Distributive education--Florida

This thesis was prepared as a study of the desirability and the feasibility
of successfully teaching specific economic concepts and understandings,
through the use of Distributive Education, to students in
Florida vocational-technical schools. Five areas of economic understanding
were measured by a questionnaire containing fifty questions. This
instrument was administered to the experimental group of fifty-two
students from the Lake County Area Vocational Technical Center in
Eustis, Florida, and two control groups; forty-eight students of the
North Technical Education Center in Riviera Beach, Florida, and fifty
students in Distributive Education programs in four high schools in
Palm Beach County, Florida. The results of the test revealed the
following: (a) economic concepts and understandings can be taught
through this method, (b) students in this type proqram scored significantly
higher than students that had not been exposed to a program
of Distributive Education , and (c) the Lake County students scored as
well on the whole as the high school Distributive Education students.

This thesis is a follow-up study of the graduates of the Cooperative
Distributive Education programs in operation in Florida high schools
in 1965-1966. This study consisted of contacting the graduates by a
mail questionnaire. Completed questionnaires were received from
thirty-four percent of the graduates surveyed. Some of the significant
findings are: (1) Distributive Education graduates have an unemployment
rate of two percent. (2) More than sixty-three percent continue
their education past high school. (3) One-half of the working graduates
are employed in distributive occupations. (4) Over eighty percent of
the graduates are still in Florida.

This study is a survey of 451 Distributive Education
Middle-Management students in 15 Florida Community/Junior
Colleges during the fall semester of 1977. The purpose of
the study was to determine the nature and characteristics
of job training stations of the students. Attention was .
focused on how the on-the-job training activities were
viewed by the students and their worth in achieving their
career goals. In conclusion, the students surveyed found the occupational
experience component of their middle-management program
effective in meeting their career objectives as evidenced
by the; (1) 61.1% who responded with a high rating
on the degree to which they felt their on-the-job training
experience provided opportunities for development of their
career objectives, (2) 76.3% who responded with a high rating
on the degree to which they felt they were acquiring
important job skills from their jobs that they could apply
later on in their careers, and (3) 84.0% who would recommend
it to others preparing for careers in marketing and
distribution.

The purpose of this study was to determine the current
status of the distributive education and the cooperative
education prog rams in selected junior/community colleges in
South Florida. Conclusions: The concept of cooperative distributive education and
cooperative education is hanging by a thread in South Florida.
The study indicated that on many campuses were it not for the
initiative and hard work of often one or two individuals,
either program would c ease to exist in a moment. If dramatic
action is not initiated quickly on the State level these
programs will continue to be subject to the whims of circumstance. In fact it would not be at all surprising for this
invaluable educational resource to be lost virtually overnight.
In general, the degree of adherence to the recommended
program criteria was found to be quite low. This might
mistakenly be interpreted as a failure on the part of the
individual coordinator, or of poor program organization, but
this would be totally inaccurate and unjust. The standards by
which the programs were measured are attainable , but exceedingly
high. It is doubtful that there are any other programs on
the junior/community college campuses that ask as much of their
instructional staff as that asked of the distributive education and cooperative education teacher/coordinators. As the author
traveled from campus to campus it became increasingly apparent
that a relative handful of dedicated men and women were
accomplishing a truly enormous amount with little or no assistance
or support. With increased financial and administrative
assistance there is no doubt that the distributive education
and cooperative education programs in South Florida's
junior/community colleges are prepared to offer their
students vocational education of the very highest quality.

This study is a follow-up survey of graduates of the Distributive
Education Middle Management. Programs in nine Florida community /junior
colleges for the period 1966 - 1972. The purpose of the study was to
evaluate the effectiveness of the program in meeting the career objectives
of the graduates. The Distributive Education Middle Management Program
is designed to prepare persons for middle management and specialist
positions in the area of marketing and distribution. The program of studies
integrates classroom instruction with on--the-job training activities and
youth club activities to aid the students in achieving their career objectives.
The graduates were asked to evaluate the contributions of each of the
components of the program in meeting their career goals. Two hundred and
seventy- five graduates responded to an extensive questionnaire containing
77 variables concerned with past and present educational and career
activities. The graduates recommended the following improvements for
the Middle Management Program: offer more marketing and management
courses, provide more on- the-job supervision, increase involvement of
the business community in the Program, and offer more extensive career
guidance and job placement.
In conclusion, the graduates found the Distributive Education
Middle Management Program effective and efficient in meeting their career
objectives.