVE PRACTICES USED BY SELECTED
TEACHERS OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE IN
CONDUCTING SIX GUIDANCE ACTIVITIES

Thgs'ls'for Dogma of Master of Am
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
ROBERT C. HATFIELD
I960

 

$52515

LIBRARY

Michigan State
University

 

 

 

 

   

Lb‘lEC‘I‘I‘E-J PRACTICES {SL1} BY ELVCTED
Tum-ans or VOCATIOEAL AGiICUL’l'Ui-il-J N

CONDUCTING SIX GUIbANCE ACTIVITIES

by
Robert C. Hatfield
A Thesis
Submitted to the College of Education
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Arts

Department of Teacher Education

1960

/ 7 ‘
ii
AC KNOX-.1 LEDGEEEI‘TS

It is necessary to give thanks to several persons
for the completion of this study.

First of all,the time devoted to this study was
taken from my family, without whose co-operation the study
would never have been attempted.

Additional thanks go to Dr. Harold Byram for his
helpful direction in setting up and conducting the research.
study.

There were also several vocational agriculture
teachers who voluntarily answered questions,thus making the

study of value.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE PROBLEMS AND DEFINITION OF TERMS USED . . . . . l
ri‘heProblem................... 1
Importance of the Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Increased need for occupational guidance. . . . 2
Recognize need for improvement. . . . . . . . . 4
Students desire help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

The information needed. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Limitations of Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Definition of Terms'Used. . . . . . . . . . . . . ll

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

i1. aavmw or LITERA‘IURE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . la
Co-operate vith School Staff in Conducting

Career conference or career day . . . . . . . . lh

Value of career day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1h

Conducting the career day . . . . . . . . . . . lo

.
.
o
o
o
.
.
.
o
l--'
03‘

How to evaluate career days

Publicity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l9
Conduct Field Trips to Study Agricultural

Occupations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Following up the trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2h
Assemble Information on Educational Programs

for Preparation to Enter Agricultural

[‘0
.C 4

Occupations o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Provide Information on Students for Prospective
Employers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hold Conference with Parents in Regard to
Students' Occupational and Educational Plans.
Assist Young Men to be Placed and to Advance
in Farming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
III. PROCEDURE FOLLOWED IN CONDUCTING STUDY. . . . . .
Outline of Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Methods of Research Used. . . . . ... . . . . .
Sources of Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
IV. RESULTS OF THE STUDY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General Results Obtained. . . . . . . . . . . .
Co-operate with School Staff in Conducting
Career Conference or Career Day . . . . . . .
Conduct Field Trips to Study Agricultural
Occupations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Assemble Information on Educational Programs
for Preparation to Enter Agricultural
Occupations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Provide Information on Students for Prospective
Employers . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . .
Hold Conference with Parents in Regard to

Students' Occupational and Educational Plans.

iv

27

to
to
1+2
A3
at
as

as

S2

60

61L

67

Assist Young Men to be Placed and to Advance
in Farming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
V. SUMMARY OF THE STUDY INCLUDING CONCLUSIONS ARRIVED
AT AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY . . . . . . . 79
General Summary Conclusions For Each Guidance
Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Co-operate with school staff in conducting
career conference or career day. . . . . . . . 82
Conduct field trips to study agricultural
occupations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8h
Assemble information on educational programs
for preparation to enter agricultural
occupations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Provide information on students for prospective
employers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Hold conference with parents in regard to
students' occupational and educational
plans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . 92
gAssist young men to be placed and to advance

in farming O O O O O O O O O I O O O O O O O O O 91+

Suggestions For Further Study. . . . . . . . . . . 97
BIBLIOGRAPHY O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 99

APPENDIX O O' O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 105

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE PAGE

1. Steps Taken by Young Farmers Prior

to Farm Ownership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3h
2. Summary of Teachers Contacted for

each Guidance Activity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Uh
3. Guidance Practices for Co-operating with

School Staff in Conducting Career

Conference or Career Day Rated Very

Effective by Three Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . L7a
A. Guidance Practices for Co-operating with

School Staff in Conducting Career Conference

or Career Day Rated Very Effective by

Two Teachers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M9
5. Guidance Practices for Co-operating with

School Staff in Conducting Career Conference

or Career Day Rated Very Effective by

One Teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
6. Guidance Practices for Conducting ‘ield

Trips to Study Agricultural Occupations

Rated Very Effective by Four Teachers . . . . . . S3
7. Guidance Practices for Conducting Field

Trips to Study Agricultural Occupations

Rated Very Effective by Three Teachers. . . . . . 5h

9.

10.

ll.

12.

13.

Guidance Practices for Conducting Field

.Trips to Study Agricultural Occupations

Rated Very Effective by Two Teachers. .
Guidance Practices for Conducting Field
Trips to Study Agricultural Occupations
Rated Very Effective by One Teacher ...
Guidance Practices for Assembling
Information on Educational Programs for
Preparation to Enter Agricultural
Occupations Rated Very Effective by
Two Teachers. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Guidance Practices for Assembling
Information on Educational Programs for
Preparation to Enter Agricultural
Occupations Rated Very Effective by

One Teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Guidance Practices for Providing
Information on Students for Prospective
Employers Rated Very Effective by

Two Teachers. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Guidance Practices for Providing
Information on Students for Prospective
Employers Rated Very Effective by

One TeaCher o o o o o o o o o o o o o 0

vii

63

14.

H
\II
o

16.

17.

l8.

l9.

viii
Guidance Practices for Holding Conference
With Parents in Regard to Students' Occupational
and Educational Plans Rated Very Effective
by Three Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Guidance Practices for Holding Conference
With Parents in Regard to Students'
Occupational and Educational Plans Rated
Very Effective by Two Teachers. . . . . . . . . . 7O
Guidance Practices for Holding Conference
With Parents in Regard to Students'
Occupational and Educational Plans Rated
Very Effective by One Teacher . . . . . . . . . . Tl
Guidance Practices for Assisting Young
Men to be Placed and to Advance in Farming
Rated Very Effective by Three Teachers. . . . . . 73
Guidance Practices for Assisting Young
Men to be Placed and to Advance in Farming

Rated Very Effective by Two Teachers. . . . . .

7ha
Guidance Practices for Assisting Young
Men to be Placed and to Advance in Farming

Rated Very Effective by One Teacher . . . . . . . 76

1. Progressive DeveIOpment Leading to Establishment

in Farming Through Vocational Agriculture . . . - o 35

CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITION OF TERMS USED
I. THE PROBLEM

This study was designed to determine how six vocation—
al guidance activities were being conducted effectively by
vocational agriculture teachers.

The six activities were selected from among 69 which

1 used in a study during 1958 - 1959. The

Dr. Harold Byram
study by Dr. Byram was to determine the guidance activities
being done by vocational agriculture teachers. The informa-
tion collected in that study enabled him to determine the
guidance activities considered by teachers to be in the
upper one-half on importance but which were in the lower
one-half where judged as to effectiveness with.which teachers
had conducted them.

It was from this group of activities that the voca-
tional guidance activities were selected for the present

study. Instead of finding the activities considered impor-

tant or done effectively, however, the purpose was to

 

3Harold M. Byram, "Preliminary Report and Study of
Guidance Activities of the Teachers of Vocational Agricul-
ture" (Unpublished Study; East Lansing, Michigan.: Michigan
State University, 1958).

2
learn how these were done and what the effective teachers did
that was essential to the effectiveness.
Data for this study were secured from a selected
group of vocational agriculture teachers who rated themselves
as conducting the guidance activities, under study, in an

effective dr moderately effective manner.
II. IMPORTANCE OF THE PROBLEM

Increased Egggflfgg Occupational Guidance. Occupation-
al guidance for students in vocational agriculture classes
is becoming much more important now than in the past. Due
primarily to increased productivity per farm worker, fewer
farms are now needed. The number of farms in the United
States has decreased by an average of 100,000 for each year

2 has increased

since 1935. The output per man hour on the farm
from a base figure of as in 1910 to 130 in 1955. The per cent
of our population now farming is less than 15. This condi-
tion has developed from the time, in this country's history,

when over 85 per cent of the population were farm workers.

The number of vocational agriculture students is now

 

2Harrell DeGraff, "Who is the Farm'Worker?," Count
A entfiygfigg. Teacher Magazine, Vol. 13 No. 9 (Sept., 1957;,
p. 5.

the highest it has ever been in Michigan. Yet,3 in some
of our best agricultural states as few as 20 per cent of
the vocational agriculture graduates have become full-time
farmers.

SutherlandLL reported that in California 50 per cent
of the vocational agriculture students enrolled would farm,
15 to 20 per cent would enter related agricultural occupa-
tions, 25 per cent were undecided and that five per cent
would not farm. Of the rural students surveyed ho per cent
had no placeiin which to start farming, AS per cent were
planning to attend at least two years of college, and 65
per cent were sons of full or part—time farmers or farm
workers.

OrrS studied the rural population and vocational
agricultural enrollment of a school district in Oklahoma
and found that the average number of non-farm students
during 19h6 to 1950 was six, and from 1950 to 195k they
numbered 18. This represents about one-sixth of the

enrollment in the former and one-half in the latter instance.

 

3S. S. Sutherland, "Let's Quit Kidding Ourselves,"
The A ricultural Education Magazine, Vol. 28 No. 10
(IprII, I535), P0 -

ulbid.

5Donald M. Orr, "Influence of a Decreasing Farm
Population on Rural Schools," The A ricultural Education
maEaZIHG, v01. 30 NO. 10 (ApriI, l 9 PP. 5‘6.

h

Ritchie6 made a study in which he found that 76 per
cent of former vocational agriculture students who had
enrolled in college training, and will probably not return
to farming, expressed that they would repeat vocational
agriculture training if they were to start over. Eighty-
eight per cent of the former graduates, not taking college
training, stated that they would repeat vocational

agriculture again if starting over.

Recognize Need for Improvement. Personnel involved
in education, at many different levels of responsibility,
recognize the Grange in agriculture and the educational
consequences of them.

Myers7 states,

For example, the boy of today who is thinking of
entering the agricultural field, with its many special
lines and the requirements that have come with
increased scientific knowledge in this field, is in far
greater need of help than was the boy who faced the
same problem one hundred years ago when the agricultural
group of occupations was much smaller and simpler.

The need is therefore, not only for a change in the

technical agriculture being taught, but also in assisting

 

6AustinE. Ritchie, "Guidance and Orientation in

Agricultural Education," The Agricultural Education Magazine,
V01. 30 N00 10 (April, 1958), PP- - 0

7George E. Myers, Principles and Techni ues 2;
Vocational Guidance (New York: McGraw-RilI Book Co., l9h1),

p. 610

the students in solving their occupational and personal
problems.

A study8 among vocational agriculture teachers in
Maryland showed that only 50 per cent of the teachers were
satisfied with their guidance program. These teachers
recommended for improvement: a greater use of apprOpriate
practices, better ways to meet the needs of the best farm
boys, more preparation of students for related agricultural
occupations, and better informed guidance persons regarding
agricultural jobs.

Vocational agriculture teachers receive a very limi-
ted amount of formal training in guidance activities and
practices; One study9 showed that this lack of training
cdntributed to the teachers doing an inadequate job of
guidance. It was also found10 that a lack of experience,
time, leadership, and familiarity with tests contributed to
an inadequate performance.

Vocational agriculture is frequently the only

vocational subject offered for boys in the small rural

 

8
Ritchie, 100. ci .

9

Ritchie, loc. c t.

lOSutherland, loc. c t.

school. In a-vocational subject it is important that
students enrolled should have opportunities for employment
upon graduation and that they should be familiar with the

whole field of agricultural occupations.

It is recommended that the vocational schools should,11

(1) Help the student to become aware of the constant-
ly changing nature of industrial life resulting from
inventions and industrial reorganizations, and equip
him to adjust easily and effectively to such conditions,
(2) Help the student to enter employment by actual
placement in his first job, (3) Help the student in
making progress in his field by maintaining complete
up-to-date records of his employment history and
helping him secure other and better opportunities.

12 usually

. Studegts DesireԤg_p. High school students
change their vocational interests many times. This change
is the result of new experiences, growth, meeting new
people, and becoming aware of a need to choose a definite
occupation.

Doane13 reports in a study of high school youth that

60 per cent expressed an interest in a course on "vocational

choice” when selecting five classes out of 20.

 

11Practical Handbook for Counselors (Chicago: Science
Research Associates, I9E55, p. [7.

12"Variability of Vocational Choices of High School
Students," The Personnel and Guidance Journal,(Nov. 1955)-

13Donald C. Deane, The Needs of Ybuth (Contributions
to Education No. 8h8, Teachers College, CBIEEbia‘University,
New York: Bureau of Publications, l9h2).

Students who feel that they have no vocational
problem may not have had the opportunity of exploring the
vast field of occupations.' Including some study or
individual guidance in their high school program may aid
then to make a wiser vocational choice. Sandersonlu
states that,

Experience in psychotherapy indicates, nevertheless,
that people can be helped even if they themselves have.
not asked for help in the first place.

Thg‘gnformation Needed. To provide vocational
agriculture teachers with a better understanding and
knowledge of related agricultural occupations, certain kinds
of occupational information and practices of using it are
required.

The Educational Policies COmmission15 states,

Occupational education can be built only on a
foundation of accurate, comprehensive and continuing
information...It is the responsibility of education,
in co-operation with other agencies wherever feasible,
to assemble facts as to the requirements of all types
of vocations, as to occupational trends and shifts,
as to wage scales, conditions surrounding the work,
means of securing employment, and in supplementing
their initial preparation...the aim shOuld be to equip
students with factual information intelligently inter-
preted which.will permit them to make wise decisions

 

1LLHerbert Sanderson, Basic Conce ts in Vocational
Guidance (New York: McGraw-Hill Boo 00., 93K), p. 155.

15Education and Economic Well-Bein 'ig American
Ebmocrac (Educational Policies CEEEIss ons'Washington,
D.C.: NaEional Education Association, l9k0), pp. 93-h.

as to their possible success in various types of
vocations.

Some of the techniques required in carrying out

these functions are summarized by Forrester,

16

1. To inform the students about the occupational

2.

6.

7.

To
To
To

To

To

To

world of employment.

acquaint the students with sources of
information.

give the students help in learning techniques
for investigating occupations.

inform the students about the courses in
advanced training.

cultivate an understanding of the relation-
ships between occupations and of the social
value of each.

give the students an understanding of the
conditions of work.

give instruction in methods of seeking

employment.

