Classification of Extension Teaching Methods

Classification of Extension Teaching Methods

According to Use
Individu al contacts Group contacts Mass contacts

According to Form
Visual or Objectiv e Spoken & Visual

Written

Spoken

The classification further explained in detail as follows Extension Teaching Methods may be defined as the devices used to create situations in which communication can take place between the instructor and the learner. Extension Teaching Methods are classified in U.S.A as According to Use and According to Form. I. Classification According to use: They are classified as 1. Individual contacts Farm and home visits Office calls Telephone calls Personal letters Result demonstrations 2. Group contacts Method demonstration meetings Leader training meetings Lecture meetings Conferences and discussion meetings Meetings at result demonstration Tours Schools

Indirect Influence

Miscellaneous meetings

3. Mass contacts Bulletins Leaflets News stories Circular letters Radio Television Exhibits Posters II. ACCORDING TO FORM: Extension-teaching methods are also classified according to their forms, such as written, spoken & audio-visual. According to Form 1. Written Bulletins Leaflets News articles personal letters circular letters 2. Spoken General and special meetings of all kinds Farm and home visits Office calls Telephone calls Radio 3. (c)Visual or objective Result demonstrations Exhibits Posters Motion pictures Charts, slides and other visual aids 4. Spoken and visual Method demonstration meetings Meetings at result demonstrations Meetings involving motion pictures Charts and other visual aids Television

Indirect Influence

All these methods listed above have indirect influence on the learners. In addition to the conscious dissemination of information through the various methods listed above, the indirect (or natural) spread of information, resulting from specific activities and from

the total teaching effort is very substantial. This is known as INDIRECT INFLUENCE. Individual method In this method, the extension agent communicates with the people individually, maintaining separate identity of each person. Method applicability This method is followed when the numbers of people to be contacted are few, conveniently located close to the communicator and sufficient time is available for communication. Examples: Farm and home visit, farmers call etc. Advantages Help the extension agent in building rapport Facilitates gaining firsthand knowledge of farm and home Helps in selecting demonstrators and local leaders Helps in changing attitude of the people Helps in teaching complex practices Facilitates transfer of technology Enhances effectiveness of group and mass methods Facilitates getting feedback information

Limitations This method is time consuming and relatively expensive Has low coverage of audience Extension agent may develop favoritism or bias towards some persons

Group method Definition of group: A group may be defined as an aggregate of small number of people in reciprocal communication and interaction around some common interest. In this method, the extension agent communicates with the people in groups and not as individual persons.

Method applicability This method is adopted when it is necessary to communicate with a number of people simultaneously, who are located not far off from the communicator. Examples: Method demonstration, group meeting, small group training. Field day or farmers day and study tour. Advantages: Enables the extension agent to have face- to-face contact with a number of people at a time Can reach a select part of the target group Facilitates sharing of knowledge and experience and thereby strengthen learning of the group members Reach fewer people, but offer more opportunities for interaction and feedback Satisfies the basic urge of people for social contacts Motivate people to accept change due to group influence More effective than mass method in stimulating action Less expensive than individual method due to more coverage

Limitations: Wide diversity in the interest of group members may create a difficult learning situation Holding the meeting may be regarded as an objective in itself Vested interests, caste groups and village factions may hinder free interaction and decision making by the group members

Mass method In this method, the extension agent communicates with a vast and heterogeneous mass of people, without taking into consideration of their individual or group identity. Method applicability This method is adopted where a large and widely dispersed audience is to be communicated within a short time. Examples: Campaign, Exhibition, Newspaper, Radio and Television

Advantages: Suitable for creating general awareness amongst the people Helps in transferring knowledge and forming and changing opinions Large number of people may be communicated within a short time Facilitates quick communication in times of emergency Reinforces previous learning Less expensive due to more coverage Limitations: Less intensive method Little scope for personal contact with the audience Little opportunity for interaction with and amongst the audience Generalized recommendations hinder application by individuals Little control over the response of the audience Difficulty in getting feedback information and evaluation of results

1. Farm and Home Visit Farm and Home Visit is a direct, face to face contact by the extension agent with the farmer or homemaker at their farm or home for extension work Objectives Farm and Home Visit To get acquainted with and gain confidence of farmers and homemakers To obtain and or give firsthand information on matters relating to farm and home To advise and assist in solving specific problems, and teach skills To sustain interest Principles or Procedure to be followed: 1. Decide upon the place of the farm and home visit in the teaching plan outlined to advance a particular phase of the extension programme a. Consider alternative methods which might be employed b. Decide whether the visits are primarily for direct teaching or are needed to increase the effectiveness of group methods and mass media 2. Clarify the purpose of the visit which are the purposes mentioned above are expected to be achieved by the visit 3. Plan the visit: a. Review previous contacts with members of family b. Check subject matter information likely to be needed- leaflets or bulletins etc. c. Workout schedule of visits in the community to save time

d. e. f. g. h. i.

