Date of Award

2000

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Human Resource Education and Workforce Development

First Advisor

Satish Verma

Abstract

Environmental education is a component of community-based education programs. Environmental education in the United States and in Louisiana was described (Objectives 1 and 2). Because of rapid changes in environmental science, and the responses of citizens to environmental topics, extension faculty need additional programming techniques and more process and strategic skills training. Programming techniques and skills training were reviewed (Objective 3). Extension has included representatives from key state and federal agencies with expertise in, and responsibility for, environmental topics on its environmental education advisory committees. The Delphi technique was utilized in this study, with agency representatives as panelists, to determine and prioritize subject matter content for an environmental education program to be delivered to farmers (Objective 4). The Round 1 instrument included a list of 55 environmental topics which was provided to 56 state and federal agency representatives. Panelists were asked to rate the topics for inclusion in an environmental education program for farmers and were invited to add topics. Of 56 potential panelists, 41 responded, and ten added 25 topics. The Round 2 instrument included the individual panelist's Round 1 ratings, the mean of the panel's Round 1 ratings, the 25 added topics, a request to rate the added topics, and an invitation to change any Round 1 rating. Of 41 Round 1 panelists, 40 responded to Round 2. Most chose not to change any of their Round 1 topic ratings. Drinking water and point source water quality categories of topics received higher ratings while air quality and solid waste categories received lower ratings. The Delphi method provided an efficient and inexpensive technique for obtaining the views of agency experts. It is one method for obtaining input from advisory committees, for enhancing collaboration between extension educators and agency representatives, and for helping panelists learn more about a wide range of environmental topics. It should be used by extension environmental educators.

ISBN

9780493069869

Pages

209

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_disstheses.7341

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