To carry out these practices several sources of

information will need to be used. The film, field trip,

books, pamphlets, and interviews with workers should be

used to give information about the various occupations and

 

16Gertrude Forrester, Methods g£.Vocational Guidance
(BOStOH: D. C. Heath and C00, 1951,, p. 36.

and the particular activities of each.

Guidance of all forms, and particularly vocational
guidance, is dependent upon the information known about the
individual concerned. Tests, interviews, past records,
and the comments of those persons associated with the
students will be used by the teacher. It is further stated
byWilley17 that, "Records and reports are an integral part
of the personnel and instruction program."

Certain kinds of occupational information and
practices are needed in assisting students with selecting
a vocation. Requirements of vocations, trends, and wage
scales are examples of the information needed to be given
to students.

Over 12,000 Michigan high school students are now
enrolled in vocational agriculture. Students enrolled
in vocational agriculture usually have an interest or
background in some agricultural occupation. Not all of
these students will want to become farm operators, however.

At the present time very little information is
available for vocational agriculture teachers to assist

themiin planning educational and guidance programs to help

 

l7Roy DeVerl Willey, and Dean 0. Andrew, Modern
Methods and Techni ues ;§;Guidance (New York: Harper and

EroEHersT'T) , p. 7.

10
the students with this vocational problem.
This study was designed to add to the knowledge now
available. It is hoped that additional studies will be
made in this area of education for the future benefit of

vocational agriculture teachers and students.
III. LIMITATIONS OF STUDY'

This study was conducted among a selected group of
teachers of vocational agriculture in Southwestern and Eastern
Michigan. These teachers were selected because they had pre-
viously indicated that they had done the particular guidance
activity effectively.

Because the teachers themselves stated that they
did the activity effectively their selection for the study
does not necessarily mean they have done the best job of
using the guidance activity. The total number of teachers
stating that they were very effective in using each activity
was small, therefore the responses to the study are also
limited in number. For the activity of "Hold Conference
with Parents in Regard to Student's Occupational and
Educational Plansfi'the teachers rated themselves as
moderately effective.

The majority of vocational agriculture teachers are

in small schools which usually have no organized guidance

11
program. This fact may influence the results, since it is
generally assumed that in a school with a trained
guidance person improved guidance practices are used by

most teachers.

IV. DEFINITION OF TERMS USED

18

Guidance,

Through guidance the individual is assisted in
making a wholesome worth-while adjustment to his world.
More specifically the individual must be given assist-
ance in choosing dynamic, reasonable and worth-while
objectives, in formulating plans of action to accomplish
these objectives, in meeting crises and solving problems
which appear to be blocking plans, and in sustaining
personal enjoyment and in self direction of his life so
that goals may be efficiently achieved. There will be
occasions during the guidance process where the
individual will need help in discovery of needs, assets,
opportunities, adjustment to other people, and adjust-
ment to himself. '

Guidance Activities,19

The authors prefer to use the phrase "guidance
services" as a convenient description of an organized
guidance program. Guidance, however, cannot be
regarded as a composite of isolated services or
activities.

Guidance Services,20

The authors prefer the use of the phrase "guidance

 

lBIbid, p. 28.

lgIbid,
201bid, P. 26.

services" to describe a coordinated program of
guidance which utilizes the personal knowledge,
convictions, planning, and initiative of each pupil
in gaining the Optimum growth and development of
his personality.

Occupational Guidance,21

Informing students about the occupational world,
sources of occupational information, occupational
opportunities, requirements and trends, conditions
or work, courses for further training and cultivating
and understanding of interrelationships among
occupations.”

Agricultural Occupations off the Farm,22

They provide goods or services essential to farming
or marketing and processing of farm products.

Vocational Agriculture,23

To train present and proSpective farmers for
proficiency in farming.

Practice,2u

To do, perform, carry on, or exercise, esp, often
or habitually.

 

21Forrester, 22. cit. p. 35.

22Raymond Clark, "Related Agricultural Occupations"
(Unpublished Study; East Lansing, Mich.: Michigan State
University, 1958).

23Educational Obgectives ég‘Vocational A riculture
(U. S. Dept. of HeaIth, ‘ uca on and'WeIfare3'WasEIngEon,
D. 0.: Office of Education, 1955): P. 3.

' 21Websters Colle iate Dictionar (2nd ed.:
0 g

Springfield, Mass: . an G. Merr am 00., 19h7).

r
Vocational Guidance,2

The procedure set up for helping youth plan their
careers.

V 0 SU- 1‘1}de

This thesis was planned to investigate six
vocational guidance activities selected from a previous
study conducted by Dr. Harold Byram. The activities were
selected because they were considered to be important, but
were not being done effectively.

Hichigan has many students enrolled in vocational
agriculture, some of whom will not become farmers. Teachers
have insufficient information to help students select
occupations outside of farming at the present time.

Certain kinds of occupational information and
practices are needed to provide the students with the
proper guidance. Several sources of information about
occupations should be used in helping the student.

The teachers selected had rated themselves effective
for the items being studied, and the total number of these
teachers is small, thus making the results of the study
subject to error.

Some of the common terms found in this report are
listed with their meanings as they have been used for the

S tUdy o

 

25Forrester, loc. cit.

CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

I. COwOPERATE WITH SCHOOL STAFF IN CONDUCTING
CAREER CONFERENCE OR CAREER DAY

Career days have been used in high schools for many
years. The literature abounds with accounts of how career

days may be conducted, and of their value.

Value 2£.Career Day. Willey1 states that the career
day is,

An excellent Opportunity to...use group methods in
guidance...the career conference, sometimes referred
to as "the vocational information conference," or
"career day" wherein men and women from numerous
vocations are brought to the campus for a period of
days or less to speak to students in groups and to
consult with them individually on the job opportunities.

Dunsmoor2 states that one major aim of a career
conference is to bring information to students concerning
the different fields of work utilizing personnel actually
employed in the various occupations. He further states

that these major aims should be to ultimately enable the

 

lRoy‘DeVerl Willey, and Dean 0. Andrew, Modern
Methods and Technigues in Guidance (New York: Harper and
BI'OEIISI‘S’ I9 3 p. o

2Clarence C. Dunsmoor, "How to Organize and Conduct
Career Conferences," Occu ations, The Vocational Guidance
Ma azine, Vol. 18 No. K (Dec., I939}, pp. 163e8.

15

students to be stimulated so that they will more wisely

plan their future educational and vocational programs.

Stoops3 points out that an additional result of a

career day is its value to the school public relations

program.

By publicizing the day's purposes and events in

newspapers, through speeches, local organizations, and to

parents "the career day becomes the vehicle for bringing

school and community into closer understanding and

co-operation."

’ I
Willey“r states that the values of a career day are,

1.

2.

To provide students with current information
from people actually doing the work, and thus
stimulate the students toward successful effort.

To inform the student of immediate employment
trends.

To acquaint students with requirements for entrance
into various occupations, colleges, and other
schools.

To acquaint the student with new vocational
possibilities and thus broaden his occupational
horizons.

To make the student aware of occupations related
to his present choice. This adds to his
knowledge of fields in which he is already
interested.

To provide the student with actual first—hand
information leads into future placement.

 

3Emery StOOps, Suggestions for Career Dav (Los
Angeles: County Schools honograph, 19L75.

L'W'illey, 0‘0. Cit. , pp. 525-6.

f1

16
In addition to these values, StOOpsS points out some
qualities which the student should develop resulting from
the career day. One is for a student to be thinking about
a possible occupational choice. It is also felt that student
achievement and course scheduling should be more in

conjunction with vocational plans.

Conductingwghg Career 23;. In setting up plans for
a career day various community groups, faculty members,
students, and the school administration should be involved.

Public relations and better community understanding
of the teachers will result if these groups work together.
Besides improving school-community relations community
involvement6 is essential to the success of the career day
as a resevoir of resource persons.

The usual practice7 is for the career conference to
be held for one day, however, some of the conferences have
been prolonged over a period of several days utilizing only
a portion of each day. Another common practice is to invite
several representatives from different occupations to meet

with classroom size groups of students.

 

5Stoops, loo. cit.

6Percival W. Hutson, The Guidance Function.$g
Education (New York: Appleton-Century—Crofts, Inc., 1958),
p. .

7Ibid.

(I

f‘

’0

I‘

18
Planning the various kinds of meetings to be held
involves more than deciding on the occupations, however.
Some of the additional meetings which can be held include12
an all-boys or all-girls meeting, conferences on prepara-
tion for getting jobs, how to be interviewed for a job, and
how to discover vocational interests and abilities.

The standard length for conference periods is from

us to 50 minutes.13

£23.32.Evaluate Career Egyg. In a study of the
value of career day programslu the question of "which
school career planning activities were most helpful," was
asked of Philadelphia high school seniors. The students'
responses showed that 53 per cent felt "talks by people in
different occupations" was the most helpful.

After the career day is finished it is suggestedls
that an evaluation form be presented to faculty and students
to get their reactions and to determine the strong and weak

points of the conference. An excellent cepy of such a form

 

12Dunsmoor, loc. cit.

13Ib1d.

ll*Robert Shosteck, "How Well Are We Putting Across
Occupational Information?," Personnel and Guidance Journal,
Vol. 33 No. 5 (January, 1955), Do 263.

15Dunsmoor, $22, gig.

18

Planning the various kinds of meetings to be held
involves more than deciding on the occupations, however.
Some of the additional meetings which can be held include12
an all-boys or all-girls meeting, conferences on prepara-
tion for getting jobs, how to be interviewed for a job, and
how to discover vocational interests and abilities.

The standard length for conference periods is from

#5 to 50 minutes.13

H211 1:3 Evaluate Career 9315;. In a study of the
value of career day programslu the question of "which
school career planning activities were most helpful," was
asked of Philadelphia high school seniors. The students'
responses showed that 53 per cent felt "talks by people in
different occupations" was the most helpful.

After the career day is finished it is suggested15
that an evaluation form be presented to faculty and students
to get their reactions and to determine the strong and weak

points of the conference. An excellent cepy of such a form

 

C o

12Dunsmoor, loo. 1

13Ib1d.

l“Robert Shosteck, "How Well Are we Putting Across
Occupational Information?," Personnel and Guidance Journal,
Vol. 33 No. 5 (January, 1955). P. 263.

r
l“Dunsmoor, loc. cit.

19

is found in a publication from California.16

An example of the information which should prove
valuable for evaluating the conference is suggested by

Steeps,17

1. Did you receive valuable occupational information?

2. Did the speakers present a balanced picture of
the occupations which they represented?

3. After listening to the instructors, have you made
changes in your vocational plans?

A. Do you think a career day worthwhile, and should
it be continued another year?

\3'1
0

Do you feel inspired to study harder in preparing
for your career?

6. What suggestions would you make for improvement
of the career day?

In most cases where career conferences have been

held successfully18

the students have rated them to be "one
of the most profitable and enjoyable days of the entire

school year."

Publicity. As one of the most important outcomes of a
career day is public relations within the community all of
the measures possible should be utilized to accomplish this

end.

 

léStOOPB’ £0 Cite, p. (.3.
1Hum, p. 21.

18Dunsmoor, 100. i .

20
Some of the measures suggested19 are to notify the
newspapers as soon as speakers are selected, speak to
community groups, and have students tell parents about the
program.
There is no evidence- in available literature that
vocational agriculture teachers have carried out these

practices.

II. CONDUCT FIELD TRIP TO STUDY AGRICULTURAL
OCCUPATIONS

Field trips have been conducted for numerous
educational purposes and there is a large amount of
literature on how to use the field trip for instruction.
Along with this information are numerous suggestions on
how to organize and conduct the trip.

As a means of instruction for occupations,20
however, the field trip is assuming new emphasis not only
for the information obtainable but to expose students to

the type of real problems one faces within a particular

occupation.

 

19Dunsmoor, loc. cit.

20Gertrude Forrester, Methods of Vocational Guidance
(Boston: D. 0. Heath and Company, I95ITT p. .

21
In preparing students to go on such a trip Jones21

states,

Definite preparation of the class should precede the
visit in order that they know what to look for and that
they may have sufficient understanding Of the operations
to enable them to ask intelligent questions.

Forrester22 has outlined several suggestions for
teachers to observe in making effective visits to places of
employment,

1. Evaluate the Opportunities in order that as many
as possible may be profitably utilized.

2. Make necessary arrangements well in advance with
school authorities and owners or representa-
tives of places to be visited.

3. Establish cordial relations between school and
industry, by maintaining a co—operative
attitude towards those in charge of the
arrangements.

A. Plan all details of the trip carefully: arrange-
ments for transportation, guides and safety
precautions.

5. Make apprOpriate class preparation for trip.
Build an atmosphere of anticipation in the
class and stimulatebhenness in observing what
workers are doing.

6. Stress the importance of the lesson following
the trip: raise thought provoking questions
and challenges.

7. Arrive promptly on scheduled time.

21Arthur J. Jones, Principles of Guidance and Pupil

Personnel Work (New York: McGraw—Hill EEOk Company, Inc.,
a P0 38:0

22

 

 

Forrester, pp. cit., pp. 50-1.

[O
L‘.)

8. The ground will be familiar to some members of
the group who think they know all about it.
Startle them then by bringing out or having
them discover something they had hitherto not
understood.

9. Do not crowd too much into one :ession. One good,
rounded idea or combination of ideas is best.
Concentrate on this and play it up in as
dramatic a way as possible. Play with its
facets, relating observations to vocational
guidance.

10. Try to bring the pupils into contact with ideas
which will arouse their curiosity and so pla t
seeds for additional trips, reading, motion
pictures, and other aids to learning.

11. Be familiar with the school regulations and state
laws in regard to the use of school buses, the
securing of the parents' permission, and the
carrying of first-aid kits when conducting
pupils on field trips.

12. Plan for special reports and Observations. One
method often found workable is that of
dividing the class into groups, each responsible
for one part of an outline.

13. Correlate and integrate the trip with class
activities of the following week.

1N. Check impressions gained from visit, discuss the
nature of occupations, describe the pictures
of workers and their tasks, give Opportunity
for questions, and correct any wrong ideas.

15. Utilize pupil initiative, self-activity, 51d
observations, and the follow-up reports,
discussions, and projects.

16. EXpress appreciation to the representatives who
permitted the visit in some manner other than
a formal sterotyped letter. A selected set
of student letters, containing individual
personal reactions may be welcomed by the
hosts.

