| This study was designed to assess the perceptions of recent Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University graduates (1983-1993) regarding the relevance of the institution's undergraduate business teacher education curriculum to the requirements of the world of work. A second purpose was to identify the requirements for modification and improvement of the business teacher education curriculum. Specifically, the study collected data related to present occupation of business education graduates and their degree of preparation to teach business subjects.;The questionnaires were sent to 130 business education graduates employed in middle, secondary, postsecondary, vocational-technical, private business, government, and other enterprises throughout the United States. Fifty-four percent of the sample responded to the questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the following statistical procedures: Descriptive statistics of background descriptive data, t-Test for differences in means, Point Biserial Correlation, Spearman Rank-Order Correlation, and One-Way Analysis of Variance.;The primary conclusions of the study were: (1) Business education students perceived themselves to be less prepared in the instruction of computer-related courses than in other types of program offerings, (2) Demographic factors such as Present Occupation of Graduates, Highest Degree Earned, Number of Years in Teaching, Types of Inservice Training Received Since Graduation, and Length of Time Between Graduating and Obtaining Employment had little effect on the graduates' perception of the program in business education, (3) Business education graduates were receptive to changes in curriculum content that would make them better prepared for teaching business subjects, and (4) Graduates who were in teaching positions perceive themselves to be better prepared for employment than graduates who were in non-teaching positions.;Major recommendations for the Business Teacher Education curriculum at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University are as follows: (1) An ongoing review of the curriculum should be conducted periodically by members of the business education faculty to ensure that content of the curriculum remains current and consistent with the changes in the workplace, (2) Faculty participation in workshops, seminars, short courses, and business and industry exchange is needed on a regular basis in an effort to keep business education faculty abreast of current trends and issues in business education, (3) Work with business and industry partnerships and partnerships with school districts to keep abreast of the needs of students and of the workplace, (4) Provide undergraduate business teacher education students with opportunities to observe and/or teach at various levels of education--elementary, secondary, vocational-technical, and private business schools, and (5) Replicate the study within the next five years to determine continued relevancy of course offerings and curriculum content. |
