| The use of web-based technologies continues to grow. College and universities must take a proactive stance to meet the educational needs of society in the 21st Century. The adoption and use of web-based technologies are the methods that colleges and universities can embrace to meet the task of educating the students of the 21st Century. Greater use of web-based distance education technology is needed to improve productivity and expand access to agricultural programs.; The purpose of this descriptive-correlational study was to investigate factors which influenced faculty participation in web-based distance education technologies for delivering instruction in agricultural programs. In addition, the study sought to discuss faculty perceptions on their level of competence, level of importance, availability of infrastructure, training, and perceived major barriers faced in using web-based distance education technologies for delivering instruction in agricultural programs. Multiple regression analysis was used to predict factors that influenced faculty participation in web-based distance education.; Based on the 85 (88%) of the responses, findings of this investigation suggested that agricultural teacher educators have a high level of competence/skills using web-based technologies. In addition, this study found that agricultural teacher educators considered the use of web-based technologies to enhance their teaching to be helpful and important. Concerning the availability of infrastructure provided by institutions, agricultural teacher educators indicated that training, technical assistance and equipment are available to used. Agricultural teacher educators identified six major barriers that would inhibit their decision to participate in using web-based technologies to deliver distance education. Those barriers were: (1) the lack of administratively provided time, like professional development leave, to learn to use web-based technologies; (2) the lack of a reward and incentives that encourages faculty to participate in web-based distance education; (3) the lack of credit toward tenure and promotion; (4) concern about workload; (5) the lack of grants materials/expenses (funding); and, (6) concern about the effects of distance education technology on the quality of the courses. Finally, regression model yielded two predictors variables: Level of competences/skills and lack of grant material/expenses (funding). The variables included in multiple regression model accounted for 33% of the faculty participation in web-based distance education. |
