BAG 212 UNIT- I

Education:
Education also means helping people to learn how to do things and encouraging them to think
about what they learn. It is also important for educators to teach ways to find and use information.
Through education, the knowledge of society, country, and of the world is passed on from generation to
generation. In democracies, through education, children and adults are supposed to learn how to be
active and effective citizens.
Philosophers have defined education:
1. Socrates:
“Education means the bringing out of the ideas of universal validity which are latent in the mind
of every man”.
2. Plato:
“Education is the capacity to feel pleasure and pain at the right moment. It develops in the body
and in the soul of the pupil all the beauty and all the perfection which he is capable of.”
3. Aristotle:
“Education is the creation of a sound mind in a sound body. It develops man‟s faculty,
especially his mind so that he may be able to enjoy the contemplation of supreme truth, goodness and
beauty of which perfect happiness essentially consists.
4. Rousseau:
“Education of man commences at his birth; before he can speak, before he can understand he is
already instructed. Experience is the forerunner of the perfect”.
Nature of Education:
As the meaning of education, so its nature which is very complex. The natures of education are:
(a) Education is life-long process- Education is life long process because every stage of life of an
individual is important from educational point.
(b) Education is a systematic process- It refers to transact its activities through a systematic institution
and regulation.
(c) Education is the development of individual and the society- It is called a force for social
development, which brings improvement in every aspect of the society.
(d) Education is modification of behavior- Human behavior is modified and improved through
educational process.
(e) Education is a training- Human senses, mind, behavior, activities; skills are trained in a constructive
and socially desirable way.
(f) Education is instruction and direction- It directs and instructs an individual to fulfill his desires and
needs for exaltation of his whole personality.
(g) Education is life- Life without education is meaningless and like the life of a beast. Every aspect
and incident needs education for its sound development.
(h) Education is a continuous reconstruction of our experiences- As per the definition of John Dewey,
education reconstructs and remodels our experiences towards socially desirable way.
(i) Education is a power and treasure in the human being through which he is entitled as the supreme
master on the earth.
Purpose:
The purpose of education is not just making a student literate but adds rationale thinking,
knowledgeably and self-dependent learning. Besides, education plays a remarkable role in sustainable
development and in development of any country in general. My goal is to strengthen teacher
effectiveness, empower school leaders and increase student engagement.
Types of Education:
1. Formal
2. Informal
3. Non-formal education
Formal Education:
Formal education or formal learning usually takes place in the premises of the school, where a
person may learn basic, academic, or trade skills. Small children often attend a nursery or kindergarten
but often formal education begins in elementary school and continues with secondary school.
Post-secondary education (or higher education) is usually at a college or university which may
grant an academic degree. It is associated with a specific or stage and is provided under a certain set of
rules and regulations.
The formal education is given by specially qualified teachers they are supposed to be efficient in
the art of instruction. It also observes strict discipline. The student and the teacher both are aware of the
facts and engage themselves in the process of education.
Examples of Formal Education:
 Learning in a classroom
 School grading/certification, college, and university degrees
 Planned education of different subjects having a proper syllabus acquired by attending the
institution.
Characteristics of formal education:
 Formal education is structured hierarchically.
 It is planned and deliberate.
 Scheduled fees are paid regularly.
 It has a chronological grading system.
 It has a syllabus and subject-oriented. The syllabus has to be covered within a specific time period.
 The child is taught by the teachers
Advantages of Formal education:
 An organized educational model and up to date course contents.
 Students acquire knowledge from trained and professional teachers.
 Structured and systematic learning process.
 Intermediate and final assessments are ensured to advance students to the next learning phase.
 Institutions are managerially and physically organized.
 Leads to a formally recognized certificate.
 Easy access to jobs.
Disadvantages of Formal education:
 Sometimes, brilliant students are bored due to the long wait for the expiry of the academic session
to promote to the next stage
 Chance of bad habits‟ adoption may be alarming due to the presence of both good and bad students
in the classroom
 Wastage of time as some lazy students may fail to learn properly in spite of motivation by the
professional trainers.
 Some unprofessional and non-standard education system may cause the wastage of time and
money of the students which leads to the disappointment from formal education and argue them to
go for non-formal education.
 Costly and rigid education as compare to other forms of learning.
Informal Education:
Informal education may be a parent teaching a child how to prepare a meal or ride a bicycle.
People can also get an informal education by reading many books from a library or educational
websites.
