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The purpose of this study was to assess Extension educators' perceptions of the benefit and relevance of an international Extension experience (IEE) toward their career. It was concluded that almost two-thirds of Extension educators perceive that participation in an IEE is beneficial and relevant to their careers. Further, Extension educators perceive the following barriers to participation in an IEE: a) cost, (b) time commitment, and (c) work obligation. Extension educators who perceive participation in an IEE as beneficial and relevant to their career perceive the locations rated for an IEE to be more appealing and the activities they experience during an IEE to be more important than Extension educators who do not perceive an IEE as beneficial or relevant to their career. However, no differences exist in Extension agents perceptions of barriers between educators who perceive participation in an IEE as beneficial and relevant to their career and those who do not perceive that an IEE as beneficial and relevant. As a result of these findings, it can be recommended that Extension administrators should put forth an effort to promote and create opportunities for Extension educators to participate in an IEE.

The purpose of this descriptive-correlational study was to determine the use of technology in youth programming by Extension youth development educators in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Data were collected via e-mail and a SurveyMonkey© questionnaire. Extension educators are using some technology in youth development programming. More than three-fourths of Extension youth educators are using Facebook; however, less than one fourth of Extension youth educators are using Twitter which contradicts previous research. Having technology available for use explains a medium amount of the technology use among Extension youth educators; however, perceived barriers, anxiety, age, gender, years of experience, and sources of technology training do not explain Extension youth educators technology use in their programming. Extension youth educators fit the description of digital immigrants who assume that today's learners acquire knowledge the same way they learned when they were in school.

As societies across the globe are becoming interdependent, it is becoming increasingly essential for secondary agricultural educators to integrate an international component into the agricultural curriculum. The purpose of this study was to evaluate secondary agricultural educators' perceptions of participating in an international experience (IE) toward their teaching career. This study showed that more than three-fourths of secondary agricultural educators perceived participation in an IE to be beneficial to their careers, and nearly three-fourths perceived participation to be relevant to their careers. It is concluded that secondary agricultural educators perceive minor barriers to participation in an IE. In addition, secondary agricultural educators who perceive participation in an IE to be beneficial and relevant to their careers also perceive locations to be more appealing and activities to be more important than those who do not. Further, secondary agricultural educators who perceive participation in an IE to be relevant to their career perceived fewer barriers to participation in an IE. However, there were no statistically significant differences between perceived barriers of secondary agricultural educators who perceive participation in an IE to be beneficial to their career and those who do not perceive participation to be beneficial to their career.

This study was designed to determine agriscience teachers' adoption of technology for use in instruction and to determine if their technology adoption and perceived barriers to technology adoption had changed since the 2002 benchmark study. This study was part of a larger study of technology adoption by secondary career and technical education teachers. Data were collected with a mailed questionnaire with telephone follow-up to a random sample of secondary agriscience teachers in Louisiana. Teachers have increased their technology adoption for use in instruction over the past 5 years, although they still do not have access to the technology they need to use technology fully in their instruction. They continue to perceive that moderate barriers exist that prevent them from integrating technology into their teaching, with no change over the past 5 years. Agriscience teachers were experiencing some technology. Teachers continue to use traditional sources for their technology training. The availability of technology and gender are strong predictors of the extent to which agriscience teachers had adopted technology in their teaching. (Contains 7 tables.)

This study determined whether enrollment in agriscience education was related to high school students' science achievement. The results of the mandatory high school graduate exit exams were used to measure science achievement. All test scores from non-special education students were utilized for the study. The comparison of the science achievement of agriscience education students to that of non-agriscience education students revealed that there were significant differences in scores on the science test and the subtests. The effect size for each of these areas was either small or of negligible practical significance. Regression analyses were used to determine if enrollment in agriscience education explained variance in the science scores, after controlling for variance attributed to age, grade level, gender, ethnicity, 504 status, and socioeconomic status. Significant models with moderate or large effect sizes existed that explained a portion of variance in scores on the science tests and subtests. However, after controlling for the six variables listed above, the contribution of enrollment in agriscience education to the science test and subtest scores was negligible. This result is positive evidence for the value of agriscience education since agriscience education students acquire knowledge, skills, and experiences substantially beyond the academic content in the courses. (Contains 5 tables.)

