Student Apathy As Defined By Secondary Agricultural Education Students

Abstract

Student motivation continues to be a source of concern for educators. This phenomenological study captured the voices of secondary agriculture students as they shared their perspectives and experiences surrounding student apathy. Four focus group interviews were conducted at four central California high schools with distinguished agriculture programs. The following question guided the research: What experience do secondary agriculture students have with student apathy in their academic environments? Findings suggest student apathy is born of personal choice and grown through mediocre teaching, archaic assessment and the absence of learning purpose. Recommendations suggest students, teachers, the local school and teacher educators form a unified front to combat the phenomenon through purposeful and consistent action.