Informal education is when you are not studying in a school and do not use any particular
learning method. In this type of education, conscious efforts are not involved. It is neither pre-planned
nor deliberate. It may be learned at some marketplace, hotel or at home.
Unlike formal education, informal education is not imparted by an institution such as school or
college. Informal education is not given according to any fixed timetable. There is no set curriculum
required. Informal education consists of experiences and actually living in the family or community.
Examples of Informal Education:
 Teaching the child some basics such as numeric characters.
 Someone learning his/her mother tongue
 A spontaneous type of learning, “if a person standing in a bank learns about opening and
maintaining the account at the bank from someone.”
Characteristics of Informal Education:
 It is independent of boundary walls.
 It has no definite syllabus.
 It is not pr-planned and has no timetable.
 No fees are required as we get informal education through daily experience and by learning new
things.
 It is a lifelong process in a natural way.
 The certificates/degrees are not involved and one has no stress for learning the new things.
 You can get from any source such as media, life experiences, friends, family etc.
Advantages of Informal Education:
 More naturally learning process as you can learn at anywhere and at any time from your daily
experience.
 It involves activities like individual and personal research on a topic of interest for themselves by
utilizing books, libraries, social media, internet or getting assistance from informal trainers.
 Utilizes a variety of techniques.
 No specific time span.
 Less costly and time-efficient learning process.
 No need to hire experts as most of the professionals may be willing to share their precious
knowledge with students/public through social media and the internet.
 Learners can be picked up the requisite information from books, TV, radio or conversations with
their friends/family members.
Disadvantages of Informal Education:
 Information acquired from the internet, social media, TV, radio or conversations with
friends/family members may lead to the disinformation.
 Utilized techniques may not be appropriate.
 No proper schedule/time span.
 Unpredictable results which simply the wastage of time.
 Lack of confidence in the learner.
 Absence of discipline, attitude and good habits.
Non-formal Education:
Non-formal education includes adult basic education, adult literacy education or school
equivalency preparation.
 In non-formal education, someone (who is not in school) can learn literacy, other basic skills or
job skills.
Home education, individualized instruction (such as programmed learning), distance learning
and computer-assisted instruction are other possibilities.
Non-formal education is imparted consciously and deliberately and systematically implemented.
It should be organized for a homogeneous group. Non-formal, education should be programmed to
serve the needs of the identified group. This will necessitate flexibility in the design of the curriculum
and the scheme of evaluation.
Examples of Non-formal Education:
 Boy Scouts and Girls Guides develop some sports program such as swimming comes under non-
formal education.
 Fitness programs.
 Community-based adult education courses.
 Free courses for adult education developed by some organization.
Characteristics of Non-formal Education:
 The non-formal education is planned and takes place apart from the school system.
 The timetable and syllabus can be adjustable.
 Unlike theoretical formal education, it is practical and vocational education.
 Non-formal education has no age limit.
 Fees or certificates may or may not be necessary.
 It may be full time or part-time learning and one can earn and learn together.
 It involves learning of professional skills.
Advantages of Non-formal Education:
 Practiced and vocational training.
 Naturally growing minds that do not wait for the system to amend.
 Literacy with skillfulness growth in which self-learning is appreciated.
 Flexibility in age, curriculum and time.
 Open-ended educational system in which both the public and private sector are involved in the
process.
 No need to conduct regular exams.
 Diploma, certificates, and award are not essential to be awarded.
Disadvantages of non-formal Education:
 Attendance of participants is unsteady.
 Sometimes, it‟s just wastage of time as there is no need to conduct the exam on regular basis and
no degree/diploma is awarded at the end of the training session.
 Basic reading and writing skills are crucial to learn.
 No professional and trained teachers.
 Students may not enjoy full confidence as the regular students enjoy.
 Some institutes provide fake certification through online courses just for the sake of earning.
EXTENSION EDUCATION

Extension – Meaning

The word „extension‟ is derived from the Latin roots, „ex‟ – meaning „out‟ and „tensio‟ meaning
„stretching‟. Stretching out is the meaning of extension. The word „extension‟ came to be used
originally in USA during 1914 which means “a branch of a university for students who cannot attend
the university proper. In other words, the word “extension” signifies an out-of school system of
education.
Education is an integral part of extension. The basic concept of extension is that it is education.
Extension means that type of education, which is stretched out, to the people in rural areas, beyond the
limits of the educational institutions to which the formal type of education is normally confined.
Education: It is the production of desirable changes in knowledge (things known), attitude (things felt)
and skills (things done), either in all (or) one or more of human behaviour.
