MEDIA COMPETENCIES NEEDED BY COUNTY 4-H EXTENSION AGENTS AS PERCEIVED BY 4-H AGENTS AND STATE 4-H PROGRAM LEADERS (FOUR-H).

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to compare perceptions of county 4-H agents with the perceptions of state 4-H program leaders regarding media competencies needed by 4-H agents. Additional purposes were to identify when the competencies should be learned, and to determine possible relationships between the perceptions of media competencies and selected demographic and experiential factors of the respondents. A closed-form questionnaire was developed and distributed to state 4-H program leaders, and to 4-H agents attending the 1983 Annual Meeting of the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents. Means were obtained and reported for the perceptions of the importance of each competency. Correlations between perceptions and demographic variables were calculated using stepwise multiple regression analysis. Modes and percentages were used to analyze when each competency should be learned. In general, there were very few statistically significant differences between the two sample populations. Twelve competencies received overall mean scores of over 4.0 (high importance). Three competencies received mean scores of less than 2.0 (low or no importance). Statistically significant relationships were demonstrated between some of the competencies and selected factors of sex, age, title, tenure, and educational level of the respondents, as well as type of county served by the respondents. When determining when the selected media competencies should be learned, the majority of the respondents felt that all but four of the competencies should be learned on the job, and those four competencies should be learned before the agent begins to work. None of the competencies received a majority of the respondents indicating the competency should be learned through a graduate program. Recommendations are given for training using the media competencies, as well as for further study.