A STUDY OF EDUCATION REGARDING COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATIONS IN RURAL AREAS IN 118 ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOLS / NORMAN D. EHRESMAN and PAUL E. HEMP.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO IDENTIFY (1) WHAT IS BEING TAUGHT REGARDING COOPERATIVES, (2) COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES IN WHICH ILLINOIS FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA (FFA) CHAPTERS PARTICIPATE, (3) THE TEACHING AIDS BEING USED TO TEACH ABOUT COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATIONS, AND (4) THE TEACHING AIDS AND INFORMATION WHICH TEACHERS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO 100 TEACHERS SELECTED BY USING A TABLE OF RANDOM NUMBERS, AND 33 OTHERS WHO SPONSORED FFA CHAPTERS WHICH HAD PARTICIPATED IN THE STATE COOPERATIVE ACTIVITY AWARD PROGRAM. RESPONSES WERE OBTAINED FROM 90 PERCENT AND 85 PERCENT RESPECTIVELY. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT (1) JUNIOR AND SENIOR COURSES CONTAIN MORE ABOUT COOPERATIVES THAN YOUNG-FARMER OR ADULT COURSES, (2) TEACHERS NEED LISTS OF AVAILABLE AIDS, (3) NEW INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL IS NEEDED, (4) PRACTICALLY ALL FFA CHAPTERS INCLUDE COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES, AND (5) THERE IS A NEED FOR THE EVALUATION OF COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES USED FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES. EARLY INITIATION OF THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS WAS RECOMMENDED--(1) DEVELOPMENT OF SOURCE UNIT ON COOPERATIVES TO BE USED BY TEACHERS, (2) REVISION OF FFA COOPERATIVE AWARDS PROGRAM TO DEFINE CLEARLY THE SCORING ACTIVITIES, (3) DEVELOPMENT OF COURSE OUTLINES FOR OUT-OF-SCHOOL GROUPS, AND (4) DEVELOPMENT OF A SUGGESTED SCHEDULE OF LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ADULTS PREPARING FOR EMPLOYMENT IN COOPERATIVE BUSINESSES. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND A SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE ARE INCLUDED. (EM)

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