An Analytical Research Project to Assess the Impact of Practical Arts Programs in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Final Report.

A six-month study of the Kentucky State Department of Education programs in practical arts education (career exploration) in junior high schools was done in two parts. In the first part a questionnaire was given to teachers, counselors, students, and principals from twenty schools during the 1976-77 school year. The questionnaire was designed to poll programmatic aspects of the state practical arts program and to monitor attitudes relative to program effectiveness, acceptance, and degree of impact upon students. In general, the respondents were satisfied with most aspects of the program; however, the students felt more supplies, materials, equipment, and career information were needed. The second part of the study involved two administrations of an instrument entitled the Assessment of Career Development (ACD). The ACD was first given to a sample of Kentucky non-practical arts students in 1975. Later that year a sample of students involved in the practical arts program were administered the ACD. Students with practical arts education experience scored higher on the ACD than those who were not in the practical arts program. In addition, national norm mean scores were higher than practical arts student mean scores in all but one area of exploratory occupational experiences, but the practical arts students' scores were higher than national norm mean scores in all but one cognitive area measured by the ACD. (BB)