COMPETENCIES NECESSARY FOR KANSAS ADMINISTRATORS OF VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL EDUCATION

• Main Author: SMITH, LYNN E
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-1981
• Subjects: Vocational education
• ISBN: 9798662271678

The primary purpose of this study was to identify the basic competencies necessary for Kansas administrators of vocational-technical education as perceived by practicing Vocational-Technical Administrators, University Professors, Superintendents, and State Department of Education Personnel. The study was limited to 40 vocational-technical competency items. The respondents were divided into four sub-groups. The sub-groups represented Practicing Vocational-Technical Administrators, University Professors, Superintendents, and Kansas State Department of Education personnel. The members of the sub-groups had educational experience with emphasis on Kansas. The study involved the identification of the 40 competency items as to the level of importance as perceived by the members of the four sub-groups. A Likert type scale was used for the sub-group responses which consisted of: 5 = absolutely essential, 4 = necessary, 3 = desirable, 2 = of questionable value, and 1 = of no value. The questionnaire consisted of forty competency items. The survey also collected information which described some of the demographic characteristics of the members of the four sub-groups. A 97.8 per cent response was received. The resultant data were analyzed in terms of frequency of response, percentage of response, and statistical procedures based on programs in the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The 40 competency items were numerically ranked by competency item. The hypothesis developed for this study was: There is no significant differences in the perceived importance of the competency items by the vocational administrators, university professors, superintendents, and State Department of Education personnel. The One-Way-Analysis of Variance statistical procedure was used to test the hypothesis. The Scheffe multiple comparison procedure was used to determine significant differences between the responses of the sub-groups. The hypothesis was retained for 29 of the 40 competency items at the .05 level of significance. The findings indicated that there was a large degree of agreement as to the level of importance of the competency items. There were 30 of the 40 competency items identified in the questionnaire that received a rating of 3.50 or higher. There were two competency items that were rated less than 3.00. The two competency items receiving this low rating were in the areas of statistics and research. The sub-group members having attained the Ph.D. Degree rated the competency items higher than those members having attained the M.S. Degree. The four sub-group members placed higher values on items related to job analysis, program planning, guidance and placement, follow-up, financing, etc. than on items with sociological overtones such as concern for minority groups. Recommendations of the study were as follows: that the findings in this study be made available to leadership training programs; that in designing graduate programs for the development of leadership personnel, the findings of this study be supplemented with the considered judgments and recommendations of appropriate behavioral scientists; that further study should be made in the areas where significant differences between responses were found; and that studies need to be conducted to emphasize instructional objectives needed for the attainment of each competency item identified as important in this study.