23

17. Show the representatives with whom you made
arrangements for the visit the group report
or other evidence of a follow-up study.

18. Make and file, with pupil participation, an
evaluation of each trip, so that future
classes may use it in planning tripe.

It is very essential that teachers conduct the
prOper orientation for the trip to be successful. Several
practices may be used, some being more essential than
others.

Jones23 suggests that it is necessary to co-Operate
with the heads of the industrial and commercial establish-
ments which are visited.

To stimulate students in their anticipation and
observations Forrestergu suggests to raise, in advance,
appropriate questions and challenges for the class assign-
ment following the trip.

Forrester25 further states,

To give pupils some vocational orientation, teachers
tell them about the business or industry they are about
to explore; discuss the part played by that industry
in our social economy, the variety of jobs found in the
industry, at least in the plant they are about to visit;

assign apprOpriate readings; and require students to make
a list of questions which they cannot find answered in

 

23Jones, 22, cit., p. 381.

2"*Forrester, 22. Cit-a Po G7-

ZSIbid.

2hr

the literature but for which they hOpe to find answers
at the plant.

Following up the 3332. Some of the practices which

may be used following the trip include26 the students

writing a report of their observations, class discussions,

and examinations. To make these practices the most

effective it is indicated that the pupils should be allowed

a great deal of freedom of choice in the follow-up activities.
The importance of class discussion following a trip

is further emphasized by Jones.27
No literature was found which will indicate that

vocational agriculture teachers have carried out these

practices.

III. ASSEMBLE INFORMATION ON EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
FOR PREPARATION TO ENTER AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS

References to the specific activity of assembling

information on educational programs are not very frequent.

One author28 does point out some important factors

regarding this practice.

 

261bid, p. A9.

27Jones, 100. c t.

28wniey, 22.- 23., p. 387.

25

First the counselor must assemble college catalogs
so he and the student can examine them. Because of the
constant changes in curriculum, requirements, fees,
dormitories, and so on, these catalogs should be
replaced by new ones periodically. The counselor should
also have a guide book to all the colleges throughout
the United States.

In addition to this basic idea of maintaining a set
of college catalogs, Willey29 goes on to state that,

Because a college catalog or written information

about a college does not always give a clear picture

of the institution, the counselor should seek addition-
al information. For example, from the other staff
members of the school, he may gather information about
the college attended...Reports of high school alumni
who are attending college is another helpful way for
the counselor to obtain information.

The majority of other writings on this topic merely
suggest places from which to secure information. Three
excellent sources of such information are: College Placement
Directory.30 American Trade and Vocational Directory,31 and
Scholarshi s, Fellowships, and Loans.32 The College Place-

ment Directory gives a list of names and addresses of the

 

29Ib1d.

30O. T. Zimmerman, and Irvin Lavina, Colle e
Placement Directory (Dover, New Hampshire: IndustrIal
Research Service, 1953.)

31Ulrich‘H. E. Croner, ed., American Trade Schools
Directory (Queens Village, New York: Croner PuEIIcatIons,
2 "' 0

32Norman Feingold, Scholarshi s, Fellowshi s, and
Loans, Vol. III (Cambridge, Mass.: Be man FEEIISEIng 0.:

26

U.S. colleges and universities along with many private
companies and tells if these companies offer educational
programs. The American‘ggggg‘ggg'Vocational Directory lists
the various organizations offering educational programs in
trades and vocations of all kinds. Scholarshipg, Fellow-
ghépg, Egghggggg gives the scholarships and fellowships
available at_colleges and universities for students.

As to specific practices for securing information

from these sources very little information is available.

IV. PROVIDE INFORMATION ON STUDENTS FOR
PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS

In several sources the importance of school-employer
relations is mentioned. Practices similar to the following
one by Kleiner33 are suggested,

The direct visit. Here the counselor takes time out
from his office duties to visit business houses...the
counselor-salesman will find that the direct visit will
afford him the time and courtesy he cannot obtain by a
telephone call or an advertisement.

This is the type of information available on the

activity under study and does not relate directly to what

information should be provided to employers, or how it

 

33Julius Kleiner, "Some Techniques for Better
Placement," Personnel and Guidance Journal, Vol. 33 No. l
(SGPtO: 19Sh7. Pp- 3h“;-

27
should be provided.
Some authors have made the general statement that a
condensed form of cumulative folder should be sent to the

employer following his hiring an individual.

V. HOLD CONFERENCE WITH PARENTS IN REGARD TO
STUDEITS' OCCUPATIOB IAL AND EDUCATIONAL PLANS

The great triumvirate of the vocational agriculture
program (teacher, student, parent) is repeatedly mentioned
in many references. The importance of the parents alone
receives great emphasis in psychiatry. However, regarding
counseling with parents in the secondary school, hardly
any information has been written on the subject.

After reviewing information on this suoject Bertie3L
concluded,

Most counselors work with young people whose parents
still are important in their social and emotional milieu
...In counseling literature, howev r, relatively little
reference is made to the influence of the parent upon
the child and even less reference, is made to the work of
the counselor of adolescents as it involves the parent.

p
In a study by Nelson,39 conducted among Michigan

 

3Lfialph F. Bertie, "Th.e Counselor and the Parent,"
Journal of Counseling Psvchclcgy, Vol. 2 3:0. 3 (Fall, 19 5):

pp- 183 ~87

35Kenneth G. Nelson, Guidance handbook for Hichigan
Teachers of Vocationa.l AgriouIture (Ea st Lansing, Lie ch.:
I30 hzgan Stateaniversity Press, 1950), p. l.

vocational agriculture teachers, it was found that the
practice of "conducting interviews with students and parents"
rated fourth in importance among 22 guidance activities
studied.

Several suggestions are reported in a bulletin from
the U. S. Office of Education36 for ways the teacher can
have contacts with parents.

It is advised to make early contact with the parents
of prospective vocational agriculture students and to try
to develop a working relationship with them. The publica-
tion includes the following items as being important,

1. The parents need more information about the

program than can be given during a farm visit.

2. Holding special parents meetings at the beginning

of the school year has proven successful.

3. The parents co-operation in the develOpment of

the supervised farming program is essential.

h. Co-operation may be increased by explaining

the objectives and plans of supervised farming

programs.

 

36E). J. Johnson, and W. N. Elam, Guidin High School
Students of Vocational Agriculture in Develop ng rarminv
IvIsIon

 
 

rovrams._TN.S. Office of LducatIon, Vocational D
Bu etin No. 25h, Agricultural Series No. 65; Washington:
Government Printing Office, 195M), pp. 23-h.

  
   

29
5. A series of meetings may be held with parents
with great effectiveness.
6. Conducting farming program tours for parents is

effective to developing a better understanding.

VI. ASSIST YOUNG MEN TO BE PLACED AND TO ADVANCE
IN FARMING

This activity is basic to vocational agriculture,37

The main objectives of vocational education in
agriculture are £3 develo effective ability £2:
1. Make a beginning and advance in farming...

38

 

Jones suggests that,

Moreover, vocational guidance cannot be efficiently
administered without the information to be gained by
placement and without the contacts with employers that
can be secured only in this way. Placement involves
both preparation of the student for securing a position
and assistance in getting the job.

Willey39 points out that placement fits into a

logical sequence in a guidance program by aiding the student

in the opportunity for utilizing his past training. This

may be full-time or part-time employment.

It is further suggestedLLO that placement and follow-

 

37Educational Objectives 3g Vocational Agriculture

(U.S. Office of Education, Vocational Division, Monograph
No. 21; Washington: Government Printing Office, 1955), P. M.

38Jones, 22. cit., p. h02.
39Willey, pp. cit., p. 397.

40Jones, 39. cit., p. 408

30
up does not end until the student adjusts to his job and is
aided in advancing within his job. Another factor in
placement is to assist the person to get the most training
possible from part-time jobs while still a student. Changes
in jobs should be directed so that the result is a continual
growth towards better employment.

In vocational agriculture one practice which is
designed to aid the pupil towards job placement is the
supervised farming program. According to Johnston,’+1

'Under the direction and guidance of capable

instructors of vocational agriculture, this opportunity
should mean at least a substantial start in farming

for students by the time they have completed high
school. Young farmer and adult farmer class
instruction then offers a further opportunity for
continuous growth...and more satisfactory establish-
ment in a farming business.

It has been pointed out that placement is an
essential part of the vocational agriculture program. For
this to be successful much careful planning and skill is
necessary by the instructor. One of the first stepsu2 to
take in carrying out this activity is to accumulate certain

personal information about the student. This material

might include identifying information, education and

 

ulJohnson, 32. cit., p. l.
“ZWilley, gp. cit., p. hl-2.

31

training, employment records, and other miscellaneous data.

In order for any job placement to take place there

needs to be knowledge of what jobs are available. To do

this Willey“3 suggests the following practices,

9..

Co

6.

f.

h.

Place the school's name on mailing lists for
federal, state, and city civil service
announcements.

Let all prospective employers in the community
know about the schools! placement service.
A personal visit is more effective than a
written letter. The classified section in
the telephone directory will be helpful to
locate such employers.

Co-operate with local, state, and federal employ-
ment agencies in the community.

Arouse interests of members of clubs such as
Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions in the schools'
placement service. The use of students on
their programs to present information about
the employment service of the high school is
he lpful 0

Survey the "want ad" and "help wanted" sections
of the local newspaper.

Subscribe to professional and trade journals
and survey the "help wanted" sections of
such magazines.

Encourage students and parents to seek job
opportunities.

Encourage all faculty members to be aware of
possible job Openings and to notify the
placement office of available jobs.

 

“31b1d.

32

KleinermL reports some additional techniques to use
such as telephone solicitation, co-operative work programs,
a direct visit, inviting industry representatives to the
school, use of labor-management advisory committees, and
using trade connection of shop teachers.

It is not, however, always possible or easy to carry
out these practices, whether it be due to insufficient time,
money, or ability. Kleinerus points out that more sales-
manship is needed to carry out the placement service in the
manner described above. This sales and public relations
program needs to be geared to getting the information about
available jobs and to bring the graduates to these jobs.

A vocational agriculture student who plans to farm
must start at some level on a path towards ownership. The
financial expense to assume ownership immediately is seldom
surmounted. Some of these steps which may be used are,”6

1. Being on a farm with.a definite or indefinite

allowance.

2. Employed as a farm laborer.

 

uuKleiner, loc. cit.
*5 Ibid.

uéEducational Objectives in Vocational Agriculture
03. ‘Cit.’ p. 5.

3. Have an income from one or more farming enter-

prises.

4. Being a partner in a farming business.

5. Renting and operating a farm.

6. Managing a farm owned by someone else.

It is further pointed out that,u7

Progressive advancement of these individuals from

one level of farming to another calls for an intelli-
gent analysis of their present farming status, resources,
and available opportunities in farming occupations.
Adults who are already engaged in farming and are
advancing in the occupation must determine whether

they should continue in the same type of farming in
which they are engaged, what change to make in their
farming status, and what improvement they should make

in their farming practices.

In a study by AhaltL'r8 150 young farmers were asked
what steps they had taken prior to farm ownership. The
step listed most frequently was being at home with no
definite wage. Next to this came military service and then
non-farm work. The two steps most infrequently used were
being a farm manager and a farm owner.

Table 1 gives the steps taken, and the times taken

for each in the progress towards farm ownership.

 

LL71b1d.

uaArthur Ahalt, "How Young Farmers Become Established,"
The Agricultural Education Magazine, Vol. 30 No. 10
(April, 1958): Pp. 220-1}

C0
[l

J

-PS TALLN BY YCLNG FA REE? S PRIOR TO FARM CWNZRSHIP
S TE P TI EELS TAKEN

Son at home (no wages) coo.0900000000000.occoooooOoooooooh7
Military seerCG ooocoooccococooooooo00000000000000.0000046
I‘Ton‘Farm work so...ooooooooooooooooooooooooococo-000000.014»)
Son at home (wageS) coooooooooooooooooooocoocoocoooooooooLp
Dans at hOme (partner) oo00000000000000.0000.09000000000019
Hired man (away from home) 0.00000000000000000000000co00018
Share tenant oooooooocoooooooooocoocco0.000.000.00000000015
Cash tenant co.cocoooooooooooooocoocooococo00.00.009.000. A
Farm Manager 00000000000000.00000.0000000000000000...00.0 2

owner ......OOOOOOOOOOOI.00.00.00.....‘OOOOCIOOOOOOOOOCOO 2

 

*Arthur Ahalt, "How Young Farmers Become Established,"
The A ricultural Education Magazine, Vol. 30 No. 1
(April. I§355. pp. 220-1-

Ideally the vocational agriculture student would

 

proceed through several rather well defined steps to
eventual farm ownership. These are diagrammed by Johnsonug
who indicates the beginning as the prospective student

who desires to become a farmer. The next step is enrollment
in vocational agriculture, then the graduate goes on into
various stages of farming and eventual farm ownership.

Figure 1 shows an outline of this procedure.

: .
It is pointed out by Hunsicker’O that as boys make

 

l‘LgJohnson, 22. cit., p. 6.

50H. N. Hunsicker, Planning and Conducti_g a Program
of Instruction in Vocational Agricult—Ee for Young Farmers—
‘TE. 8. Office of Education, Vocational Division Bulletin
No. 262, Agricultural Series No. 67; Washington: Government
Printing Office, 1956).

35
Fummsi

PROGRESSIVE DEVSLOPMENT LEADING TO ESTABLISHMENT
IN FARMING THROUGH VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE

 

ESTABLISm IN FARIII?3G

 

 

.THER IMPROVES HIS LFFICIENCY
as a farmer aided by systematic
instruction in an adult fermer class.

 

 

_EE FURTHER DEVELOPS HIS FARMING PROGRAN
as a young farmer aided by systematic
instruction in a youngfarmer class.

 

HEFIS LOCAT‘D IN FARFING
on the home farm or on another farm with
the assistance of parents, instructor of

vocational agriculture, and others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To or from vocations Igor from vocations
other than farming {.related to farming
ADJU STAEN T
PERIOD
T0 or from T0 or from
no goal ___temporary:goal
HIGRSCHOOL :3
HE GETS A START
Future IN FARMING General
Farmers as a high school stv.dent of contributory
of America vocational agriculture by training
experience developing a planled

farming program under
2 systematic instruction
‘K‘EEY'ENHOELS'IN‘v6bKTIbfiAL“IcfiiEULTURE
AT THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL

'l 'VOI' O 30' ”‘0 u“ I 3 0‘ ‘ ""‘b

j

 

NE. J. Johnson, and w. Elam, Guiding High School
Students of Vocational Agriculture in DevelgpIngw Farm n
Pro rams TU'.S. CITIce of EducatIcn,_VboaticnaI DivIsion
BuIletin No. 25h, Agricultural Series No. 65; Washington;
Government Printing Office, l95h), p. VI.