Remote and unfrequented homes should always be kept in view Consider best approach in view of individual family situation Be accurate in your statements Do not prolong arguments Leave clear impression as to object of visit If possible, hand over a folder or bulletin etc. pertaining to the topic discussed j. Leave the farm or home as a friend 4. Make the visit: a. Punctuality and consideration for the time of the farm women should always be borne in mind. Contact the farm women preferable when she is on the job b. Be friendly, sympathetic and complimentary c. Gain and deserve interviewees confidence d. Let the farm women do most of the talking e. Speak only when she is willing to hear f. Talk in term of her interest g. Use natural and easy language, speak slowly and cheerfully 5. Record the visit: a. Date, purpose of visit, what was accomplished and follow up commitments made b. Make sure through appropriate office device that follow-up at appropriate time is not overlooked 6. Follow up the visit: a. Send applicable literature or other things by post or other-wise b. Extend invitation to attend a meeting, if any on the concerned topic c. Make subsequent visits if and when required Advantages Farm and Home Visit: Provides extension worker with first-hand knowledge of farm and home conditions, and the view points of farm people If made on request, the farmer or home maker is likely to be ready to learn The ratio of takes (acceptance) to exposures (efforts) is high Builds confidence between the extension worker and the farmer May increase greatly the effectiveness of group methods and mass media Contributes to selection of better local leaders, and mass media Contributes to selection of better local leaders, demonstrators and cooperators Develops good public relations Useful in contacting those who do not participate in extension activities and who are not reached by mass media

 Limitations Farm and Home Visit Only limited number of contacts may be made Time consuming and costly method Attention may be concentrated on a few big and progressive persons; neglecting the large number of small, marginal, tribal farmers; landless labour and backward people which may prejudice them 2. Farmers call / Office call Farmers call is a call made by a farmer or homemaker at the working place of the extension agent for obtaining information and assistance. Objectives Farmers call / Office call To get quick solution of problems relating to farm and home To enable the farmer and homemaker to bring specimens for proper identification of the problem To ensure timely supply of inputs and services To act as a reminder to the extension agent

Principles to be followed: Office should be located conveniently so as to facilitate large volume of calls Space and furniture should be arranged to permit orderly routing of callers It should be possible for caller to confer privately with the extension worker Office room should be kept attractive with bulletin boards, leaflets etc. Office should be open during usual hours Extension worker should regularly attend office, while at headquarters Arrangements should be made to provide information to the callers in the absence of the extension worker Cordial, sincere interest shown in visitors problem Applicable reference material, including record of previous contacts readily accessible Caller made to feel welcome to call again Follow up: See that unfinished business connected with the call is completed as promised

Advantages: Farmers call / Office call Visitor likely to be highly receptive to learning Economical use of extension workers time Good indication of farmers confidence in extension

Limitations: Farmers call / Office call Being away from the situation, it may be difficult for the extension agent to understand the problem in its proper perspective Extension agent may not be available all the time Callers in his absence may not be satisfied with the information or guidance obtained Visitors likely to be limited to those participating in other extension activities

3. Personal letter Personal letter is written by the extension agent to particular farmer or homemaker in connection with extension work. This should not be regarded as a substitute for personal contact. Objectives To answer to queries relating to problems of farm and home To send information or seek cooperation on important extension activities Principles to be followed: 1. Promptness: A letter asking information should be answered promptly, because the person writing the letter has more than passing interest in the matter and will be likely to use information which provides a satisfactory solution to his problem. Remember that information delayed in information denied. 2. Put yourself in the other fellows shoes- Have a genuine concern for the other fellows interest, view point, limitations and desires 3. The letter should be: a. Complete Give all necessary information to accomplish its purpose b. Concise Say what you have to say in the fewest words consistent with clearness, completeness and courtesy c. Clear So that it not only can be understood but cannot be misunderstood d. Correct Containing no miss-statement of facts, or grammatical mistakes etc e. Courteous Tone appropriate for the desired response. How something is said as important as what is said f. Neat Free from over-writings, striking etc. g. Readable Short sentences, short words and human interest make for easy reading Adaptive or Minikit Trail

