Author : Prasong Tanpichai

Summary : The study had the general objective of determining the factors influencing learning achievement and attitude of students towards agricultural education in Thailand. A survey questionnaire was administered to 382 third and fourth year agricultural education students enrolled during the academic year 1997-1998. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize characteristics of respondent, while the T-test was applied to determine the significant difference in attitude towards agricultural education, and learning achievement based on socio-demographic variables. The Pearson product moment coefficient and multiple regression were applied to determine the relationship of factors influencing attitude towards agricultural education and learning achievement based on some socio-demographic characteristics variables, learning styles, teaching styles, teaching quality, self-concept, and achivement motive. The mean scores of attitude towards agricultural education of student-respondent who graduated from the non-science learning program were higher than the science learning program in high school, and the student-respondent whose mothers are farmers were higher than non-farmers. The research hypothesis that there is a significant difference in the attitude towards agricultural education of students and socio-demographic variables was supported. The student-respondents' learning achievement of females were higher than that of the males. Likewise, the learning achievement of fourth year group, and the student-respondent who graduated from hih school learning program in science were higher than those of the non-science respondents. Laerning achievement among students whose fathers' highest education are in primary level was higher than those who finished secondary school level or higher. Therefore, the research hypothesis that there is significant difference in some socio-demographic factors among students with learning achievement was accepted. The self-concept, achievement motive, teaching quality, indirect teaching style, direct teaching style, collaborative learning style, participant learning style, independent learning style, parents' attention, dependent learning style, competitive learning style, and avoidant style were found to be significantly correlated with attitude towards agricultural education. The research hypothesis that there are significant relationship between some seleected socio-demographic characteristic factors, self-concept, achievement motive, learning style, and teaching style, and teaching quality, and attitude towards agricultural education was accepted. Also the hypotheses that there are significant relationships between gender, grade point average in high school, self-concept, participant learning style, collaborative learning style, and avoidant learning style, and learning achievement. The self-concept, achievement motive, and teaching quality explain the variance in attitude towards agricultural education. The variance in the learning achievement was influenced positively by gender, grade point average in high school, collaborative learning style; on the other hand, avoidant learning style, and parents' attention had negative influence on learning achievement.