Motivational Needs of Students Enrolled in Agricultural Education Programs in Georgia.

The purpose of this study was to examine the motivational needs ojstudents enrolled in agricultural education classes in Georgia. The study was based on McClellands motivational needs theory. The data determined that agricultural students were motivated by the needjor achievement and that FFA members had a greater need for achievement, affiliation, and power than non FFA members. The study also determined that female agricultural education students had a higher need for affiliation and power than male students, and that African-American students had a higher need for achievement and power. Freshmen had a lower needforpower than students in the upper grades. Caucasians students had a higher need for affiliation: students living on a farm and in a rural setting had a higher need for power than students living in an urban setting. Some educators consider Agricultural education at the high school level to be successful at motivating students to learn. The FFA program has been an integral component of the program aimed at motivating students to learn a variety of different skills at all levels of learning (Phipps and Osborne, 1988). Dormody and Seevers (1994) suggested that students should be encouraged to join the FFA and participate in leadership activities regardless of self-esteem, years in the FFA, age, ethnicity, or place of residence. Cheek, Arrington, Carter, and Randell (1994) recommended that teachers should encourage students to join the FFA. They further wrote that educators should devise strategies to encourage students to actively participate in the FFA and the Supervised Agricultural Experience Program (SAEP). A major problem in Georgia is that the number of students enrolled in FFA is substantially lower than the number enrolled in agricultural education. This study was unique in that there had not been a study conducted on the subject of motivation and agricultural education students in the state of Georgia. Over the years, a number of national studies have addressed the issue. However, recent national studies concerned with motivation centered around factors educators believed to motivate students but not with the motivational needs as perceived by students (Connors, Moore & Elliot, 1990; Dormody & Seevers, 1994; Hoover & Scanlon, 1991a; Luft & Giese, 1991; Marshal, Herring & Briers, 1992; Talbert & Larke, 1993). Theoretical Framework The motivational theory developed by McClelland (1987) was selected for the theoretical foundation of the study. McClellands theory described three different types of motivational needs: the need for achievement (nAch), the need for affiliation (nAff), and the need for power (nPower). His theory suggests intrinsic motivators as being critical to meeting the needs of students because they describe a pattern of how a person may behave. He proposed that people have either Journal of Agricultural Education 30 Vol. 38, No. 4, 1997 one or a combination of three needs which motivate them toward a certain pattern of behavior. McClelland (1962) described the person with a high need for achievement as one who likes situations in which he/she takes personal responsibility for finding solutions to problems. They set moderate achievement goals and take calculated risks. People with a high need for achievement like to make things better. This is indicated by a willingness to compete with a standard of excellence as a guideline to evaluate personal performance. McClelland and Steele (1973) also wrote that they want concrete feedback on how well they are doing. A student with a high need for achievement does not like work that is too easy or too hard (McClelland, 1987). If a task is too easy, then there is no “real” improvement. If the task is too hard, then by not completing the task, no improvement was accomplished either provide concrete feedback to students with a high need for achievement. A person with a high need for affiliation tends to think often about the quality of his/her relationships (McClelland, 1987). This person will cherish the positive experiences while worrying about any shortcomings in a relationship. A person with a high need for affiliation will seek the companionship of others and take steps to be liked by them, as well as wanting to project a favorable, image. This person will tend to be the peacemaker by smoothing out disagreements and often chooses to work and make decisions in a group. The characteristics of a person with a high need for power are control and influence (McClelland, 1987). This person will spend more time thinking about how to obtain and exercise power and authority. A person with a high need for power needs to win arguments, persuade others, to prevail, and to obtain positions where they can exert inf luence (McClel land & Steele, 1973). McClelland (1987) suggested that there are two faces of power. The first face has a negative connotation, one that is concerned with having one’s way by controlling and dominating others. The other face of power is called “social” or “institutional. ” It reflects the process of leadership that uses persuasion and inspiration to help people achieve, to be happy, and to learn. This type of person is one who helps people form and attain goals while not dominating them. If the motivators can be identified, then behavior may be predicted. By exploring these motivational needs; educators can determine what motivates their students to enroll and participate in agricultural education classes and the FFA. An important part of participating in an activity for any student is that the student is responsible for choosing the activity in which he/she would like to participate in activities such as those provided through FFA (Carter & Nelson, 1984). There may be a variety of factors that motivate young people to affiliate with a group such as agricultural education and the FFA. In order to begin to comprehend these reasons, agricultural educators need to understand the motivational need structure of their students. The information from this study should aid educators in recruiting students and in developing programs that will help retain students. Objectives of the Study The overall objective of the study was to examine motivational needs of students who enroll in agricultural education classes. The research questions for this study were: 1. What are the motivational needs of students enrolled in secondary agricultural education programs in Georgia? Journal of Agricultural Education 31 VoI. 38, No. 4, 1997 2. Are there differences in the need for achievement, need for affiliation, and/or the need for power among students enrolled in agricultural education programs in Georgia based on membership/non-membership in the FFA? 3. Are there differences in the need for achievement, need for affiliation, and the need for power of students enrolled in agricultural education programs in Georgia when grouped by: gender; geographic location; ethnic background; and scholastic standings?