36
progress towards full establishment in farming they feel a
need for.

DevelOping parent-son agreements in farming, renting
farm land, locating available finances, producing farm
products efficiently, selecting and maintaining farm
equipment, marketing farm products, keeping and
analyzing records, developing farm and home plans,
planning land systems, interpreting government programs,
interpreting and executing legal papers, and participa-
ting in farm and community organizations.

Follow-£2. A very important part of the placement
program is to follow up the students to learn how they have
adjusted to their jobs, and what progress they make in the
job, as well as to obtain their ideas on improved preparation.

c

In the Practical Handbook for Counselors’l it is
suggested that,

The senior high school should deveIOp a systematic
follow-up procedure to see that its former students are
progressing sotisfactorily in their chosen field and
to help then in making further adjustments if necessary.

VII. SUMMARY

This chapter has presented some of the information
available concerning practices for conducting the guidance

activities which were studied.

SlPractical Handbook for Counselors (Chicago:
Science Research Associates, Igfié), p. I7.

o-Cperate with.$ohool Staff in Conducting Career
wwmu m

(l)

e or Career The career conference is a

Conferen

O

L 9 Y o

 

 

 

valuable instrument for oneblinD students to learn about
job opportunities and to help pupils plan their own educa-
tional and vocational programs more wisely. The conference
also furnished a means for closer school-community
relationships to be developed.

The career day is usually a one-day (or less) affair
with one general assembly plus several smaller group meet-
ings. These are devoted to the general occupational
picture and several specific vocations respectively.
Students should have a say in wtat occupational meetings
will be held.

Additional meetings may be held on how to get a job,
interviewing, and how to discover self-interests.

Each career day should be evaluated so that the

following ones may be improved.

Conduct M m _t_9_ M Agricultural Ocm‘petions.
Field trips have been used for educational purposes for years,
with renewed emphasis now placed on them for study of occu-
pational information.

Preparation of pupils for these trips is needed

with several practices being useful. General discussion

of what is expected of the students and suggestions for

possible post-trip assignments seem to be essential.
Kaking adequate plans for the trip in contacting
the proper representatives involved, together with showing

appreciation after the trip should be observed.

Assemble Information.22,Educational Programs £23
Prepgration.tg.§gtgg Agricultural Occupations. Most of

the information on this subject deals with sources of such
information. It is pointed out that in addition to obtain-

ing this information more personal contact with training

institutions than Just catalogs is needed.

Provide Information pp Students for Prospective
Employers. Very little information is available on this
subject. The material found concerns the fact that good

school-employer relations should be developed.

MConference Hit—Q Parents 23 Regard 332 Students'
Occupationgllgpg_Educational glggg. This phase of guidance
is essential. In some areas of education and psychiatry
it is recognized, however, in references on guidance and
vocational agriculture there is very little infermation
on this subject.

Assist Young Men _t_9_ :93 Placed and £3 Advance in
Farming. This activity is one of the basic objectives.

39
of vocational agriculture. The primary practice here is
to get the students started with a supervised farming
program.

One of the benefits of the placement activity is for
improving the school's training program. Adult classes are
designed to help persons to advance in their vocation.

Improvements in the activity are possible by learning
more about the jobs available and selling employers on the

graduate's abilities.

CHAPTER III
PROCEDURE FOLLOWED IN CONDUCTING STUDY

This chapter will outline the steps followed in
conducting this study, the methods of research involved,

and the sources for the data collected.

Outline pg'ggggy. The first step was to determine
the vocational guidance activities to be studied. These
were selected from a previous study conducted by Dr. Harold
Byram.l The activities that were selected from this study
met three criteria: (1) They were of a vocational guidance
nature, (2) They were rated in the upper 50 per cent for
importance by the vocational agriculture teachers co-opera-
ting in Dr. Byram's study, and (3) They were rated in the
lower 50 per cent for being carried out effectively in the
same study.

Numerous reference books were used to develOp a
check list which could be used in the studyaother vocational
agriculture teachers were asked to fill out a trial
schedule, and current guidance and vocational literature

was consulted.

 

1Harold M. Byram, "Check List on Guidance Activities
of Teachers of Agriculture" (Unpublished Study; East Lansing,
Michigan; Michigan State'University, 1958).

41

The items selected for use in this check list were
called "practices", and dealt with how the activity was
organized or how it was carried out.

In order to find out how these selected guidance
activities could be carried out effectively vocational
agriculture teachers who co-operated in Dr. Byram's study
that had reported doing these guidance activities very
effectively or moderately effectively were selected. A
small number of the teachers reported doing any one of the
activities effectively which is why some were chosen from
the moderately effective group. Then, too, the study was
limited to two areas of the state for transportation
reasons, thus further limiting the number from which to select.

The next step led to contacting the teachers selected
and interviewing them. They were asked to explain how they
did the particular activity they had done effectively.

The medium for explaining how the activities were carried
out was a list of practices listed on a form. If they

used practices not listed, then these were added. After
noting those practices used, each was checked according

to its effectiveness; being rated very effective, moderately
effective, or very ineffective.

When all of the teachers had been contacted, the

results were summarized. Each guidance activity was listed

M2

separately. The practices for carrying out the activity were
ranked according to their effectiveness. The results were
then written up together with the conclusions which would

seem appropriate to make.

Methods 2£,Researcth§gg. This study resulted in
a list of practices which were being followed by certain
vocational agriculture teachers. To do this, a check list
with a rating scale was used. The check list was added to
and completed in the presence of the researcher thus
utilizing the interview in many cases.

This method of research was used because the most
accurate way of learning how the guidance activities were
carried out was to ask those who had had success with them.
Eight of the teachers were interviewed because it was then
possible to explain more exactly what was wanted and the
teachers in turn could give additional information not
possible on a rigid check list.

Historical research and interviewing were used
in developing the practices used in the check list schedule.
The status type of research is subject to the errors in
judgment of the person filling it out.' It is also subject
to a misinterpretation of the items to be checked. Educa-

tional researchers, however, have relied on surveys for a

Le

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m
U‘
(D
Ho
:3
Q

lar" part of their information an-
advocated today were decided upon by using this method of
research.

Table 2 shows that 12 vocational Ifriculture teachers
were contacted for the purpose of obtaining research data. A
total of 32 different quest onnaires were completed to obtain
the information for this study. There was a total of 1&8
guidance practices suggested for carrying out these six

guidance activities ranging in number from 12 to ha for

each ou'.

Sources 33 2322. The information secured in the
study was from a selected group of 12 vocational agriculture
teachers in Southwestern and Eastern Kichigan. These
teachers were selected because they had previously indicated
that the guidance activity being studied had beei used very

effectively or moderately effectively by them.

';
k '1 711nm n. 1?

. This chapter outlines the procedures used

     

in the study, the methods of research used and the sources

for the data. The procedure followed in conducting the study
was to determine the vocational guidance activities which were
important but not effective as used by vocational agriculture

teachers. Practices for conductinc these activities were
U

TABLE 2

A
*“W

SUKHAiY OF TE CKBRS CONTACTED FOR EACH JJIDFHCE ACTIVIT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teacher Guidance Activity%
1 2 fl_3 ‘h f5 6

A X x

34 x x x

C x x x

D x x

E x x x x

E; x x x x

G x x x

g_ x x

l» x x x x

g;;_ x x

g, x

L x x

Totals 5 5 —5 6 3 F

 

*Guidance Activity .

l. Co-operate with School Staff in Conducting Career
Conference or Career Day.

2. Conduct Field Trips to Study Agricultural
Occupations.

3. Assemble Information on Educational Programs for
Preparation to Enter Agricultural Occupations.

h. Provide Information on Students for Prospective
Employers.

5. Hold Conference with Parents in Regard to
StudentS' Occupational and Educational Plans.

6. Assist Young Men to be Placed and to Advance in

Farming.

1:5
listed. The vocational agriculture teachers in Southwestern
and Eastern Kichigan who had reported high effectiveless in
doing these activities were then located. These teachers
were interviewed or were asked to fill out a check list
and explain the activities they had carried out effictively.

The research methods used in this study were the historical,

the interview, and the normative stu y.

CHAPTER IV
RESULTS OF TEE STUDY

General Results Obtained. The teachers contacted
were, generally, quite co-Operative, and added hZ practices
to the check list that had not previously been included.

The special emphasis given to one or two key
practices for each activity was of major importance. It
was found that even though the teacher felt he was effective
in conducting an activity he did not necessarily carry out
a large number of practices. This emphasis on important
practices was quite common among teachers.

Each guidance activity is separated in the following
presentation, and includes a discussion of the practices
considered to be key ones, the practices rated effective,
and some comments made by the teachers during the interview.
The list of practices developed before the study for use in
the check list is included in the Appendix.

Co-operate with School §£g££_ig Conducting Career
Conference 22 Career 231. Five teachers were contacted
for responses on what practices should be used to carry
out this guidance activity. Three teachers felt that
this was an excellent activity to carry out in presenting

vocational information to the students. Several personal

it?
experiences were cited by these teachers in reference to
the success of the conferences. The procedure for holding
the conferences on a regional or county basis seemed to be
prevalent until an individual school out-grew such a
practice. This school would then conduct its own conference.
The vocational agriculture teachers actually did very
little towards the over-all planning of these programs,
however.

Two practices carried out by three teachers, as
shown in Table 3, were considered to be very effective:
(1) Hold conference each year; and (2) Have students
participate in planning. The general consensus of
opinion for holding the conference each year was that the
students would have the opportunity to participate in it
for two years. The teachers felt that enough change of
interest would be exemplified in this time to warrant
the students attending a second conference any more
frequently. Having students and community service groups
participate in the planning were both considered helpful
in making the conference more meaningful and in giving
it added promotion.

Six practices were considered to be very effective
by at least two teachers as shown in Table h. Two of

these practices were given special significance by two of

H7a
TABLE 3

GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR CO-OPERATING WITH SCHOOL STAFF IN
CONDUCTIHa CAREER CONFERENCE OR CAREER DAY
RATED VERY'EFFECTIVE BY'THREE TEACHERS
Practice Number of teachers
doing the practice

VIE. PEOEO VOIO.X.
1. Hold conference each year. 3 l

2. Have students participate in
planning.

\JJ

*V.E. Very Effective
M.E. Moderately Effective
V.I. Very Ineffective

LS
the teachers as being key factors in the success of the
conference. These are as follows: (1) Hold the conference
at night: and (2) Invite the parents to attend. The reason
for holding the conference at night was so the parents
could attend with the students. In this case the parents
would attend the same meetings as the students. This gave
the parents the opportunity to learn more about the careers,
too.

There were four additional practices wnich at
least two teachers rated very effective. These are as
follows: (1) Give local publicity to conference; (2) Serve
on planning committee; (3) Have community service groups
participate in planning; and (h) Help arrange for agricultur-
al resource persons. Giving local publicity to the
conference was considered to be very essential to its
effectiveness. Some of the practices for doing this were
to put articles in newspapers, use local radio newscasts,

send letters home to parents, and put up posters in the
school. The practices of helping on the planning committee,
and arranging for the agricultural resource persons were

the two parts which the agriculture teacher usually had in
the organization of the conference. Having students and

communitw service groups farticipate in the planning were

both considered hel ful in making the conference meaningful
k4 L.

.. A -7. ..-,

W N H
o a

4:.

rrABTT‘I )

4
L! '_J -

fl.” w-fw—P‘Q *5.
LL.‘3~.I ...Vuv EX

CO-CFERA TI

WIT

CONEUCT KG CAREER

‘Tm—N ‘W T“
C 01“; ALI—EJ“ Cd

RATED VEnY

Give local publicity to conference.

Serve on planning committee.
Invite parents to conference.

Held at night.

Have community service groups
participate in planning.

Help arrange for agricultural resource
persons.

03 CARES}

TN 0 TEACI

eoing

V0 N

F0

DJ

J au-
VI)

CHOOL TAP? IN
LA
£1315.
Number of teachers

the practice

v.1.

\“1
Q

and in giving it added promotion.

Ten additional practices were rated as being very
effective by at least one teacher as shown in Table 5.
These are as follows: (1) Hold conference during school
hours; (2) Hold conference on regional basis; (3) Use
printed conference programs; (A) Hold for one-half day;

(5) Section meetings held for hS-oo minutes; (6) Hold
entire day for juniors and seniors; (7) Hold Vo-Ag career
conference separately; (8) Serve as chairman of planning
committee; (9) Provide information about local employment
opportunities; and (10) Provide information about the
qualifications and requirements for entrance into various
kinds of occupations.

Holding the conference during school hours and for
juniors and seniors during the day were said to be
satisfactory practices, but did not include inviting parents.
Holding the conference on a regional basis has been discussed
previously. The use of printed programs with the time of
all activities listed was considered important. Conducting
the section meetings for us-eo minutes was used but was
not considered important by all of the teachers, evidently
meaning that it was a mechanical practice without special
significance. The remaining practices listed here were

carried out on a very limited basis.

TABLE 5

GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR CO-OPERATING WITH SCHOOL STAFF IN
CONDUCTING CAREER CONFERENCE OR CAREER DAY
RATED VERY EFFECTIVE BY ONE TEACHER

Practice . Number of teachers
doing the practice

V.E. M33. V.I.

1. Hold conference during school hours. 1 2
2. Hold conference on regional basis. 1 2
3. Use printed conference programs. 1 2
h. Hold for one-half day. l l
5. Section meetings held for us-eo

minutes. 1 l
6. Hold entire day for juniors and

seniors. l l
7. Hold Vo-Ag career conference

separately. 1
8. Serve as chairman of planning

committee. 1
9. Provide information about local

employment opportunities. l

10. Provide information about the
qualifications and requirements

for entrance into various kinds

of occupations. l

52
Two additional practices were said to be moderately
effective. These are as follows: (1) Hold small section
meetings on several occupations; and (2) Have evaluation
form filled out by students and faculty. The first of
these was carried out by all the teachers but was given
no special attention when listing important practices.

The second practice was not carried out very often.

