CHARACTERISTICS AND VOLUNTEERING BEHAVIORS OF PURDUE MASTER GARDENER

INTERNS AND MASTER GARDENERS

ELIZABETH A. GALL MASTER’S THESIS PRESENTATION

Context and OverviewPurpose and Research QuestionsTheoretical FrameworkMethodologyConceptual FrameworkResults and DiscussionsConclusionsImplicationsRecommendations for Future Study

OUTLINE

Purdue Master Gardener (PMG) Program

The purpose of the PMG Program is to teach people more about growing plants and to more effectively extend information related to plants. Its specific aim is to provide information and technical assistance in the areas of gardening and home horticulture through the use of trained and certified volunteers.

CONTEXT

Complete educational training (35 hours) and passing of knowledge exam with 70% accuracy- Purdue Master Gardener Intern

Complete volunteer service hours (35 hours), earn certification of Purdue Master Gardener

Other certifications are available after additional educational training and volunteer service hours (Advanced, Bronze, Silver, Gold)

STRUCTURE OF THE PMG PROGRAM

Service-learning- a strategy that integrates an educational topic with community service associated with that same topic

Social Responsibility- the belief that one has the responsibility to help others

Volunteering- actively giving of your time or resources to your community or someone other than a friend or family member and without monetary compensation

Self-effi cacy- the confidence, or belief, in one’s ability to perform a behavior (Bandura 1986; Bandura, 1989

DEFINITIONS

Provide a “snapshot” of the PMG ProgramDemographics of Purdue Master Gardener

Interns and Master GardenersExperience of Educational TrainingDescribe relationships between variables and

predict volunteering behaviors of Purdue Master Gardener Interns and Master Gardeners

OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY

Purpose:The purpose of this study is to identify predictive

variables of volunteering behaviors of Purdue Master Gardeners and describe the characteristics of the Purdue Master Gardener Program.

 Research Questions:#1- Characteristics of the Program and Participants

1a. What are the demographics of Purdue Master Gardener Interns and Master Gardeners?

1b. How did the participants of the Purdue Master Gardener Program Educational Training (Pre-Intern) view their experience?

PURPOSE AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS

#2- What are the relationships between predictive variables and volunteering behaviors, as measured by total volunteer hours, of Purdue Master Gardener Interns and Master Gardeners?

#3- What are the relationships among predictive variables?

#4- What variables predict volunteering behaviors, as measured by total volunteer hours, of Purdue Master Gardener Interns and Master Gardeners?

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The Theory of Planned Behavior- Ajzen, 1991

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Program Evaluation Tool was previously developed by a Purdue Master Gardener Advisory Committee

Created a dual purpose Qualtrics questionnaire incorporating the Program Evaluation Tool and items to measure demographics and predictive variables to volunteering behaviors

Conducted Pilot TestFinal QuestionnaireEmail sent to Purdue Master Gardener County

CoordinatorsIncluded letter to Purdue Master Gardener Interns

and Master Gardeners with details and link to Qualtircs questionnaire

METHODOLOGY

Largely Quantitative

2 Main Sections Predictive Variables

10 Demographic items 11 Attitudes items 12 Self-effi cacy items 5 Participation in the PMG Program items 8 Prior Volunteering Experience items

35 Educational Training Evaluation items

METHODOLOGY

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Please indicate your level of agreement for the following statements...(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Slightly Disagree, Slightly Agree, Agree, Strongly Agree, No Opinion)

I can have a positive impact on social problems.

What kind of Master Gardener activities are you currently/ have volunteered for in the past year? (Choose all that Apply.) Program administration (Including, but not limited to, board member,

committee work, reporting, etc.) Community service (non-educational, such as beautification projects) Info booth (fair, etc.) Communications (newsletter, etc.) Demonstration garden Hotline Teaching others Working with/ teaching youth Other ____________________________

SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE ITEMS

673 Respondents173 Purdue Master Gardener Interns and 500

Purdue Master GardenersCounties in Indiana with Master Gardener

Programs (except Tippecanoe County- participated in pilot test)

SAMPLE

Frequencies and Central Tendency calculated Demographics Items from Educational Training Evaluation

Correlations and ANOVAs calculated for relationships Between predictive variables and total volunteer

hours Among predictive variables

Ordinal regression to construct the predictive model

DATA ANALYSIS

Demographic Data- Res. Question 1aEducational Training Evaluation- Res.

