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Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD) - Call for papers!

An Analysis of the Diploma in Agricultural Technology (DAT) Students' Performance in Three Pilot PTIAs in Mindanao

(Philippines), Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Education (University of the Philippines Los Baños)

Dissertation Abstract:

 

The study sought to determine the performance of Diploma in Agriculture and Technology (DAT) students in the mastery of the basic agricultural skills in the three provincial technical institutes in agriculture (PTIAs) in Mindanao, namely: Katipunan National Agricultural School, Katipunan, Zamboanga del Norte (Region IX); Northern Mindanao Institute of Science and Technology, Ampayon, Butuan City (Region X); and College of Agriculture, University of Southeastern Philippines, Apokon, Tagum, Davao (Region Xl). lt also sought to find out the extent of contribution of different factors (i.e., teacher-related, institutionrelated, test/screening, and student-related) to the DAT students' performance.

Respondents were 114 students who were proportionately and randomly selected, and all the 12 instructors handling the practicum course in the three schools.

Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, Spearman correlation coefficient, and factor and path analyses were used to analyze the data. The use of factor analysis resulted in the identification of new (synthetic) variables under the following factors: 1) teacher-related factors (educationaI preparation, class size, and teaching load); 2) institution-related factors (instructional facilities and the farm); 3) test/screening factor (National Agriculture Technology Admission Test (NATEAT) score); and 4) student-related factors (perception of teaching effectiveness and course valuing, achievement in curricular and extracurricular activities, and age). Path analysis was used to determine the causal relationships among these variables and the DAT students' performance.

The DAT students' performance in the mastery of the basic agricultural skills was satisfactory. That is, they could perform this skill "satisfactorily without assistance and/or supervision." These skills, when mastered, would produce graduates possessing the basic psycho-behavioral characteristics: practicality, resourcefulness, productiveness, and leadership. Of the eight variables (determinants), achievement in curricular and extra-curricular activities and the farm showed highly significant relationship with the DAT students' performance. Other variables such as educational preparation, class size and teaching load, instructional facilities, NATEAT score, perception of teaching effectiveness and course valuing, and age of the students were not significant. The PTI As could carry out its miss ion in the efficient implementation of the DAT-Bachelor in Agricultural Technology (BAT) program if both the significant and non-significant variables to the DAT students ' performance are carefully looked into.