Conduct Eigld_grip§'£2.§tggy,Agricultural Occupations.
There were 15 guidance practices for conducting this activity
that were felt to be very effective and essential to the
success of the field trip by two or more of the teachers.
Sixteen additional practices were considered to be
necessary by at least one of the teachers interviewed.
Four of the eo-operating teachers gave three practices
for carrying out this guidance activity as being very
effective as shown in Table 6. The fifth teacher in each
case stated that these same three practices were moderately
effective for the activity. The three practices are as
follows: (1) Study occupations prior to trip; (2) Study
occupations following trip; and (3) Express appreciation to
the representatives who made the trip possible. It was
considered essential to study the occupations to be observed
both before and after the field trip. No special emphasis

was given to the third practice the common procedure in

using it being simply a verbal "thank you."

53
TABLE 6

GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR CONDUCTING FIELD TRIPS TO STUDY
AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS RATED VFRY
EFFECTIVE BY FOUR TEACHERS

Practice Number of teachers
doing the practice
V.E. M.E. V.I.

1. Study occupations prior to trip. A l

2. Study occupations following trip. A l

3. Express appreciation to the

representatives who made trip
possible. a l

Two practices, indicated in Table 7 were rated as
being very effective by three teachers. They are as follows:
(1) Use bus for transportation; and (2) Conduct local trip.
Using the bus for transportation was also rated as being
moderately effective by the remaining teachers. The opinion
expressed towards this practice in relationship to the use
of cars was that it was greatly preferred, giving the
teachers more control over the group as well as being easier
to arrange for. One additional teacher considered number
one moderately effective while the fifth teacher did not

rate it.

TABLE 7
GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR CONDUCTING FIELD TRIPS TO STUDY
AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS RATED VERY EFFECTIVE
BY THREE TEACHERS

Practice Number-of teachers

doing the practice

V.E. M.E. V.I.
1. Use Bus for transportation. 3 l

2. Conduct local trip. 3 2

Ten more practices were rated very effective by at
least two teachers. These practices, listed in Table 8,

are as follows: (1) Conduct trips out of the community;

\a
\n

(2) Visit processing plants; (3) Teacher arranges trip;
(A) Hold trip during regular class period; (5) Leave list
of students'names with principal; (6) Have a set of rules
for students to follow; (7) Visit elevator; (8) Hold trip
in connection with.unit of study; (9) Develop atmosphere
of anticipation in the class prior to going; and (10) Make
co-operative plans for special reports and observations.
From the comments of the teachers, as well as their
responses, the differences in the distance of the trip
was of little importance as both local and out-of-community
trips were rated very effective and both were important.

Visiting a processing plant was done by three
teachers in fruit, vegetable and dairy areas. Processing
plants, consequently, were important in the local comn“rities.
One teacher stated that he took these trips so that each
student had the chance to see each plant once during his
four years of vocational agriculture. Specific processing
plants visited inelude: a dairy plant, considered very
effective by the teacher involved; a packing plant, consid-
ered moderately effective by another teach I; a canning
factory, considered to be moderately effective by one
teacher.

The general opinion was that the teacher should

arrange for most of the trips. On certain occasions

(very infrequently) a student was assigned the job. The
success of these trips seemed to be satisfactory but not
outstanding. The practice of holding the trip during the
regular class period was the most commonly used of any time.
Avoidance of schedule conflicts was one of the joints
mentioned for the use of this practice. The set of rules
for students to fellow was arrived at in co-operation with
the students. This list was then duplicated so that each

student would have a copy for himself.

The practice of holding the trio in conjunction

A.

3

with a unit of study relates with the two tractices of

L

(

studying the occupation prior to the trip and following
the trip. These were emphasized as being among the most
effective by the teachers carrying them out. Developing
an atmosphere of anticipation in the class prior to going
on the trip also relates to the study of the occupations
mentioned previously. During this build-up of interest
three teachers used the practice of developing co-operative
plans for special reports and observations by the students.
Sixteen guidance practices were considered very
effective by at least one of the teachers. Out of this
group of practices three were also rated moderately
effective by two additional teachers and one was rated
very ineffective by one teacher.
Those practices ranking highest for this group,

as listed in Table 9, are as follows: (1) Visit machinery

TABLE 8
GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR CONDUCTING FIELD TRIPS TO STUDY
AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS RATED VERY EFFECTIVE
BY TWO TEACHERS

Practice Number of teachers
doing the practice

.3. M.E. V.I.

1. Teacher arranged trip. 2 3
2. Conduct out of community trip. 2 2
3. DevelOp atmosphere of anticipation

in the class prior to going. 2 2
A. Visit processing plants. 2 1
5. Hold during regular class period. 2 l
6. Visit elevator. 2 1
7. Make co-operative plans for special

reports and observations. 2 1

8. Leave list of names with principal. 2

9. Have a set of rules for students
to follow.

R)

10. Hold trip in connection with.unit
of study. 2

58
manufacturing plants; (2) Conduct in co-operation with
local persons or company; and (3) Students interview
employers.

When local dealers were connected with a manufacturing
plant, such as machinery, this practice of conducting in
co-operation with a local dealer was used on some occasions
and was considered valuable in such cases. The trip to a
machinery manufacturing plant when taken out of the
community was, according to the teachers reporting this
practice, very effective while the same type of trip taken
locally was rated moderately effective.

The practice of students interviewing employers
was not carried out extensively. Those teachers using it
rated it as an effective practice and one intended to use

it more in the future.

TABLE 9
GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR CONDUCTING FIELD TRIPS TO STUDY
AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS RATED VERY'EPFECTIVE
BY ONE TEACHE;
Practice Number of teachers
doing the practice
VeEe B’IeEo Vole
1. Visit machinery manufacturing

plants. 1 2

2. Conduct in co-operation with a
local person or company. I 2

3. Students interview employer. 1 2

Practice

A.
S.

6.
7.

8.

9.
10.

ll.
12.
13.

Visit feed manufacturing plant.
Student arranged trip.

Take visits to companies once
every four years.

Give a list of students to teachers
prior to going on all-day trip.

Take local trips first.
Take trip to each type of farming.

Use form listing what to look for
on trips.

Visit dairy plant.
Visit hatchery.
Visit nursery.

Visit fruit storage.
Visit packing plant.

Telephone company ahead setting up
three possible dates.

Of the remaining practices carried out,

VOE.

l
l

H

F’ r4 r4 ,4 F1 1d

59

Number of teachers
doing the practice

I'ioEo Vol.

1
1

13 were

rated moderately effective by from one to three teachers and

two were rated as very ineffective by at least one teacher.

(1) Use extra time during school hours;

outside of school hours;

The 13 practices rated moderately effective are:

(2) Take a trip

(3) Visit sales organizations;

60
(h) Have soil technician come to class and go out on trip;
(5) Visit machinery repair company; (6) Permitted trips at
own discretion; (7) Use cars for transportation; (8) Take
trip to Chicago to visit wholesale distributors of meat,
vegetables and flowers; (9) Take trip to tire retail
store; (10) Take entire class at once on special trips;
(11) Visit food freezing plant; (12) Make and file
student report on the success of trip for future classes;

and (13) Visit service-type company.

Assemble Information gp_Educational Programs for
Preparation £2_§2£g£ Agricultural Occupations. Five
teachers co-operated in this study to determine the most
effective guidance practices to carry out this guidance
activity. Obtaining information from trade journals, and
having advanced students secure information to write a job
description, were stated by two teachers as being very I
essential to this activity in their situation. Neither of
these practices would normally be considered as a way of
assembling information on education programs, however,
the way in which the practices were used by the teachers
would indicate that considerable information was obtained.
Both of these practices were rated very effective by only

one teacher.

61
One ado itional practice w as rated as being very
effective by three teacxcrs and moderately effective by the
other two teachers. This practice is "to obtain catalogs
and bulletins from colleges, trade, business, and technical
schools." These catalogs and bulle,ins were predominately

I

from colleges and mostly from Lichigan State University.

hj

our practices were rated as very effective by two

of the teaches. Th:se practices, listed in Table 10

‘

are as follows: (1) Obtain materials from private companies;

als from Short Course Department; (3) Ob-

H0

(2) Obtain mater
tain materials from school principal; nd (h) File
bulletins in rack. Three of these practices deal with
sources of information and one with filing the information
obtained.

Twelve practices were rated as very effective by

one teacher. These practices, listed in Table 11, are as

£011013- (1) Obtain mamt rial s from school librgrv; (2

V

Obtain materia 3 from government sources; (3) Obtain
materials from profesfi nal associations; (A) File materials
in notebooks; (5) File materia ls in foldars; (6) Students
obtain materials while on field trips; (5) Develoo list of
sliills needed in each of the agricul tlral occupations;

(9) otictncs bring information to class; (10) Encourage

students to maintain a career notebook; (ll)b se the

"hichigan Plan for Filing and In' ex xi.:15 Occupational

TA ELL- 1 U

GUIDAITE ..hAC‘TISES FOR ALBSQQLII’G ILLORLQTIOK OK

[7-1

'VPATIOHAL PROGRm’ .3 FOR REPARATION TO ENTE:

AGRICULTURAL OSCUPaTIONS RATED VERY :FTLCT V3

N

BY TWO TEACHERS
Practice Number of teachers
doing the practice
V03. I‘ZoEo Vol.

1. Obtfljlllnat

aria ls from private
companie s.

2 l
2. Obtain rcterials from Short Course
Dcp artment, Hichigan State
University. 2 l
3. Obtain materials from school
principal. 2
a. File bulletins in rack. 2

Informitio:.;" and (12) Obtain materials from trade journals.
The question on the check-list was if informational
materials were obtained from the library. Three teachers
carried out this practice and stated that they made use
of the library materials but did not keep them. ‘When
advanced students wrote career papers and used library
materials they were accumulating the information in their
papers. The better of these reports were then retained by

the teacher for future reference by other students.

63
TABLE 11
GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR ASSEMBIJIM} INFORMATION ON
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR PREPARATION TO ENTER
AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS RATED VERYlEFFECTIVE
BY ONE TEACHER

Practice Number of teachers
doing the practice

VOE. 140E. VOI.

1. Obtain materials from school library. 1 2
2. Obtain materials from government 1 2
sources.

3. Obtain materials from professional

associations. 1 2
A. File materials in notebook. l 2
5. File materials in folders. l 2
6. Students obtain materials while on

field trips. . l 2
7. Obtain visual aid type material. 1 .l
8. Develop list of skills needed in each

of the agricultural occupations. l l
9. Students bring information to class. 1 l

10. Encourage students to maintain a
career notebook. 1

11. Use the "Michigan Plan for Filing
and Indexing Occupational
Information". 1

l2. Obtain materials from trade
journals. 1

on

Two teachers rated two practices as being moderately
effective. These practices are: (1) Students send for
materials; and (2) Obtain materials from'Western Michigan
University.

Among the methods used for obtaining the materials,
it was stated that, the encouragement of the students for
bringing in materials resulted in a considerable quantity
of information. This information was discussed, frequently
replacing the planned class work, so that students received

a stimulus for continuing the practice.

Provide Information 93 Students £23 Prospective
Employers. The guidance practices for carrying out this
activity were suggested and rated by six vocational
agriculture teachers.

Four of the practices for conducting this activity
were considered to be very essential for its success. These
practices, as listed in Table 12, are as follows: (1) Provide
instruction to students about Job interviews; (2) Maintain
record of all Students placed; (3) Maintain an up-to-date
list of students including achievements, education,'and
work experience; and (h) Visit employers regularly to
maintain personal contact.

Of these four practices the first was rated highest
in the total list. Two teachers rated it very effective

and three others moderately effective. This practice was

65
carried out both formally in the class room and informally
when there was a need for it. The practice to maintain
records on all students placed was done by only two teachers.
One of these teachers stated that records were so essential
and valuable that they were more than worth the time devoted
to keeping them. Very little publicity was given to the
fact that records were available on the students, however.

One teacher carrying out the third practice rated
it very ineffective. Two other teachers considered it as
'being very effective, however. One teacher stated that he
had students make out a form giving this information each
year. Visiting employers regularly to maintain personal
contact was done in two ways. Farmers who would be inter-
ested in hiring students were usually ones who were
normally seen either in adult farmer work or student farm
visits. The prospective employers in the related occupations
field were contacted through membership in a local service
club. ‘This allowed for continuous contacts with.both
groups of employers and most of the placement occured
with the employers involved in these groups.

- Three practices were considered as being very
effective by one teacher. These practices, listed in
Table 13, are as follows: (1) Arrange for interviews
between student and prospective employer; (2) Give a

student data sheet on students to interested/employers;

66
TABLE 12
GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION ON
STUDENTS FOR PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS RATED
VERY EFFECTIVE BY TWO TEACHERS

Practice ' Number of teachers
doing the practice
VOE. MOE. VOI.

1. Provide instruction to students

about job interviews. 2 3

2. Maintain record on all students
placed. 2

3. iaintain an up-to-date list of

students including achievements,

education and work experience. 2 l
A. Visit employers regularly to

maintain personal contact. 2 l
and (3) Talk to prospective employer about what student has
done (on request). '

Arranging for interviews between students and
prospective employers was done on a limited scale. One
teacher said that in the cases he had used it, it had
been very effective; two teachers gave a rating of moder-
ately effective and two other teachers said it had been
very ineffective. Three of the teachers used the number
three practice, generally in an informal manner, but they
felt it had been very useful. The student data form was

the one mentioned previously which the students made out

each year.

67
TABLE 13
GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION ON
STUDENTS FOR PROSPECTIVE EIvIPLOERS RATED
VERY'EFFECTIVE BY ONE TEACHER
Practice V Number of teachers
doing the practice
V.E. M.E. V.I.
1. Arrange for interviews between
student and prospective
employers. l
2. Give a student data sheet on
students to interested
employers. l 2
3. Talk to prospective employers
about what student has done
(on request). 1 2 2
Two practices carried out moderately effectively are:

(1) Give transcript of credits to interested employers; and

(2) Provide past records to prospective employers upon request.

‘gglg Conference with Parents‘ig Regard 32 Students'
Occupational and Educational Plans. The teachers inter-
viewed for this activity consisted of two who had rated
themselves as very effective and three who had rated
themselves as moderately effective in carrying out the
activity.

The one practice which was rated high by each of
the five teachers is: "hold in connection with home farm
visits". This practice was rated as very effective by

four teachers and moderately effective by one teacher.