Question 1bRelationships between predictive variables

and total volunteer hours- Res. Question 2Relationships among predictive variables-

Res. Question 3Predictive Model- Res. Question 4

RESULTS & DISCUSSIONS

Q#1A- DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

Demographic Purdue Master Gardener Interns and Master Gardeners

2010 Indiana Census

Race 95.4% (% white) 84.3% (% white)

Income $60,001-$80,000 (median)

$48,000 (median)

Education 59.5% (Bachelor degree or higher)

22.4% (Bachelor degree or higher)

Indiana Quick Facts from the US Census Bureau; http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/18000.html

Q#1A- DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

Q#1A- DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

Most commonly cited reason for participation is to increase horticultural knowledge

Educational Training Sessions were rated Excellent or Good by the majority of Purdue Master Gardener Interns

Logistics of Educational Training Sessions were rated Excellent or Good by the majority of Purdue Master Gardener Interns

Q#1B- EDUCATIONAL TRAINING EVALUATION

The Master Gardener

Program…

Strongly

DisagreeDisagree

Slightly

Disagree

Slightly

AgreeAgree

Strongly

AgreeM SD

…was worth my time and money

1 0 2 8 38 124 5.62 0.72

                 

…helped me to become a better gardener

1 0 1 12 76 83 5.38 0.73

                 

…helped me to become a better environmental steward

1 3 6 19 89 55 5.06 0.90

                 

…helped me to save money

2 14 23 76 39 19 4.12 1.10

                 

Q#1B- EDUCATIONAL TRAINING EVALUATION

Q#2- Relationships between Predictive Variables and Total Volunteer Hours

Scale: 0.0-0.09 = none; 0.1-0.3 = small; 0.3-0.5 = medium; 0.5-1.0 = strong

Q#3- RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PREDICTIVE VARIABLES

Correlation Matrix- 47 x 47 cells

Attitudes and self-effi cacy; r = 0.676Intern or Master Gardener and years as a

Master Gardener; r = 0.783Intern or Master Gardener and Master

Gardener status; r = 0.719Years as a Master Gardener and Master

Gardener status; r = 0.787

Q#3- RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PREDICTIVE VARIABLES

Seven items within the predictive variables were entered into a regression as independent variables:

EducationSelf-effi cacyYears as a Master GardenerBefore volunteeringService-learningIf one volunteered as a child or young adultIf one had influential adults in one’s life who

emphasized volunteering

Q#4- PREDICTIVE MODEL

Variable Parameter Estimate

Standard Error

Wald Statistic

Sig.

         

Self-efficacy 0.715 0.147 23.565 <0.001

Years as a Master Gardener- Intern -0.950 0.258 13.53 <0.001

Years as a Master Gardener- Less than 1 year

-0.808 0.353 5.250 0.022

         

-2 log likelihood 1443.74

x 2 1643.66

df 14

Nagelkerke R2 0.141

Q#4- PREDICTIVE MODEL

Note. N = 601.

Conclusion #1- Purpose and Aim of the Purdue Master Gardener Program are Met

Teaches horticultural information and facilitates the use of volunteers to disseminate horticultural information

Value of volunteering hours Validation of time, energy, and resources by USDA

and Purdue University

CONCLUSION #1

Conclusion #2- Purdue Master Gardener Interns and Master Gardeners Strengthened Capacity to Volunteer and Make a Positive Impact in the Community

Were already volunteering Strong attitudes about volunteering Increased self-efficacy

CONCLUSION #2

Conclusion #3- Predictive Model to Volunteering Behavior and Role of Purdue Master Gardener Program in Volunteering Behavior

Total Volunteer Hours = 0.715 (Self-effi cacy) + -0.950 (Years as a Master Gardener- Intern) + -0.808 (Years as a Master Gardener- Less than a year)

Self-efficacy Years as a Purdue Master Gardener

CONCLUSION #3

Provides a framework for predicting total volunteer hours of Purdue Master Gardener Interns and Master Gardeners

For use within national Extension Master Gardener and PMG Programs

Description (“snapshot”) of the PMG ProgramProgram implementation and maintenance

IMPLICATIONS

Why some demographic groups do not participate

Change in the use of gardening practices through participation in PMG Program

Fostering of strong, positive attitudes about volunteering

More in-depth study of self-effi cacy of Purdue Master Gardener Interns and Master Gardeners

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE STUDY

Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of plannedbehavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision

Processes, 50(2), 179-211. doi:10.1016/07495978(91)90020-T

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought andaction: A social cognitive theory. Englewood

Cliff s,NJ: Prentice-Hall.Bandura, A. (1989). Human agency in social cognitive

theory. American Psychologist, 44(9), 1175-1184.doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.44.9.1175

Indiana quick facts from the US Census Bureau. (2012,January 17). 302 Found. Retrieved May 4, 2012,

from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/18000.html

REFERENCES

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