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The purpose of this study was to identify factors related to the academic performance and retention of students who transferred to a four-year university. The population for this study consisted of 232 transfer students. Data were collected via questionnaire surveys and from existing records. Descriptive and correlational statistics were used to analyze and summarize the data. It was found that academic deficiency was one of the major reasons why transfer students canceled enrollment in the college. Students who dropped out earned a lower grade point average (GPA) both at their previous institution and after transferring than those who persisted. Findings also suggest that younger students and male students tended to persist to a greater extent than others. Of all the characteristics examined in this study, GPA on transferring was the best indicator of expected academic performance at the four-year university. Transfer students' academic goals may influence their academic performance. (Author/SLD)

Because of recent educational reform efforts aimed at creating more "educated persons" at the college level, a descriptive-correlational study was made to describe the aspired and the assessed cognitive level of instruction and determine the relationship of these variables to attitude toward teaching at higher cognitive levels among selected faculty members in the College of Agriculture at The Ohio State University. Ten of the 213 faculty members were selected to represent a cross-section of the faculty. Assessment was made by a research assistant using criteria established by a panel of experts. Instruments used included a Likert scale, the Florida Taxonomy of Cognitive Behavior, and Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. The study found the following: (1) participants primarily aspired for their discourse and testing to be at the remembering and processing levels of cognition; (2) faculty conducted discourse primarily at the processing level of cognition, but tested at the remembering and processing levels; (3) faculty aspired to teach and test at higher cognitive levels than those at which they were assessed; (4) participants held favorable attitudes toward teaching and testing at higher cognitive levels; and (5) assignments tended to be given at higher cognitive levels than teaching or testing. Recommendations for instruction included the following: provide inservice education to faculty members in teaching at higher-order cognitive skill levels; encourage faculty members to talk to each other about teaching; and encourage faculty members to model higher-level cognitive skills in their classes before presenting material on those levels to students. (Contains 11 references.) (KC)

To evaluate the student teaching program in agricultural education at The Ohio State University, university supervisors, cooperating teachers, and student teachers were asked their perceptions regarding the need for experiences and assignments and the extent to which they were accomplished. Cooperating teachers and student teachers also rated the performance of university supervisors in supervision of student teachers, and university supervisors and student teachers rated the performance of cooperating teachers. Data were collected by mailed questionnaires, face-to-face interviews, and telephone interviews. All but two experiences expected during student teaching were considered essential, and the student teachers were perceived to be adequately prepared to teach. All assignments were rated desirable except two that were rated essential. A majority of the assignments were rated as satisfactorily accomplished. Generally rated as above average, university supervisors needed more emphasis on prior evaluation of student teachers' lesson plans and service as a resource person for cooperating teachers. Cooperating teachers needed greater emphasis on feedback on lesson plans prior to teaching, evaluation of student teacher's performance, and provision for experience in adult and/or continuing education and supervised occupational experience visits. Better preparation of cooperating teachers and changes in assignments were recommended. (YLB)

A study examined the extent and causes of burnout among extension agents in Ohio. From the 241 extension agents working in the 88 counties of Ohio, researchers selected a random sample of 101 agents. Included in the sample were 34 agriculture agents, 33 home economics agents. Included in the sample agents were asked to complete a survey questionnaire designed to collect data concerning personal, organizational, and job (environmental) factors. Of the 91 surveys returned, 89 were usable. The Ohio extension agents were found to experience a low to moderate level of burnout, with less than 20 percent of them appearing to manifest a high level of burnout. In general, the younger agents--those between the ages of 20 and 30--experienced higher levels of burnout. Males and females experienced the same relative levels of burnout, with single individuals undergoing significantly higher levels of burnout than their married counterparts. Job satisfaction was the best single predictor of burnout when all significant independent variables were entered in a stepwise regression equation. As a group, the 4-H agents experienced more burnout than did the agriculture or home economics agents. (MN)

A study investigated the effect that task instruction sheets had on the performance of vocational horticulture students when being taught a unit on poinsettia production. Using a post-test only control group design, researchers administered a 35-item multiple choice test on poinsettia production to 207 students in 12 randomly selected eleventh grade vocational horticulture classes. Of the 207 students participating in the study, 90 were in the control group and 117 were in the experimental group. Before being asked to complete the test, classes in the experimental group received a series of task instruction sheets on poinsettia production along with a monograph describing the nature and use of task instruction sheets. Classes in the control group received neither the task sheets nor the monograph. It was concluded that task instruction sheets are capable of causing significant increases in student achievement and that, as such, they should be given consideration as an important element of effective laboratory management. Based on these findings, recommendations were made calling for the integration of task instruction sheets into normal units of study included in vocational agricultural courses with extended laboratory periods and for the development of packages of such task instruction sheets in specialized vocational agricultural taxonomy areas. (MN)

A study was conducted to compare 4-H agent, volunteer leader, and teenage member perceptions concerning the importance of selected leadership activities for teenage 4-H members, and the extent to which teenagers should be involved in carrying out these leadership activities. Data were gathered from a sample of 200 teenage 4-H members, 200 volunteer leaders, and the total population of 88 Ohio 4-H agents. Analysis of data revealed the following: (1) 4-H agent, volunteer leader, and teenage member perceptions of importance and involvement differ for certain teenage leadership activities; (2) because agent and member ratings of leadership activities differ more often than leader and member ratings, one can conclude that volunteer leaders and teenage members are more closely aligned on their perception of appropriate teenage leadership activities than are agents and members; (3) volunteer leaders and teenage members tend to rate club-centered leadership activities higher on importance and involvement while 4-H agents tend to rate county-centered leadership activities higher; (4) teenage members are as concerned as volunteer leaders with helping 4-H club members make money for the 4-H club and seeing that members participate in the county fair; and (5) teenage members are not as concerned as 4-H agents with assisting in the planning of the county's summer camp programs. The study recommended that 4-H agents reexamine their emphasis on particular teenage leadership activities and that agents shoud consider members' preferences for more club-centered activities and be aware of the differences between teen and adult leader perceptions. The study also recommended evaluation of leadership activities perceived as important by teenage members. (KC)

In recent years, managing a vocational laboratory has become an increasingly difficult and complex task facing many vocational educators. Specialized instructional areas, diverse groups of students, and extended laboratory time have caused educators to seek alternate ways of providing practical "hands-on" instruction when traditional supervised occupational experience programs are not possible. (SSH)

A study of the leadership and personal development abilities of four groups of high school seniors, some of whom were members of Future Farmers of America (FFA) and some who were never enrolled in vocational agriculture, found that FFA involvement resulted in more leadership abilities. (JOW)