68
One teacher mentioned that he usually Spent more time
on a farm visit with the parent than with the student.
In the case of many parents this was the only contact which
the teacher had with them. The discussion in most confer-
ences included what the students' interest and abilities
were, which was the second highest rated practice. It was
mentioned by some teachensthat this was the primary reason
for the conferences.

Five practices which were rated as being very
effective by three teactohw (Table 1h) are as follows:

(1) Discuss studentS' interests and abilities; (2) Discuss
vocational plans; (3) Discuss educational plans; (A) Hold

after adult classes; and (5) When on a large farm discuSs

partnerships.

Discussing the vocational and educational plans of the
students were also considered important topics that should
be discussed with the parents. It was pointed out that on
larger farms the possibility of establishing a partnership
should be discussed. This practice was not done at only
one conference but was continued until a satisfactory solu-
tion was arrived at. Holding the conference after an adult
class was felt to be a very excellent way of carrying out
parent conferences. The teachers using this practice did

so frequently.

69
TABLE 1h
GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR HOLDING CONFERENCE'NITH
PARENTS IN REGARD TO STUDENTS' OCCUPATIONAL
AND EDUCATIONAL PLANS RATED VERY EFFECTIVE
BY THREE TEACHERS

Practice ' Number of teachers
doing the practice
V.E. MNE. V.I.

1. Discuss students' interests and

abilities. 3 2
2. Discuss vocational plans. 3 2
3. Discuss educational plans. 3 2
a. Hold after adult classes. 3

5. When on a large farm discuss

partnerships. 3

Two teachers rated four practices as being very
effectively carried out. These four practices (Table.15)
are as follows: (1) Discuss FFA leadership activities;
(2) Discuss orientation of students; (3) Discuss college
selection; and (A) Parents go on field trips with students.

Discussing FFA leadership activities was carried
out by four teachers. This practice was considered very
effective but was not actually used extensively. Talking
informally with parents while on a field trip was felt to be
very good by the teachers doing it. In such instances a

long trip was planned with one or two parents going along.

70
TABLE 15

GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR HOLDING CONFERENCE WITH
PARENTS IN REGARD TO STUDENTS' OCCUPATIONAL
AND EDUCATIONAL PLANS RATED VERY EFFECTIVE

BY TWO TEACHERS

Practice Number of teachers
doing the practice

V.E. 1401.130 Vol.

1. Discuss FFA leadership activities. 2 2
2. Discuss orientation of students. 2 2
3. Discuss college selections. 2 l

a. Parents go on field trips with

students. 2

Five practices rated very effective by one teacher
(Table 16) are as follows: (1) Hold conference during
freshman year; (2) Discuss with parent most interested;
(3) Father at school; (A) Obtain additional student
personal data; and (5) Record information from conference.

Talking with the father at the school relates to
the practice of holding the conference following adult
classes. However, one teacher had held a few conferences
with fathers at the school on other occasions. Very
infrequently did a father come to the school to talk
about his son voluntarily and for no other purpose. The
teacher recording information from these conferences was
very certain that this practice helped to make that and

future conferences more effective. When the conference

71
was held at the school notes were taken during the

conference.

TABLE 16
GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR HOLDING CONFERENCE WITH
PARENTS IN REGARD TO STUDENTS' OCCUPATIONAL
AND EDUCATIONAL PLANS RATED VERY EFFECTIVE
BY ONE TEACHER

Practice Number of teachers
doing the practice
V.E. M.E. V.I.

1. Hold conference during freshman
year. 1 1

2. Discuss with parent most.interested. l

3. Father at school. 1
h. Obtain additional student personal

data. 1
5. Record information from conference. 1

Four practices were rated as being moderately
effective by one teacher or more. These practices (Table 17)
are as follows: (1) Hold after school events; (2) Hold
during senior year; (3) Hold as freshman scheduling night
with parents and students; and (h) Discuss how to improve
study habits. None of these practices seemed to be

exceptional.

72

Assist _Y_c_>_u_r_lg £133} 33 193 Placed 3.1.13 £9 Advance i_r_1_
Farmigg. Six teachers were contacted to find out the
effective practices for conducting this guidance activity.

The practices which were stated as being keys to
the success of this activity are: (1) Provide exploratory
work experiences for students; (2) Help to get established
on home farm; and (3) Assist students in setting up
partnership agreements.

Providing exploratory work experiences was felt to
be most essential for helping the student to decide what
type of farming or related job he would prefer. It was
also stated that it was a means for getting the student
started within the occupation when he found the one he
wanted. This corresponds to one value of the supervised
farming program.

Another practice felt to be very essential is to
help the student to become established on the home farm.
The teachers doing this practice stated that it was a key
point in the student's start as a farmer. This was carried
out by conference with the student and parents utilizing
some practice for the type of agreement followed. One
teacher felt that most of the things done to aid the
students fulfill the goal of this activity needed to be

on an individual basis.

73

Referring to the previous practice of helping boys
to get established on the home farm the practice of
helping to set up partnership agreements is considered the
most effective method.

From the total list of practices found effective by
the teachers three were rated very effective by three teach-
ers. These practices shown in Table l? are as follows:

(1) Assist students in setting up partnership agreements;
(2) Provide exploratory work experiences; and (3) Assist
boy to get job in related occupation by making initial
contact.

The first two of these practices have already been
discussed. Assisting students to get a job in a related
occupation by making the first contact was felt to be very
effective. This contact was done in two ways. In some
instances, when the teacher saw a possible job opening, he

would ask the employer or farmer about it.

TABLE 17 .
GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR ASSISTING YOUNG 1:231: TO BE
PLACED AND TO ADVANCE IN FARMING RATED
my EFFECTIVE BY Times TEACHERS

Practice Number of teachers
doing the practice

V.E. 171011.10 V.I.
1. Assist students in setting up
partnership agreements. 3 3

7A

Practice Number of teachers
doing the practice

V.E. M.E. V.I.

2. Provide exploratory work

experiences. 3 l
3. Assist boy to grt job in related

occupation by making initial

contact. 3 1

Six practices (Table 18) were rated as very
effective by two teachers. These practices are as follows:
(1) Provide students with a list of opportunities for place-
ment; (2) Provide evening vocational classes for out—of-school
farmers; (3) Help to get established on home farm; (h) Assist

to enroll in short course; (5) Assist in planning long-term

farm program; and (6) Do mostly on individual basis. The
first two of these practices was carried out on only a
limited basis. The third practice has been previously
discussed. The fourth practice has reference to inter-
esting students in taking a short course at Michigan
State University to improve themselves for future ad-
vancement in farming. This practice was given considerable
time and emphasis by some of the teachers. Inviting
representatives to meet with the class, alumni talks, and
utilizing brochures were the methods used. Assisting
students with long-term farm programs was used infre-

quently, usually only when a partnership was being

established. The last practice has been explained.

TABLE 18

GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR ASSISTIFG YOUNG HEN TO BE
PLACED AND TO ADVANCE IN FARRING RATED
VERY EFFECTIVE BY TWO TEACHERS

Practice Number of teachers
doing the practice

V.E. N.E. V.I.

1. Provide students with a list of

opportunities for placement. 2 2
2. Provide evening vocational classes

to out-of—school farmers. 2 2
3. Help to get established on home farm. 2 l
u. Assist to enroll in short course. 2 l
5. Assist in planning long-term

program. 2 l

C‘
0

Do mostly on individual basis. 2

75

Six practices rated very effective in one instance
(Table 19) are as follows: (1) Assist farmers in farm and
home planning; (2) Assist boys to get job on farm; (3) Se-
cure employment information from local chamber of commerce;
(u) Assist to buy farm; (5) Maintain list of farms for
sale; and (6) Assist student to get job as farm manager.

Each of these practices was limited in scope.
Number three was carried out by one teacher, however, in
such a manner as to attract attention. As such, he had
ready access to this type of information and he felt it

was exceptionally beneficial.
I I I . SU lleRY

This chapter has been a presentation of the informa-
tion learned from interviews of the teachers contacted. For
most of the activities a few key or essential practices
were discovered which made the activity more effective.

Most of the teachers interviewed did not carry out a large
percentage of the practices effectively for any particular

activity.

Co-operate with School Staff in Conducting Career
Conference 23 Career Day. This activity was felt to be

very valuable to the students. No real outstanding
practices common to each teacher appeared from this study.

At least three teachers in the group felt that holding the

76
TABLE 19
GUIDANCE PRACTICES FOR ASSISTING YOUNG MEN TO BE
PLACED AND TO ADVANCE IN FARMING RATED
VERY EFFECTIVE BY ONE TEACHER

Practice Number of teachers
doing the practice

V.E. M.E. V.I.

1. Assist farmers in farm and home

planning. 1 u
2. Assist boys to get job on farm. 1 l
3. Secure employment information from

local chamber of commerce. 1
A. AssiSt to buy farm. 1
5. Maintain list of farms for sale. 1

6. Assist student to get job as farm
manager. 1

77
conference each year, and having students participate in
the planning were extremely beneficial, however.
Eighteen practices were rated by five teachers as

very effective for the success of this activity.

Conduct M m 133 m Agricultural Occupations.
The practices used to carry out this activity were quite
diverse and varied with the community. A total of 31
practices were considered to be very effective by at least
one of the teachers. Studying the occupations to be ob-
served, both before and following the trip, seemed to be
quite essential. The teachers also felt that it was impor-
tant to express appreciation to the company representatives

following the trip.

Assemble Information gggEducational Programs 222
Preparation.£2.§gtgg Agricultural Occupations. The
practices considered very necessary for this activity were
to use trade journals as a.source of information and to
have students secure as much information as possible. It
was also considered very effective to obtain catalogs and
bulletins from colleges, trade, business and technical
schools, M.S.U. Snort Course Department, private companies,
and the school principal.

A total of 17 practices were rated as being very

78
effective for this activity.

Provide Information gg_8tudents £23 Prospective
Employers. Providing instruction to students about job
interviews and maintaining records of all students placed
were considered to be the most effective practices for
this activity. Seven practices were rated as being very

effective for this activity.

M Conference with Parents :23. Regard £9 Students'
Occupational_22g.Educational Elggg. The practices

considered to be most vital to this activity were to hold
conferences in connection with home farm visits and to dis-
cuss the students' interests and abilities. The educational,
vocational, college, and orientation plans were also rated
as being very effective to discuss‘by one of the teachers.
Another time to hold the conference which was used effect-

ively was following adult classes. Fifteen practices were

rated very effective for this activity.

Assist 392.31g Mgr; 1:3 b_e_ Placed'agcl 39. Advance i3
Farming. Providing exploratory work experiences and
assisting the student to get established on his home farm
were rated most effective for this activity. One of the
teachers stated that most of the practices used were for

doing this activity were of an individual nature thus making

each case different. Fifteen practices for carrying out

this activity were rated very effective.

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY OF THE STUDY INCDUDING CONCLUSIONS ARRIVED
AT AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY

I. G NERAL SUMMARY

This study was to determine how six vocational
guidance activities were conducted by vocational agriculture
teachers who rated themselves as doing the activity very
effectively. The activities selected for study were from
one done previously by Dr. Harold Byram. These activities
were considered important but were reported as having been
done effectively.

The data collected from this study were divided into
the results for each guidance activity.

The activity to co-operate with school staff in
conducting the career conference or career dathas found
to be somewhat unrelated to the vocational agriculture
teacher's job. The primary practice which was done was to
arrange for the resource persons for the agricultural
meetings.

The guidance activity to provide information on
students for prospective employers was done very infre-
quently. There seemed to be a divided opinion as to the

value of it. One teacher said the activity was necessary

80
only when requested by the prOSpective employers. Another
teacher felt that more publicity should be given to the
fact that information is available. According to the
available literature this activity is valuable. This
would indicate that more consideration should be given to it.

The remaining activities were all considered to be
important and the teachers interviewed were attempting to
do them in the best possible way. A

The primary purpose of this study was to determine
what practices were used to make the six guidance activities
effective. Several reasons were given for the importance
of this study. There is considerable correlation between
the results and the need for the study.

First of all, not all of the agriculture students
will be able to or will want to farm. To aid the students
to decide if they want to farm, several exploratory work
experiences are provided. Considerable occupational
information is obtained and various methods are used to
make this available to the students. Some of the exploratory
work experiences are; (l) The supervised farming program;
(2) Assisting students to work in related jobs; and
(3) Making initial contacts to assist the boy in getting a
job in a related occupation. These kinds of activities

seem to be very necessary for a teacher to do and will

81
contribute directly to helping solve the problem of what
the agriculture graduates will do.

Along with assisting students to have exploratory
work experiences are the practices used to obtain and to
provide vocational and educational information to the
students. Obtaining catalogs and bulletins from colleges,
trade, business, and technical schools appears to be
necessary. Having students secure information and materials
for class assignments and for class discussions are desirable
{cactices to use. Filing the various materials where
students can get them, putting information on bulletin
boards and assigning papers for students to write concerning
occupations aid the students to learn about the various
vocations they are interested in.

The responses teachers gave about students' occupa-
tional study and activities would indicate the students
were very interested in learning more about vocations.

It would appear that vocational agriculture teachers
do a lot of guidance work, however, they are not aware of
much specific information on how to do some of this work.

To learn what practices were the most effective
the teachers were asked to suggest additional practices, to
check the ones included in the list for their effectiveness
in using them, and to tell what the most essential practices

were for each activity.

82
II. CONCLUSIONS FOR EACH GUIDANCE ACTIVITY

A total of lu8 practices were studied for the six
guidance activities. Forty- wo of these practices were
added to the list by the various teachers contacted. The
number of practices for any one activity varied from 12 to
AB. A total of 102 practices were rated as being very
effective for the guidance activities varying from seven

to thirty.

Co-operate EH72 School §_§_a_f_f_ Ln. Conducting Career
Conference 23 Career gay. Results from this study would
indicate that vocational agriculture teachers consider
career days valuable but they have very little to do with
planning them. Their major responsibility seems to be that
of obtaining resource persons for the agriculture meetings.

Other information-obtained from this study is on the
organization of the conference. Inviting parents to attend
the conference appears to have considerable value. In
order to do this the conference needs to be held at night.

One of the recommended practices which the teachers
did not respond to very favorably was to hold small section
meetings. Yet, the teachers stated that they felt the
speakers invited to attend were usually outstanding and
that the students could attend two or three different

meetings. This would indicate that the practice was done

83
and that the teachers liked the results of it.

Meetings on how to get a job, interviewing, and how
to decide on a vocation were not held. These are considered
to be valuable additions to the conference.

