A comparison of program goals emphasized in technology education among selected groups of professionals in the state of Virginia

The major focus of this study was to obtain information and to make comparisons of the importance of technology education program goals as determined by three professional groups in the State of Virginia: professional leaders/teacher educators, local supervisors, and technology education teachers. Two dimensions were investigated: actual program goals and ideal program goals. Furthermore, goal emphases at two school levels, middle school and senior high, were investigated separately. Two primary factors were investigated: (1) were there differences among the three professional groups relative to the assessed importance of program goals; (2) were there differences among the geographic locations (urban, suburban, and rural) relative to the assessed importance of program goals?

Data were collected through a mailed questionnaire. Results of the study were based on responses received from 77.1 percent of professional leaders/teacher educators, 82.5 percent of local supervisors, and 73.9 percent of technology education teachers. The MANOVA, and ANOVA, and Hotelling paired T² tests were used to determine significant differences among the mean scores.

Major conclusions reached as a result of the study were:

1. Professional leaders/teacher educators held different beliefs than did local supervisors and technology education teachers about the importance of program goals for technology education.

2. Local supervisors and teachers in the three geographic locations held similar beliefs about the importance of technology education program goals.

3. All three groups of respondents put greater importance in the ideal goals as compared to actual goals for most the 14 goal statements for technology education.