CHARACTERISTICS AND VOLUNTEERING BEHAVIORS OF PURDUE MASTER GARDENER INTERNS AND MASTER GARDENERS ELIZABETH A. GALL MASTER’S THESIS PRESENTATION

 Context and Overview  Purpose and Research Questions  Theoretical Framework  Methodology  Conceptual Framework  Results and Discussions  Conclusions  Implications  Recommendations 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-efficacy- the confidence, or belief, in one’s ability to perform a behavior (Bandura 1986; Bandura, 1989 DEFINITIONS

 Provide a “snapshot” of the PMG Program  Demographics of Purdue Master Gardener Interns and Master Gardeners  Experience of Educational Training  Describe 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 Test  Final Questionnaire  sent to Purdue Master Gardener County Coordinators  Included 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-efficacy 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 Respondents  173 Purdue Master Gardener Interns and 500 Purdue Master Gardeners  Counties 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 1a  Educational Training Evaluation- Res. Question 1b  Relationships between predictive variables and total volunteer hours- Res. Question 2  Relationships among predictive variables- Res. Question 3  Predictive Model- Res. Question 4 RESULTS & DISCUSSIONS

Q # 1A- DEMOGRAPHIC DATA DemographicPurdue Master Gardener Interns and Master Gardeners 2010 Indiana Census Race95.4% (% white)84.3% (% white) Income$60,001-$80,000 (median) $48,000 (median) Education59.5% (Bachelor degree or higher) 22.4% (Bachelor degree or higher) Indiana Quick Facts from the US Census Bureau;

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 Disagree Disagree Slightly Disagree Slightly Agree Agree Strongly Agree MSD …was worth my time and money …helped me to become a better gardener …helped me to become a better environmental steward …helped me to save money Q # 1B- EDUCATIONAL TRAINING EVALUATION

Q # 2- Relationships between Predictive Variables and Total Volunteer Hours Scale: = none; = small; = medium; = strong

Q # 3- RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PREDICTIVE VARIABLES Correlation Matrix- 47 x 47 cells

 Attitudes and self-efficacy; r =  Intern or Master Gardener and years as a Master Gardener; r =  Intern or Master Gardener and Master Gardener status; r =  Years as a Master Gardener and Master Gardener status; r = Q # 3- RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PREDICTIVE VARIABLES

 Seven items within the predictive variables were entered into a regression as independent variables:  Education  Self-efficacy  Years as a Master Gardener  Before volunteering  Service-learning  If one volunteered as a child or young adult  If one had influential adults in one’s life who emphasized volunteering Q # 4- PREDICTIVE MODEL

Variable Parameter Estimate Standard Error Wald StatisticSig. Self-efficacy <0.001 Years as a Master Gardener- Intern <0.001 Years as a Master Gardener- Less than 1 year log likelihood x df14 Nagelkerke R 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 = (Self-efficacy) (Years as a Master Gardener- Intern) (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 Program  Program 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-efficacy of Purdue Master Gardener Interns and Master Gardeners RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE STUDY

 Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and HumanDecision Processes, 50(2), doi: / (91)90020-T  Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs,NJ: Prentice-Hall.  Bandura, A. (1989). Human agency in social cognitive theory. American Psychologist, 44(9), doi: / X  Indiana quick facts from the US Census Bureau. (2012, January 17). 302 Found. Retrieved May 4, 2012, from REFERENCES

THANK YOU!