Theses and Dissertations

Advisor

Swortzel, Kirk

Committee Member

McCubbins, OP

Committee Member

Peterson, Donna

Committee Member

Foshee, Wheeler

Date of Degree

5-15-2026

Original embargo terms

Embargo 2 years

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Major

Agricultural Science (Agriculture & Extension Education)

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Department

School of Human Sciences

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess dual enrollment agriculture education teachers in Illinois regarding their perceptions of the effects of dual enrollment programs on their schools, their students, and themselves as teachers. The population of this study consisted of dual enrollment agriculture education programs in Illinois (N = 121) with 33 of 121 responding, or 27.2%. The researcher conducted the study utilizing a quantitative descriptive research method. Means, standard deviations, and frequencies as well as Pearson product correlations were used to better understand the data. The results found that most participants had 0-5 years of experience, taught 0-20 dual enrollment agriculture students in the previous year, taught 1 section of agricultural education dual enrollment, taught at a high school, taught at a public school, taught in a rural locale, and had less than 250 students in their high school in which they taught. For the construct which assessed teacher perceptions of the effects of dual enrollment agriculture on students, the total mean was 3.72 with a standard deviation of .80 which was the highest among the three constructs and represents positive perceptions of dual enrollment on students. For the construct which assessed teacher perceptions of the effects of dual enrollment agriculture on schools, the total mean for this construct was 3.59 with a standard deviation of .84 which represented positive perceptions of dual enrollment on school communities. The teacher effect construct was the lowest rated construct of the three, with a mean of 3.38 and a standard deviation of .79 which still supports positive perceptions of the effect on teachers. These were supported by the thematic analysis of the associated open-ended questions for the constructs. Comparison of individual statements by demographic characteristics showed that there was a significant difference based on number of students taught among the three constructs. Pearson product correlations found a strong positive relationship between each of the three constructs. Recommendations for practice include continuation of dual enrollment programs as well as the creation of additional dual enrollment programs to aid students with pursuing college courses while still in high school.

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