Adaptive or minikit trail is a method of determining the suitability or otherwise of a new practice in farmers situation Objectives or purposes: To test a new and promising practice under the resources, constraints and abilities of the farmer To find out the benefits of the new practice in comparison to the existing one To build up confidence of the extension agents, research workers and farmers To act as a precaution against insignificant, faulty or hasty recommendations Principles or Procedure to be followed: Determine the need for arranging the observation plot i.e. whether there is a need for undertaking the trial, taking local conditions into consideration Be clear about the specific purpose of the trial Select about six representative centers in your jurisdiction for conducting the trial In these centers, select the co-operators in consultation with the local farmers It is desirable to select as co-operators for this purpose, such as farmers who have confidence in extension and who also can afford to take the risk of possible failures Select in the co-operators holding an average field, representative of the tract and also easily accessible Make it clear to the co-operator and to the other farmers that is a trial or a rough and ready experiment only and not a demonstration plot It is important that all operations are done under the personal supervision of the extension worker Restrict the size of the control and treated strips to the minimum possible, so as to have a large number of replications Visit the plot as frequently as possible and record on the spot, your observations regarding the relative performance of control and treatment . Accurate records should be maintained, showing the dates of important operations and other relevant observations. The average performance if the new practice should be observed for at least three seasons consecutively, before you think of recommending it for large scale adoption Advantages: Avoids the pitfalls of hasty recommendation or adoption of new practices Constitute the first step towards the spread of a new practice after through testing Obviates the technicalities, difficulties and delays involved in laying out regular trial plots, and analyzing the results statistically Builds confidence of the extension and research workers on the one hand and of the farmers on the other, in the utility and feasibility of a new practice.

Limitations Being scattered, the trails may suffer from lack of adequate supervision of the extension agent Satisfactory results depend on the clarity of objective and careful selection of the practice and the farmers Difficult to serve suitable co-operators sometimes Risk of failure of a new practice resulting in financial loss to the co-operating farmer Conclusions may not always be unassailable because of the lack of statistical analysis of the data.

Demonstration Among the communicational and educational techniques, demonstrations are the oldest, best, and simplest tools for transmitting sophisticated technology in a simple and understandable form. Objectives of the demonstrations 1) It provides the advantages of improved practices. 2) It brings the research to the doors of users. 3) It shows the worth, value and potentialities of techniques. 4) It dramatizes by arousing interest, creating desire motivating one to action, and finally to satisfaction. 5) It fires the imagination and provides convincing results. 6) It builds confidence in; i) scientific facts ii) extension workers and iii) cooperating farmers 7) It persuades neighbourers to adopt recommended practices by demonstrating proofs. 8) It is used as a vital media for communication, dissemination and diffusion of information. 9) It upholds the principles of seeing is believing and learning by doing. 10) It develops local leadership. 11) It provides scientists with a field laboratory and problem solving platform. 12) It accelerates and provides subject matter for training in the forms and use of extension methods. In summary the demonstration is said to be successful if it changes the knowledge, skill, understanding and attitude of the clientele and can bring desirable changes in their total behaviour pertaining to the use of new practices or adoption of technology. Demonstration may be; (A) i) method demonstration ii) result demonstration (B) i) Simple and ii) composite demonstration

Result demonstration Result demonstration is a method of motivating the people for adoption of a new practice by showing its distinctly superior result. Or A result demonstration is a method of teaching designed to show by example the practical application of an established fact, or group of related facts. It is a way of showing people the value or worth of an improved practice whose success has already been established on the research station, followed by district trails or observation plots. In this method the new practice is compared with the old one so that the villagers may see and judge the results for themselves. Such demonstration requires a substantial period of time and records need to be maintained. The result demonstration may Deal with a single practice It may be concerned with a series of related practices In some instances it may include the entire farm Common principles underlying result demonstration What a farmer himself does or sees, he will believe What is good for one person will have general application to others(under similar conditions) Objectives or Purpose: To show the advantages and applicability of a newly recommended practice in farmers own situation To motivate groups of people in a community to adopt a new practice by showing its result To build up confidence of the farmers and extension agents To develop innovation leadership Procedure or technique: 1. Analyze situation and determine need: a. Is it necessary to establish further confidence in local application of research findings and results of observation plots? b. What has been the experience of the extension worker in guiding the carrying out of the practice under similar conditions? c. Is it possible to locate good illustration of the practice locally, obviating the necessity of expensive result demonstrations? d. Is the need for result demonstration felt by the farmers? 2. Decide upon specific purpose: 1. Which particular audience should have the learning experience? 2. What specifically do you want them to learn?