Basic definitions related to extension:
Extension education is an applied social science consisting of relevant content derived from
physical, biological and social sciences and in its own process synthesized into a body of knowledge,
concepts, principles and procedures oriented to provide non-credit out of school education largely for
adults. - Paul Leagans (1971).
Extension service refers to a program for agricultural development and rural welfare which
(usually) employees the extension process as a means of program implementation.
Extension process is that of working with rural people through out of school education along
those lines of their current interest and need which are closely related to gaining a livelihood improving
the physical level of living of rural families and fostering rural community welfare.
Scope of Agricultural Extension: The following nine areas of programme emphasis indicate the scope
of Agricultural Extension work:
1. Efficiency in agricultural production.
2. Efficiency in marketing, distribution and utilization.
3. Conservation, development and use of natural resources.
4. Management on the farm and in the home.
5. Family living.
6. Youth development.
7. Leadership development.
8. Community development.
9. Public affairs.
Extension Educational Process:
An effective extension educational programme involves five essential and interrelated steps.
This concept of the extension educational process is intended only to clarify the steps necessary in
carrying out a planned educational effort. It does not imply that these steps are definitely separate from
each other. Experience shows that planning, teaching and evaluation take place continuously, in varying
degrees, throughout all phases of extension activities.
Concept of Extension Educational process
Teaching Plan of Work

Objectives and
Solutions Evaluation

Situation and
Problems Reconsideration

First step: The first step consists of collection of facts and analysis of the situation. Facts about the
people and their enterprises; the economic, social, cultural, physical and technological environment in
which they live and work. These may be obtained by appropriate survey and establishing rapport with
the people.
The responses obtained are to be analyzed with the local people to identify the problems and
resources available in the community. For example, after a survey in a community and analysis of the
data, the problem was identified as low income of the farm family from their crop production
enterprise.
Second step: The next step is deciding on realistic objectives which may be accomplished by the
community. A limited number of objectives should be selected by involving the local people.
The objectives should be specific and clearly stated, and on completion should bring satisfaction
to the community. Objectives should state the behavioural changes in people as well as economic and
social outcomes desired.
In the example, the problem was identified as low income from the crop production enterprise.
A deeper probe into the date revealed that low income was due to low yield of crops, which was
attributed to the use of local seeds with low yield potential, application of little fertilizer and lack of
protection measures. By taking into consideration the capacity and competency of the people in the
community and the availability of resources, the objective was set up to increase the crop yield by 20
per cent within a certain period of time. It was estimated that the increased yield shall bring increased
income, which shall enhance the family welfare.
Third step: The third step is teaching, which involves choosing what should be taught (the content) and
how the people should be taught the methods and aids to be use . It requires selecting research findings
of economic and practical importance relevant to the community, and selection and combination of
appropriate teaching methods and aids. Based on the problems identified in the particular
example, technologies like use of HYV seeds, application of fertilizer and plant protection chemicals
were selected as teaching content. Result demonstration, method demonstration, farmers' training and
farm publications were chosen as teaching methods, and tape recorder and slides were selected as
teaching aids.
Fourth step: The fourth step is evaluating the teaching i.e, determining the extent to which the
objectives have been reached. To evaluate the results of an educational programme objectively, it is
desirable to conduct a re-survey. The evidence of changed behavior should be collected, which shall not
only provide a measure of success, but shall also indicate the deficiencies, if any.
In the example, the re-survey after the fixed period of time, indicated that the crop yield had
increased by 10 percent. It, therefore, indicated that there was a gap of 10 per cent in crop yield in
comparison to the target (objective) of 20 per cent fixed earlier. The re-survey also indicated that there
had been two important deficiencies in carrying out the extension educational program, such as, there
was lack of proper water management and the farmers could not apply the fertilizer and plant protection
chemicals as per recommendation due to lack of funds.
Fifth step: The fifth step is re-consideration of the entire extension educational programme on the light
of the results of evaluation. The problems identified in the process of evaluation may become the
starting point for the next phase of the extension educational programme, unless new problems have
developed or new situations have arisen.
After re-consideration of the results of evaluation with the people, the following teaching
objectives were again set up. For example, they were, training the farmers on proper water management
practices and putting up demonstrations on water management. The people were also advised to contact
the banks for obtaining production credit in time to purchase critical inputs. Thus, the continuous
process of extension education shall go on, resulting in progress of the people from a less desirable to a
more desirable situation.