Research could not be found that addressed how technology teachers are integrating technology in their instruction. However, several studies have been conducted in other areas of career and technical education. Abbot and Fouts (2001) found that over half of the teachers they studied did not routinely use technology in teaching and learning. The lack of technology use in teaching and learning may be related to the adoption of innovations. Fullan indicated that teachers need time to merge their improved knowledge into their instructional practice as a basis for the acceptance of innovations. This study addressed technology education teachers' use of technology in their instruction. The results should contribute to efforts to enable the instructional use of technology to achieve its maximum possible impact. (Contains 8 tables.)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the developmental experiences of high-school-aged 4-H youth volunteering as counselors at Louisiana 4-H summer camps. A total of 288 counselors from 10 different camping sessions participated in the study. The Youth Experiences Survey 2.0 and the Developmental Experience Survey measured the personal characteristics and developmental experiences of 4-H camp counselors. The results showed that Louisiana 4-H summer camp counselors are active 4-H club participants. Counselors indicated that the highest level of experiences occurred in the areas of Teamwork and Social Skills, Positive Relationships, and Initiative Experiences. Black counselors had higher-level experiences in all aspects of the camping experience. Participation in perceived 4-H leadership and life skill activities had a positive association with Positive Relationships. Multiple regression analyses showed that gender explained a small amount of the variance; females had higher-level experiences in Positive Relationship and Teamwork and Social Skills and males had higher-level experiences in Negative Experiences. The results of this study show that serving as a 4-H camp counselor leads to significant positive experiences. These experiences may enhance counselors' ability to develop positive leadership and life skills that should be valuable tools in their future. (Contains 3 tables.)

This study compared perceptions of personal and leadership life skills development of high school 4-H leadership activity participants by whether they participated in the 4-H Junior Leader Club (JLC) and/or the CHARACTER COUNTS! (CC) peer teaching program. The target population was all high school students who participated in either the CC or JLC program when both programs were available. Participants were typically 15 years old, female, white, lived in towns with a population under 10,000 and received mostly A's and B's in high school. Participants perceive they have high life skills in all areas measured by the Leadership and Personal Development Inventory (LPDI). No difference exists in perceived personal and leadership life skills development among students who participated in the CC or JLC programs, or in both. Relationships do exist between personal and leadership life skills development constructs and certain personal characteristics of the students who participated in selected 4-H leadership development activities. Future research should consider using the researcher's reconfigured scales from the LPDI to study 4-H participants involved in more structured 4-H experiences. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)

Responses from 56 of 107 Louisiana secondary marketing teachers indicated that, according to the Technology Integration Model, most were active in exploring technology uses in education and adapting it for instruction, moderate at the advanced integration level, and not active in experimentation. They identified minor barriers to technology integration and displayed no anxiety. (Contains 38 references.) (SK)

This study addressed utilization of technology in instruction by secondary career and technical education (CTE) teachers in seven program areas in Louisiana. A stratified random sample was utilized, with 539 teachers responding to the survey after three data collection efforts. The data were determined to be representative of all CTE teachers in the state. Most CTE teachers used self-taught approaches, workshops, conferences, and colleagues as technology training sources. CTE teachers had substantially adopted technology for use in instruction, but were not making the maximum use of technology. Teachers were experiencing minor barriers and some anxiety as they worked to incorporate technology in their instruction. As technology anxiety and perceived barriers to integrating technology in the instruction increased, technology adoption decreased. Also, technology adoption increased as technology availability increased. Business and marketing teachers adopted technology more than other CTE teachers. Technology training sources, technology available, technology adoption, technology anxiety, and barriers to technology integration were compared by CTE program area.

This study determined Louisiana secondary business teachers' adoption of technology for use in instruction. Teachers have increased their technology adoption for use in instruction over the past five years, although they still do not have access to the technology they need to utilize technology fully. Moderate barriers exist that prevent them from integrating technology into their teaching although the technology integration barriers have decreased over the past five years. Teachers are experiencing some technology anxiety, which appears to be a decline since 2002. Technology availability, barriers to technology integration, and years teaching experience are strong predictors of their adoption of technology in instruction. (Contains 4 tables.)

This study addressed the factors that explain the integration of technology into the teaching-learning process in Louisiana's secondary business education programs. Four variables explain some of the variance in teachers' integration of technology in instruction. These variables are perceived teaching effectiveness, perceived barriers to integrating technology, students having e-mail accounts, and the availability of selected technology. Business teachers are experiencing a moderate level of technology anxiety and have adopted technology in their instruction, but have not integrated technology at the highest level.