3. Is it to give confidence to the extension worker and provide him with teaching material? 4. Is it to develop confidence in extension on the part of a community or of a minority group with whom extension worker is not known well and favorably? 3. Plan the Result Demonstration: a. b. c. d. e. f. Consult subject matter specialist Make as simple and clear cut possible Decide upon evidence needed and how local proof will be established Determine number of demonstrations needed to accomplish purpose Locate sources of material Reduce plans to writing

4. Select demonstrators: a. Consult with local leaders and select a demonstrator who commands the confidence and respect of his neighbours, and who is interests in improving his practices b. Visit the prospective demonstrator to make that all conditions for success of demonstration are favourable c. The demonstrator should be conscious of his responsibility for the successful completion of the demonstration and its effect upon the community d. The demonstrator should be willing for the demonstrator and leave written instructions preferable. 5. Select the plot: a. The plot should be representative b. The plot should be located preferably in a roadside field for easy accessibility and publicity 6. Start the demonstration: a. Give wide publicity before starting the demonstration b. Get all the materials ready c. Start the demonstration in the presence of the villagers d. Assist in getting the demonstration under way to make certain that the omission of some key point will not make later work fruitless e. Arrange for a method demonstration meeting where a skill may be involved in the beginning stage of demonstration or later f. Mark the demonstration plots with large signs, so that all can see 7. Supervise the demonstration: a. Visit the demonstration plot with sufficient frequency to maintain demonstrators interest, check on progress and see that succeeding steps are performed as outlined b. Maintain records and assist he demonstrator also in keeping proper records c. Give publicity to the demonstration and the farmer at suitable stages d. Conduct tours to successful demonstrations at proper times e. Let the demonstrator himself explain to visitors, as far as possible

Mention in news stories, circular letters, radio talks etc. at critical stages 8. Complete the demonstration: a. See that final steps to complete the demonstration are taken b. Take photographs c. Summarize records. Analyze and interpret data 9. Fallow-up: a. b. c. d. Give wide publicity to results of demonstration Encourage demonstrator to report at meetings Prepare visual aids based on the results of demonstration Get other farmers to agree to demonstrate during the next season

Points for consideration in result demonstration: 1) The students should demonstrate on specific problems of the area-drilling wheat against broadcast, raising paddy by transplanting against seeded, hybrid maize against local variety. 2) It should be carried out correctly, in detail and must be in sequence. 3) Better to conduct more than one demonstration in the same village, on the same object. 4) Never try to discover new truths, but rather try to improve the adaptability to local situations of those discoveries already made by research specialists in the area. 5) Emphasis on the quality of demonstrations rather than increasing the number and having a poor quality. 6) Do not repeat demonstration repeatedly. 7) The demonstration should be located by a well-traveled roadside or path. 8) Demonstrate as soon as results are evident. 9) Present definite and detailed costs of practices and item of the practices and compare it with the traditional methods or control. 10) Hold meetings at demonstrations sites to study progress and results and to disseminate the information so that other farmers get convinced, and adopt the practices. 11) Use audio-visual aids to support the results of demonstrations Advantages: Gives the extension worker extra assurance that recommendation is practical and furnishes local proof of its advantages Increases confidence of farmers in extension worker and his recommendations Useful in introducing a new practice Contributes to discovery of local leaders Provides teaching material for further use by extension worker.

Limitations Need more time, energy and funds for extension work Unsuccessful demonstrations may cause some setback to extension work Difficult to find good demonstrators who will keep records Teaching value frequently destroyed by unfavorable weather and other factors Few people see the demonstration at the stage when it is most convincing Unsuccessful demonstrations may undermine the prestige of Extension and entails loss of confidence