Determining curriculum content for nursery/landscape course work in vocational agriculture for the twenty-first century: A futures study utilizing the Delphi technique

摘要

The purpose of this study was to determine curriculum content for nursery/landscape course work in vocational agriculture to prepare students for nursery/landscape careers into the twenty-first century. Specific objectives were to: determine if the Delphi technique could derive consensus among nursery/landscape experts concerning the future of the industry, describe the nursery/landscape opinion leaders, and determine the characteristics of the nursery/landscape industry in the year 2000.;This was a national study utilizing a two-round modified Delphi technique. Collection of data consisted of four phases: instrument development, selection of a panel of experts, and rounds one and two of the Delphi survey.;A structured Delphi instrument consisting of 57 items on a Likert-type scale was developed from the literature. The instrument was reviewed for content and face validity by a 17 member panel of experts. Twenty-five nursery/landscape experts were selected to participate through a national nomination process utilizing state nursery/landscape association executive secretaries and American Association of Nurserymen officials.;Stability of responses between rounds, group agreement, and item ranking were determined statistically. Consensus was reached on an item if sixty percent of the respondents were in agreement and the group answer fell within the agree or disagree range.;It was concluded that: (1) The Delphi technique was effective in determining consensus among nursery/landscape experts for the purpose of determining curriculum content. (2) Opinion leaders in the nursery/landscape industry were business leaders, primarily involved in wholesale growing. (3) The nursery/landscape industry will grow and change rapidly into the twenty-first century with increasing employment opportunities and a corresponding need for training programs in nursery/landscape.;Twenty-nine content items were identified as essential for inclusion in the vocational agriculture curriculum to prepare workers for the nursery/landscape industry of the future.