Survey responses from 619 of 1,126 secondary vocational teachers in Louisiana indicated that most recognized the value of information technology but rate their knowledge and skills to use it in instruction as average to below average. Many have limited Internet access. Many use self-directed methods to learn about technology. (Contains 50 references.) (SK)

Responses from 131 of 243 Louisiana secondary agriscience teachers showed they value information technology but have inadequate knowledge and skills, especially in newer technologies. Available university training is either not used or inadequate. More are using self-directed learning methods. Most do not have access to multimedia and other advanced technologies. (SK)

A majority of 166 secondary Louisiana business teachers surveyed felt their skills were inadequate in productivity software and information technology. They rely on self-directed learning and literature for professional development. Inservice training did not seem to improve their skills. (SK)

A study was conducted to determine the technical agriculture knowledge level attained by Vocational Agriculture II students on a criterion-referenced test developed from Louisiana's Vocational Agriculture II basic curriculum; and determine if students' scores on the test differed according to selected variables: Future Farmers of America membership, supervised farm practice, economically disadvantaged status, special needs status, and student's race. (CT)

The study determined influences on the career decisions of vocational agriculture students and their vocational and nonvocational peers. Data were collected from all seniors in Louisiana public high schools. Parents were the top influence among all types of students; vocational agriculture teachers were a major influence to their students. (CH)

The author surveyed Louisiana vocational agriculture teachers to determine why some have students apply for Future Farmers of America (FFA) proficiency awards regularly while most never do. Teachers favor awards because they develop skills, motivate students, improve self-concept, and result in favorable local publicity. (CH)

A study examined the career decision-making patterns of 3,858 high school students in Louisiana. The study also addressed the relationship between participation in vocational education and influence on student career decisions. Parents, particularly mothers, were most influential. Vocational teachers had more influence than counselors. (JOW)

The article offers an assessment on the adoption of technology by secondary technology education teachers for educational application. It says that the study covers the teachers in Louisiana, in which the extent where they have adopted technology, the preventive barriers, and the level of anxiety they have experienced when using it were evaluated. It also suggests efforts which would encourage and support teachers in maximizing technology in education.

During a recent legislative impact audit of the Louisiana 4-H program, it was noted that there was very little data to document the impact 4-H programming has on the state's youth. Because of the nature of 4-H, informal or authentic assessments have been the cornerstones of evaluation, but innovative strategies were needed to strengthen the program's evaluation efforts. One area of concern was the life skill development of youth participants. Therefore, this study focused on the life skill development of 4-H Club/Group officers. The results show that 4-H Club/Groups Officers' life skills improved as a result of the training. This improvement was noted in most of the officers' life skills examined in the study. Previous service as a 4-H officer resulted in increased life skills for presidents, vice-presidents, and secretaries, but no change for other officers. Years of officer training had low to moderate positive relationships with most officers' life skills levels. Years of holding other 4-H offices had low or moderate positive relationships with most of the presidents' and vice-presidents' life skills levels but negligible relationships existed for the other officers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study that assessed the health literacy of 361 baccalaureate nursing students in their senior year at universities in Louisiana. The nursing students participating in the study completed the Health Literacy Knowledge and Experience Survey. The results indicated that the students could identify groups at risk and effective ways to evaluate understanding of health care information. Student limitations were revealed in health literacy screening and assessing suitable written health materials. The authors also explore the meaning of health literacy and its impact on the health of individuals.

Middle Archaic earthen mound complexes in the lower Mississippi valley are remote antecedents of the famous but much younger Poverty Point earthworks. Watson Brake is the largest and most complex of these early mound sites. Very extensive coring and stratigraphic studies, aided by 25 radiocarbon dates and six luminescence dates, show that minor earthworks were begun here at ca. 3500 B.C. in association with an oval arrangement of burned rock middens at the edge of a stream terrace. The full extent of the first earthworks is not yet known. Substantial moundraising began ca. 3350 B.C. and continued in stages until some time after 3000 B.C. when the site was abandoned. All 11 mounds and their connecting ridges were occupied between building bursts. Soils formed on some of these temporary surfaces, while lithics, fire-cracked rock, and fired clay/loam objects became scattered throughout the mound fills. Faunal and floral remains from a basal midden indicate all-season occupation, supported by broad-spectrum foraging centered on nuts, fish, and deer. All the overlying fills are so acidic that organics have not survived. The area enclosed by the mounds was kept clean of debris, suggesting its use as ritual space. The reasons why such elaborate activities first occurred here remain elusive. However, some building bursts covary with very well-documented increases in El Niño/Southern Oscillation events. During such rapid increases in ENSO frequencies, rainfall becomes extremely erratic and unpredictable. It may be that early moundraising was a communal response to new stresses of droughts and flooding that created a suddenly more unpredictable food base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on findings gathered at an 11-mound at the Watson Brake site in Louisiana which was inhabited by native peoples around 5400-5000 before the present. Use of radiometric, luminescence, artifactual, geomorphic, and pedogenic data to date the site; Other remnants of human habitation in the area including bone fragments, pieces of pottery, and fire pits.

Presents an overview of published data on the archaic Hedgepeth Mounds complex in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana. Sherwood Gagliano's archaeological survey in southeastern Louisiana in 1960; Question on the reliability of the radiocarbon ages of mounds; Studies of mound-fill pedogenesis suggesting that the formation of a subsurface B horizon can be used to estimate the antiquity of mounds.