Impact of participation in the national FFA days of service on student motivations, value, and decision to participate in service-learning

• Main Author: Roberts, F Richard
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2014
• Subjects: Agricultural education
• ISBN: 1321275986; 9781321275988

As educators seek methods of instruction that assist in helping to make learning relevant for agricultural education students, service-learning has risen as a desirable technique for meeting prescribed educational objectives. A gap in the agricultural education literature exists, however, in terms of describing whether these learning experiences intrinsically motivate students. As such, this investigation was designed to describe FFA member's level of intrinsic motivation towards service-learning through participation in the 2013 National FFA Days of Service. Deci and Ryan's Self-Determination Theory (SDT) served as the theoretical base for testing FFA members intrinsic motivation through three empirically based constructs−interest, value, and perceived choice. Results from the study found that FFA members did have an interest and valued their service-learning experience; however, they exhibited varied views in terms of their choice to participate. The findings illuminated a congruency when the tenets of service-learning were amalgamated with the axioms of SDT. Therefore, the researcher presented the Intrinsic Service Learning Model in hopes of assisting practitioners of the pedagogy with delivering an intrinsically motivated service-learning experience for students.