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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to (1) develop a psychological profile on a national sample of secondary vocational agriculture teachers; and (2) to examine the relationship between the personality type characteristics and teaching effectiveness of that sample.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Form G, was administered to determine the personality characteristics and psychological profile of the secondary vocational agriculture teachers. The MBTI is a self-reported, forced choice indicator designed to assess personality as theorized by Dr. Carl Jung.
A teaching competency rating form was developed and administered to local instructional supervisors to determine the teaching effectiveness of each secondary vocational agriculture teacher in the study. The teaching effectiveness instrument was developed from twenty-two competencies identified as being relevant to effective teaching.
Personality type data was collected on a stratified random sample of 193 secondary vocational agriculture teachers from six regions of the United States, as designated by the National Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association (NVATA). Teaching effectiveness data were obtained on 173 of these teachers, from their respective instructional supervisors.
The Selection Ratio Type Table (SRTT) program, using Chi-Square analysis and Fisher's Exact Probability, provided descriptive and comparative analysis of the data. To examine relationships between the personality characteristics and teaching effectiveness, an analysis of variance was conducted using the Kruskal-Wallis multiple comparison procedure and the Mann-Whitney-U Statistic.
Though each of the sixteen MBTI types were present in the sample, clearly there existed a strong group preference for the characteristics of introversion (I), sensing (S), thinking (T), and judgment (J), which significantly distinguished and secondary vocational agriculture teachers from other secondary teachers and from the general population.
Significant differences were found to exist on two personality indices (E-I and J-P) and between two temperament groups (SJ and SP), when teaching effectiveness scores were compared.
Recommendations for practical application were suggested concerning preservice and inservice programs on personality differences, especially in regard to teaching effectiveness.