The conference may have been limited in many cases
by having only junior and senior students attend rather
than the entire high school.

Evaluating the conference for future improvements
was not done very extensively and was rated only moderately
effective.

The suggested practices to carry out for this
activity are as follows:

1. Hold conference each year.

2. Have students participate in planning.

3. Give local publicity to conference.

A. Serve on planning committee.

5. Invite parents to conference.

6. Hold at night.

7. Have community service groups participate in

planning.

8. Help arrange for agricultural resource persons.

9. Hold conference on regional basis.

10. Hold conference during school hours.

11. Use printed conference programs.

81+
12. Hold for one-half day.
13. Have meetings held for 30-h5 minutes (sections).
1h. Hold entire day for juniors and seniors.
15. Hold Vo-Ag. career conference separately.
16. Serve as chairman of planning committee.
1?. Provide information about local employment.
opportunities.
18. Provide information about the qualifications and
requirements for entrance into various kinds of

occupations.

Conduct Eéglg'ggipg‘22_§32gy.Agricultural Occupations.
This appeared to be a very important and well done activity.
The teachers felt that they were very well satisfied with
the results. The students evidently gained a lot of
occupational information from the trips. Selecting all
of the possibilities to use for trips on a local basis
should be done first. The trips can then be lengthened
out as the conditions permit.

The next important practice to use is to discuss the
occupations to be observed in class prior to taking the
trip. At the same time an informal build-up to create
anticipation towards the trip should be done by the teacher.

Plans for what to observe and reports to make on the trip,

85
need to be included in this pre-trip discussion. An
additional point which appears to be desirable is to give
each student a copy of the preliminary plans.

A set of rules for students to follow, especially
on long trips, seems to be valuable providing the students
are included in their formulation. Discussions about the
trip and carrying out of plans developed prior to the
trip should be done following the trip. The trip should
usually be taken in conjunction with a unit of study.

The practice of working with a local person or
company for the trips taken is desirable for obtaining the
best results. The person contacted for the trip should
receive some note of appreciation for the trip. The common
procedure for doing this, among the teachers interviewed,
was very informal. Some consideration could be given to
using a more unique expression of thanks.

Several practices seem to be desirable for setting
up the trips. First of all, the actual planning was done
almost entirely by the teacher in the cases studied.
Students were only occasionally given this responsibility.
The teachers indicated that the student-arranged trips
were fairly successful but still they felt they would rather
arrange for the trips themselves. Most discussions on

taking field trips indicate that students should help to

86
arrange for them. Thus, the reason for this result of the
study is not too clear unless it is due to the teachers'
lack of time for planning.

Leaving a list of students' names with the principal
andthe teachers who have classes the students will miss
are points commonly regulated by school policy.

Setting up some alternate dates when the first
contact is made appears to be valuable especially for
out-of—community trips.

Whether the trips may be held during the class
period or for a long time is dependent on two points.

The distance of the destination and the school policy.

In the cases studied the teachers had considerable freedom
to take trips when and where they desired. It was also
possible for them to use a bus whenever desired.

The destinations of the trips seemed to vary. Some
of this variation was probably due to the different needs
of the community. For instance, one teacher took a trip to
a wholesale floral distribution warehouse in Chicago. In
his community growing flowers is a big business, however.
Some of the more important types of places to visit are
dairy plants, processing plants for fruits and vegetables,
elevators, and machinery plants.

Student or teacher reports on the trips taken were

not kept for future reference. Such reports may not be

87

necessary when a small number of trips are taken.

The suggested practices to carry out for this

activity are as follows:

1.
2.

3.

9.
10.
ll.
12.

13.

Study occupations prior to trip.

Study occupations following trip.

Express appreciation to the representative who
made trip possible.

Use bus for transportation.

Conduct local trip.

Teacher arrange trip.

Conduct out-of-community trip.

Develop atmosphere of anticipation in the class
prior to going.

Visit processing plants.

Hold during regular class period.

Visit elevator.

Make co-operative plans for special reports and
observations.

Leave list of students' names with principal.

Have a set of rules for students to follow.
Hold trip in connection with unit of study.

Visit machinery manufacturing plants.

Students interview employers.

88

18. Conduct in co-operation with a local person
or company.

19. Visit feed manufacturing plants.

20. Student arrange trip.

21. Take visits to companies once every four years.

22. Give a list of student to teachers prior to
going on all-day trip.

‘ 23. Take local trips first.

2h. Take trip to each type-of—farming area.

25. Use form for listing what to look for on field trips.

26. Visit dairy plant.

27. Visit hatchery.

28. Visit fruit storage.

29. Visit nursery.

30. Visit packing plant.

Assemble Infbrmation ngEducational Programs £25 i
Preparation.£2'§gtg£ Agricultural Occupations. Materials
obtained are divided into two sources on the basis of the type.
The first is to obtain catalogs and bulletins from colleges,
trade, business, and technical schools. Most of the catalogs
were from Michigan State University. College catalogs, trade,
business and technical bulletins could be obtained from

more varied sources for students not interested in the

89
courses provided by Michigan State University. The second
source is to have students bring in all of the information
which they can find. This information would be from various
types of magazines and trade journals.

The practice of helping the students get well
acquainted with a university to learn more about it than
is found in a catalog was done and is very desirable.

Reference books to use in locating additional
information were found in only one department. These would
seem to be a valuable addition to conducting this activity.

Several methods for filing information were used.
These methods provided for differences in the form and
shape of the materials and also a means for students to use
the information when they desired. Folders put in files,
bulletins filed in racks, and notebooks are methods of
keeping the materials. ’

One of the common procedures for getting students to
use and learn about information, as well as to obtain more,
was to assign a paper to write on an occupation.

The Suggested practices to carry out for this
activity are as follows:

1. Obtain catalogs and bulletins from colleges,

trade, business, and technical schools.

2.
3.

u.
5.
t.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

17.

9O

Obtain materials from private companies.

Obtain materials from Short Course Department,
Hichigan State University.

Obtain materials from school principal.

File bulletins in rack.

Obtain materials from school library.

Obtain materials from government sources.

Obtain materials from professional associations.

File materials in notebook.

File materials in folders.

Students obtain materials while on field trips.
Obtain visual aid type material.

Develop list of skills needed in each of the
agricultural occupations.

Students bring information to class.

Encourage students to maintain a career notebook.

Use the "Michigan Plan for Filing and Indexing
Occupational Information."

Obtain materials from trade journals.

Provide Information 22 Students for Prospective

Emplqyers.

This activity did not seem to be very commonly

practiced by the teachers. In only one case was any

systematic approach given to it. Some other teachers

indicated that this was an important activity to do. It

91
would appear that both time and knowledge were limiting
factors toward the increased use of this activity.

In the most successful instance the teacher main-
tained a continuing contact with most of the community
persons in a position to hire people. This teacher also
had a personal data sheet on each student which he could
show to the prospective employer. Being in the position of
knowing the jobs available, this teacher was able to make
full use of this practice. For most teachers to follow
this procedure would probably be too time consuming. Records
on the students placed should also be kept.

In most cases the only information given to
prospective employers was on an informal basis when a
request was made. One teacher stated that this does not
seem to be an adequate method for carrying out an activity
which is considered to be important.

Considerable help was given to students concerning
interviews. The teachers gave instruction on interviews
and also helped the students to get interviews with
prospective employers. These practices appear to be very
helpful in doing this activity.

One additional practice which should be done is
that of publicizing the fact that information is available

on students. It will then be up to the teacher to keep

this information up to date.

The suggested practices to carry out for this

activity are as follows:

1.

2.
3.

7.

Provide instruction to students about job
interviews.

Maintain record on all students placed.

Arrange for interviews between student and
prospective employer.

Maintain an up-to-date list of students including
achievements.

Visit employers regularly to maintain personal
contact.

Talk to employer about what student has done
(on request).

Give a student data sheet on students to

interested~employers.

Hold Conference with Parents ;E,Regard‘£g Students'

Occupational_and Educational Plans. The literature on

this activity states that parents need to be informed about

vocational agriculture more than can be done on a farm

visit. The most common practice for doing this activity

was to hold the conference during a farm visit. It would

appear that a longer farm visit would be needed and that

considerable time should be spent with the parents to use

_ 93
this practice effectively. The subject of these conferences
ties in with this activity in that the students' interests
and abilities, educational, and vocational plans are the
main items for discussion. The practice of discussing
Aparent-son-partnerships should also be included where there
is an opportunity for them to develop.

The other desirable setting for holding the confer-
ence is when one parent attends a school function. Quite
frequently this will be the father attending adult class
meetings. For parent conferences to be successful it would
pseem that a more formal approach should be observed for
some of the conferences.

The conferences with the parent seem to be of the
most value when a student is a freshman or a senior. The
reasons are, of course, to provide an orientation to the
agricultural_program, to determine tentative vocational
and educational goals, and as a senior to make final
vocational or educational plans.

One other practice, done only on a limited basis,
is to record the results of these conferences. Such
information is not easily remembered for a large number of
students and would avoid much repetition in future confer-
ences if done properly.

The suggested practices to carry out for this

91!,
activity are as follows:

1. Hold in connection with home farm visits.
2. Discuss students' interests and abilities.
3. Discuss educational plans.

u. Discuss vocational plans.

5. Hold after adult classes.

6. When on a large farm discuss partnerships.
7. Discuss FFA leadership activities.

8. Discuss college selection.

9. Parents go on field trips with students.
10. Hold conference during freshman year.
ll. Discuss with parent more interested.
12. Father at school.
13. Obtain additional student personal data.

lh. Record information from conference.

assist 22333 ESE.EE;E§ Placed and to Advance in
Farming. To properly carry out this activity several
practices seem to be applicable. First of all is to assist
the student in setting up an arrangement on his home farm
where such a plan is possible. The primary arrangement
considered should be a partnership. Long-term farm plans

should be made if this procedure is followed. A renting

agreement may be established with some other farmer or a

student may be assisted in simply working for another
farmer. In limited situations a student may be assisted to
select a farm to purchase or obtain a job as farm manager.
To help boys advance from a start like this encouragement
can be given to attend an agricultural Short Course.
Further assistance may be given the individual who has his
own farm with farm and home planning.

If farm placement can not take place then it
becomes important to provide exploratory work experiences
for the student. It would be hoped that through one of
these experiences a start would be made in some suitable
vocation. Experiences in these related type of jobs can
be arranged in several ways. The teacher can make contacts
with prospective employers. Interviews can then be scheduled
to get the employer and student together. A list of job
opportunities can be maintained for the students to follow
up by themselves. Another means for securing information,
about available jobs, is to utilize the local chamber of
commerce.

The practice of holding vocational classes for
out-of—school farmers was considered very effective by two
teachers but only when organized for a specific purpose.

It was found that most of the jobs, both on farms

and in related occupations, were located on an informal

96

basis and not from a systematic plan.

The suggested practices to carry out for this

activity are as follows:

1.

2.

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
ll.
12.

13.
1h.
15.

Assist students in setting up partnership
agreements.

Provide exploratory work experiences.

Assist boy to get job in related occupations

by making initial contact.

Provide a list of opportunities for placement to
the students.

Provide evening vocational classes to out-of—school
farmers.

Help to get established on home farm.

Assist to enroll in short course.

Assist in planning long-term farm plans.

Do mostly on an individual basis.

Assist farmers in farm and home planning.

Assist boys to get job on farm.

Secure employment information from local chamber
of commerce.

Assist to buy a farm.

Maintain list of farms for sale.

Assist student to get job as farm manager.

97
III. 133 vESTIONS FOR P areas STUDY

The main activities which seem to need study are
the parent conference, and giving the student information
to prospective employers. Tiere seems to be a lack of
information in the literature on these activities and the
results of this study are not complete. By using the
effective practices as determined in this study as a start
further research could be done on thebe two activities.

More information on systematic scheduling of parent
conferences and on how to establish a good relationship
with the parents for discussing the students' plans would
be helpful.

For the activity of giving student information to
prospective employers a study conducted among the employers
as to what information should be made available to them
would seem like a worthwhile study.

The activity concerning career conferences does not
involve vocational agriculture teachers enough to carry on
further studies about the subject.

A large amount of information is available on field
’trips. The najor factor of concern for vocational agricult-
ural teachers would appear to be where to take the trips.

The present study has included several of these trips which

98

have been taken.

Assembling information on educational programs for
preparation to enter agricultural occupations seems to be
a problem of where and what kind of information to obtain.
Vocational agriculture teachers seem to have a rather narrow
selection of these and additional resource books on where to
secure the information would seem the most necessary items.

The activity of placement and advancement in farming
could be studied further due primarily to its importance.
How to set up a systematic program. for this would seem to

be the first item of importance.

BI BLI OGRAPHY

A. BOOKS

Baer, Max F., and Edward C. Roeber. Occ one tional Information:
Its Nature and Use. Chicago: Science Nesearch
AssoCiation,gl956.

 

 

 

 

Byram, Harold L. W.idance ’. Agrion.ltn.ral Lduc ation.
Danville, lllinois: The Interstate Printers and

ublishers, 1959.

Forrester, GertrI.de. 1ethods of Vocations 1 Guidance. Boston:
D. C. Heath and Company, -1991.

Forrester, Gertrude. Occunational Litera.t u.re: An Annotated
Lihllornanhy. New MI“: a. W. Nils on CompanJ,—l9,4.

 

Hahn, hilton E., and S. Naclean. General Clinical Counseling.
Lew York: NcGraw—Hill Book Co., 1950. ., .

Hutson, Percival N. The Guidance Function in Education.
New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, I c., 1953.

Jones, Arthur J. Principle es of Gui dance and Pupil Personnel
.fork. New Yor1:: Lcuraw- -Hill hook Co., Inc., 1991.

 

Myers, George E. Principles and Techniques of Vocational
Guidance. New York: thraw-hill Book Co., Inc., 1941.

 

 

 

Phipps, Lloyd, and Glen C. Cook. Te eaching Vocational
Agriculture. Dansville, Illinois: Interstate Iublishing

 

and Printing Co., 1957.

Practical Handbook for Counselors. Chicago: Science Research
Associates, 1945.

 

Sanderson, Herbert. Basic Conceots in Vocational Guidance.
New York: hob raw-1 dIll Book Co., Inc., 195k.

Shartle, Carroll, Occupational Information: Its Development
and Application. Second edition. New YOrL: Prentice-
hall, 1952.

