대구ㆍ경북지역 초등학교 학생들의 농업문해 수준에 관한 연구

Assessment of Agricultural Literacy Level for Elementary School Students in Taegu and Kyoungbuk Area

The purpose of this study was to assess the agricultural literacy level and to present ways to promote the agricultural literacy of elementary school students in Taegu and Kyoungbuk areas. As the research methods for this study, literature research and investigation research were employed. The data collection instrument was developed by the researcher on the basis of Na(1999)’s ten agricultural education concept areas and Chung(1998b)’s twelve personal characteristics. The population of this study included 5th and 6th graders in elementary schools in Taegu and Kyoungbuk areas. Total of 495 students in 15 elementary schools in Taegu and Kyoungbuk areas was sampled through stratified cluster sampling method. The questionnaire data collection instruments were distributed to the subjects by mail, and 474 questionnaires(97.4 %) were returned to the researcher. Among the returned questionnaires, 355 questionnaires(70.7 %) were used for statistics. The collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, t-tests, analysis of variance, and linear regression analysis. The results of this study were 1. Characteristics of the respondents showed the students in K yougbuk area were outnumbered by those in Taegu area, and the gender rate between male and female students showed no statistical significant difference. 2. The agricultural literacy score of the elementary school students in Taegu area was 30.29, and the score of their counterpart was marked 29.50. 3. The agricultural literacy score of the elementary school students in Taegu area was higher than the score from Kyoungbuk area, but there was no statistical significant difference between them. 4. Personal variables indicated a significant variance explaining agricultural literacy score. These variables included ‘prospect of Korean agriculture’, ‘having a school farm’, ‘relatives living on a farm’, and ‘experience of raising plants gardens, or crops’.