Smith, Glenn E. Principles and Practices about the Guidance
Program. Ilew Iork: The Nachillan Co., 1953.

Strang, Ruth. Couns elin n9 Te chnioues in Co lleee and Seconder E
Schools. New York : harper and Brothers, 19T9.

101

Willey, Roy DeVerI, and Dean C. Andrew. Nodern Methods and
Techniques in Guidance. New York: harper and Brothers,
1955}

Lavine, Irvin, College Placement Directory. Dover, New
Hampshire: Industrial Nesearch Service, 1953.

B . BU LLETINS

Byram, Harold P. Selection and Use of Occupational
Information Materials iirkfiricu ture. Department of
Vocational Education, School of Education, Michigan
State College, East Lansing, Mich.: Nichigan State
College Press, 1955.

 

 

Deane, Donald C. The Needs of YOuth. Contributions to
Education No. 848, TeaEHers College, Columbia University
New York: Bureau of Publications, 1942.

Education and Economic‘Well-Bein. in American Democracy.
Educational Policies Commission, Washington, D. 0.:
National Education Association, 19h0.

Educational Objectives i2;Vocational Agriculture. U.S.
Office of Education, Vocational Division Monograph J
No. 21. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1955.

Greenleaf, Walter J. Occupations -‘A Basic Course for
Counselors. U. S. Office of Education, Bulletin No. 247.
Wa3hington: Government Printing Office, 1951.

Hunsicker, H. N. Planning gag Conductingwg Protram of
Instruction in Vocational Agriculture for Young Farmers.
U.S. Office BT'Education, Vocational DiVision
Bulletin No. 262, Agricultural Series No. 67.
Washington: Government Printing Office, 1956.

Johnson, E. J., and v. N. Elam. Cuidinr Hich School Students
+-‘ F - °fifiW.T—T‘~
of Vocational agriculture In DevelopINg rarmina Iroarams.
078. Office of Education, Vocational DIVISIon Bulletin
No. 254, Agricultural Series no. 65. Washington:
Government Printing Office, 195a.

 

Kinimum Essentials of the Individual Inventorg in Guidance.
U.S. Office of—Education, Vocational DivisiEn Bulletin
No. 202. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1939.

102

Nelson, henneth G. Guidance handbook for Nichiaan Teachers
of Vocational Agriculture. Last Lansing, nlCh.:
hichigan State College Press, 1950.

Occupational Information and Guidance Bibliography. U. S.
Office of Education, Vocational DiVision bulletin
No. 218. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1951.

Stone, Irving R. How We Conducted a Career Conference.
.. F v“ r' , ‘ . fir"— ,-‘
Washington: n'nai-P'ritn.Vocational Service oureau,

l9ul.

 

St00ps, Emery. Suggestions for Career Da‘. Office of the
County Supt. of Schools. Los Angeles: Los Angeles
County Schools, 19M7.

U. S. Bureau of the Census. 9, §, Census ggiPopulation.
Vol. 2, Characteristics of the Population: Part I,
'United States Summary, Washington: Government Printing
Office, 1953.

Vocational Agriculture in Michivan. Office of Vocational
Education, Lansing, hicE.: Dept. of Public Instruction

1955.
c. PERIODICALS

Ahalt, Arthur M. "How Young Farmers Become Established,"
The Agricultural Lducation Eagazine, Vol. 30 No. 10
(April, 1958:. pp. 220-1.

Bently, Ralph,and Paul Hemp "Factors Influencing Agriculture
College Students to Choose Agriculture as a Career,"

The A ricultural Education Magazine, Vol. 30 No. 10
(April, l§585, p. 222:

Byram, Harold M., and Kenneth G. Nelson, "Guidance and
Placement in Agricultural Education," 223 Agricultural
Education Hagazine, Vol. 2h No. 2 (August,l952),
ppow3345} E3.

DeGraff, Herrell, "Who is the Farm.Worker?," Countx Aeent-
Vo-A . Teacher Magazine, Vol. 13 No. 9.(Sept., I557},
p. O.

 

103

Dunsmoor, Clarence C. "Row to Organize and Conduct Career
Conferences," Occupations, The Vocational Guidance

IVZaE»:iaZine, V01. XVIII N00 L‘- (38003 T93(j)v, pp. 163-6.

Gallant, James F. "Guidance Includes Work Experience,"
The Agricultura; Education Magazine, Vol. 28 No. 10
TApril, 1956), P. 222.

Kleiner, Julius, "Some Techniques for Better Placement,"
Personnel and Guidance Journal, Vol. XXXIII No. l

Téépt.: T9357: Pp-‘BH-S-

Orr, Donald M. "Influence of a Decreasing Farm Population
on Rural Schools," The A ricultural Education Magazine,
Vol. 30 No. 10 (April, 9 , pp. 3546.

Ritchie, Austin E. "Guidance and Orientation in Agricultural
Education," The Agricultural Education Magazine,
Vol. 30 No. 15 (April, 1955}, pp. 22E-7.

Shosteck, Robert "How well are We Putting Across Occupational
Information?," Personnel and Guidance Magazine,
Vol. XXXIII No. SPTJanuary, 1935). p. 265.

Sutherland, S. S. "Let's Quit Kidding Ourselves," The
Ericultural Education Magazine, Vol. 28 No. I5
Apr ’ (75 )9 P. 2190

 

D. UNPUBLISHED I-IATERIALS

Beard, Ward Powers. "Occupational Distribution of Former
Students in Vocational Agriculture in South Dakota."
Independent Study, State Department of Public
Instruction, Pierre, South Dakota, 1932.

Buie, Tollie R. "Critical Factors Involved in the Evaluation
and Use of Occupational Information in Agriculture in
the North-Central Region." Thesis Ed. D., Michigan
State College, East Lansing, Michigan, 1953.

Byram, Harold M. "Preliminary Report on Study of Guidance
Activities of the Teachers of Vocational Agriculture."
Unpublished Study, Michigan State University, East
Lansing, Mich., 1958.

Kennedy, h. henry. "A Clarificat'on of Relationships
Between Farming and Car ain Other Agricultural Occupations
with Implications for Guidance and Curriculum Development."
Thesis Ed. D., Michigan State University, East Lansing,
Hichigan, 1958.

APPENDIX

Interview Schedule
And Original List

Of Guidance Practices

GUIDANCE ACTIVITY

COOPERATE WITH SCFVOZ STAFF IN CONDUCTING

 

CAREER CONFERENCE OR CAREER

 

my

 

PRACTICES FOR ORCAKIZING OR

PRACTICES

ADMINISTERING THE ACTIVITY.

1.
2.

—3.

a.

Hold conference eacngyear.
Hold conference during scEBBI
hours.

hold conference on regional
basis.

Have students participate in
Aplanning.

Si Use_printed conferencegprogram.

6}

Give locaI publicity to
conference.

Z;_Hold for one-half day.

8.
9.

IO.

11.
123

13}

Hold small section meetings on
several occupations.

Use attendance bIanks for stu-
dents to fill out for purposes
offlplanning_small groups.

have community service groups
participate in_planning.
Invite parents to conference.
Have evaIuation form filIed
out by students and faculty.
hold Vo-Ag career conference
separately;

PRACTICES FOR CARRYING OUT OR
CONDUCTING TEE ACTIVITY

In.
15.

16.

IT.
18.

19.

if

Serve on planninggcommittee.

This practice has been

 

V.E..

Serve as chairman of planning

committee.

Help arrange for resource
persons.
Bblp,prepareiexhibits.
Provide information about
employment trends.

Provide infbrmation about’
local employment opportunitkm,

=M.E.

. V.I.

.N.D.*

 

GUIDANCE ACTIVITY

COOPERATE WITH SCHOOL STAFF IN CONDUCTING

CAREER CONFERENCE QR|CAREEB_DAY

 

PRACTICES

20. Provide information about
the qualifications and re-
quirements for entrance into
various kinds of occupations.

*V.E.
E'IOE.
V.I.
NOD a

Very Effective
Moderately Effective
Very Ineffective

Not Done

This practice has been

 

V.E. bioE. V.I. NoDo'X‘

GUIDANCE ACTIVITY

CONDUCT FIELD TRIPS TQySTUDY’AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS

 

PRACTICES . This practice has been

 

V.E. M.E. V.I. N.D.%

 

PRACTICES FOR ORGANIZING OR
ADMINISTERING THE ACTIVITY.
1. Conduct local trip.
2. Conduct out-of-community trip.
33 USewbus for transportation.
:L, Use cars for transportation.
_5. Visit servICe type company.
6. Visitpprocessing_plants.
_13 Visit sales organizations.
U.*Visit feedfimanufacturing
plants.
9. ViSIt fertilIZer manufactur-
ingpplants.
IU. Visit machinery manufactur-
ingpplants.
. Student arranged trip.
I214Teacher arranged trip.
IE} Conduct in cooperation with
a local person or company.
IE. HEId during reguIar class

 

 

period.

I5} Use extraItime during school
hours.

I6. Take trip outside of school
hours.

 

fiACTICss FOR CARRYII‘JG OUT OR
CONDUCTING ACTIVITY.
17. Study occupations prior to

 

trip.
18. Study occupations followIfig

 

19. Students InterVIew employers.

20. StudEnts operate—business for
one day.

21. Develop atmosphere of anti-
cipation in the class prior
to going.

GUIDANCE ACTIVITY

CONDUCT FIELD TRIPS‘TQ STUDY AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS

 

 

 

PRACTICES This practice has been

 

V.E. 140E. V.I. N’QDO'X'

22. Make cooperative plans for
special reports and observa-
tiODSO

23. Express appreciation to tfie
representatives who make
trip possible.

2h. Show representatIves who aid
in arrangements the class
report on its discoveries.

25. Make and file a student re-
port of the success of trip
for future classes.

*V.E. Very Effective

H.E. Moderately Effective
V.I. Very Ineffective
N.D. Not Done

GUIDANCY ACTIVITY

ASSEMBLE INFORMATION QN_EDUCATICNAL PRCGR LS FOR

PREPARATION TO ENTER AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS

 

l.
2.

3.

PRACTICES This practice has been

 

V.E. IAJE. V.I.
Obtain materiaIs from
private companies.
Obtain materials from sChool
library.
Obtain materIaIs from school
principgl.

N 0D 0*

 

t.
'2’.
6.
7.

9:
10.

II.

12.

Obtain mateFiaIs from govern-
ment sources.

Obtain materials from pro-
fessional associations.
OLtaIn visuaIfEId type
material.

CbtaIn catEIogs and bulIetins
from colleges, trade, busi- ,
ness‘1 and technical schools.
have pupils list one or two
institutions they would be
interested in attendipg.

Use a college evaIuation form
for selectingpmaterials.
Develop list of skills need:—
ed in each of the Agricul-
tural occupations.

make tape recordings of
interviews discussing de-
sired information.

Use advisory counciI to
develop list of sources.

13. Encourage students to main-

lu.

*V.E. Very'Effective

tain a career notebook.

Use the "EIEhigan Plan for
Filing and Indexing Occupa-
tional Information."

V.I. Very Ineffective

M.B. Moderately Effective N.D. Not Done

GUIDANCE ACTIVITY

PROVIDE INFOREATION QN_STUDENTS FOR PROSPECTIVE ENPLOYERS

 

 

PRACTICES

1. Maintain an up-to—date lIst
of students including
achievements, education,
and work experience.

2} Visit employers reguIarIy to
maintain personal contact.

3. Publicize the fact that in-
formation is available using
newspapers.

Ih. PuUIicize the fact that in-
formation is available to
employers.

5. Give a transcript of credits
to interested employers.

6. Give a student data sheet on
students to interested
employers.

7. Present radio programs co -
cerning students seeking
employment.

8. Arrange for intervIew§IBetwax1
student and prospective
employpr.

a; Maintain recordion all stu-
dents_place.

10. Provide instructIen to stu-
dents about jpb interviews.

*V .E .
N.E.
V.I.
N.D.

VERY’EFFECTIVE
MODERATELY’EFFECTIVE
VERY INEFFECTIVE

NOT DONE

This practice has been

 

V.E.

TLE.

V.I.

N .D_._*

GUIDANCE ACTIVITY

HOLD CONFERENCE WITH PARENTS LN REGARD TO STUDENT'S
OCCUPATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PLANS

 

PRACTICES

This practice has been

 

V.E. M.E.

 

'P":’€'A"CT' ICES FOR ORGANIZING OR
ADMINISTERING ACTIVITY.

1. Acid conference during
freshman year.

2} hold in connectibn with Home

Farm Visit.

H5161 each year.

. hold during senior year.

wS. HBId—conference after Parent-
Son function.

_§: Require of all students.

PRACTICES FOR CARRYING OUT OR

CONDUCTING THE ACTIVITY.

7: Explain collected data and
test results concerning
student.

8} Discuss students'interests and:
abilities.

9. Discuss educational plans.

10. Dischss vocatibnalgpians.

II. Discuss‘howwto improve study,‘
habits.

12. Discuss FFAIIeadersRip
activities.

I3. Discuss orientation of stu-
dent. ;_p

IuppDIECuss coIIege SEIedtion.

IS. Obtain additionEI studefit

Pm

V.I.

N.D.*

 

ersonal data.
I5. Record information from
conference.

*V.E. VERY EFFECTIVE

M43. MODERATELY EFFECTIVE
V.I. VERY INEFFECTIVE
N.D. NOT DONE

GUIDANCE ACTIVITY

ASSIST YOUNG HEN TO BE PLACED AND TO ADVANCE IN PARKING

 

3.
1;.

Do

6.

70
80

9.
10.
ll.

12}

13.

PRACTICES

Provide a—li_st o opportuni-
ties for placement to the
students.

ProVide evening vocationaI
classes to outéof-school
farmers.

Provide epreratory work
experiences.

Maintain list of farms for
sale.

Assist student in setting up
partnership agreements.
Assist student to get job as
farm manager. '

Assist student to rent farm.
Assist in planning long-term
farmgplan.

Secure employment information
from Director of Extension.
Secure employment information
from Chamber of Commerce.
Secure employment information
from local branch of unem-
ployment office.

Have students, who want to
farm, present radio programs
on problems.

Assist farmers in farm and
home_planning.

*V.E. VERY EFFECTIVE
M.E. NODERATELY EFFECTIVE
V.I. VERY INEFFECTIVE

This practice has been

 

V.E.

M.E.

V.I.

N.D.*

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERS TY

l
3 12 03185 0

93

"WWW!“
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