Objectives of Extension: Objectives are expression of the ends towards which our efforts are directed.
Fundamental objective: The fundamental objective of extension is the development of the people or
the "Destination man". In other words, it is to develop the rural people economically, socially and
culturally by means of education.
Eg.: To increase socio-economic status and standard of living of Indian farming Community.
General objectives (Function): The general objectives of the extension are-
1. To assist people to discover and analyse their problems, their felt and unfelt needs.
2. To develop leadership among people and help them in organising groups to solve their problems.
3. To disseminate information based on research and /or practical experience, in such a manner that
the people would accept it and put it into actual practice.
4. To keep the research workers informed of the peoples' problems from time to time, so that they may
offer solutions based on necessary research.
5. To assist people in mobilizing and utilizing the resources which they have and which they need
from outside.
Eg.: To increase the a production and productivity of Paddy in India.
Working objectives: Is one which focuses on specific activity of a specific group in a selected
geographic area.
Eg.: To increase the yield of PKM-1 of the tomato among the tomato growers of Madhukkarai block in
Coimbatore District.
The major objectives of Extension may also be categorized as follows:
i) Material - increase production, income.
ii) Educational - change the outlook of people or develop the individuals.
iii) Social and cultural - development of the community.
PRINCIPLES OF EXTENSION EDUCATION:
1) Principle of interests and needs: To be effective, extension work must begin with the interest and
needs of the people. Many times the interests of the rural people are not the interests of the extension
worker. Even though he sees the needs of the people better than they do themselves, he must begin with
the interests and needs as they (the people) see them. In this way only can the extension agency mould
the needs and interests of the people into realistic needs. Needs that can satisfy the individuals, groups,
community and national interests, needs that can be fulfilled with the available resources should be
fulfilled first.
Eg: Extension work is successful if it is according to peoples needs- Demonstration on paddy
cultivation in low lying areas
Eg: Extension work fails if it is not according to peoples needs- Demonstration on castor
cultivation in low lying areas
2) Grass-roots principle: For extension work to be effective and real, it has to be synthesis of
democracy obtained at the level of the family and more particularly at the village level. Things must
spring from below and spread like grass. At the same time, modern science calls for an advanced stage
of organization of wiser coordination of thinking and action than is feasible in a single family or a
single village. Aim of extension should be on local or existing situation. Programmes should start from
grass root level. Eg: Extension worker should train illiterate farmers initially on marketing
aspects rather than training on complicated topic like WTO or GATT.
3) Principle of cultural differences: Cultural differences exist between Extension worker and farmer.
In order to make extension programmes effective, the approach and procedure must be suited to the
culture of the people who are taught. Different cultures require different approaches. A blueprint of
work designed for on part of the globe cannot be applied effectively to another part, mainly because of
the cultural differences. These differences can be perceived in the way of life of the people, their
attitudes, values, loyalties, habits and customs. Eg: A demonstration on Mushroom recipes should
not be conducted in a village where Mushrooms are not eaten.
4) Principle of cooperation and participation: The participation of the people is of fundamental
importance for the success of any educational Endeavor. People must share in the development of a
programme and must feel that it is their own programme.
Eg : Success of Annahazare water shed in Ralaegoan sidhi is due to peoples participation
5) Principle of learning by doing: Learning by doing involves use of maximum number of senses,
hence it is very effective in changing behavior.
Eg : Demonstration on working of Conoweeder in SRI cultivation is very effective than lecture
method.
In extension work, farmers should be encouraged to learn new things by doing and by direct
participation.
6) Adaptability principle in the use of extension teaching methods: No single extension teaching
method is effective under all situations. The use of teaching methods must have flexibility to be
adopted to the members of a community who differ in age, education, economic status, sex and
proneness to change etc. Extension agents have found that they need a large number of teaching
methods out of which they can select and revise the one effective for the purpose and best suited to the
culture of the people.
Eg: LCD power point presentations are not to be used in a interior village where electricity is
uncertain, instead posters, charts, live samples can be used.
7) Principle of leadership: A good rule in extension work is never do anything yourself that you can
get someone to do for you. The involvement of leaders in extension programmes is the one single factor
that determines the success or failure of those programmes. Local leaders are the guardians of local
thought and action and can be trained and developed to best serve as interpreters of new ideas to the
villagers.
Eg; Farmers gets easily convinced about latest technology if it is adopted by a local leader than
taught by a extension worker.
8) Whole family principle: The family is the unit of any society. All the members of the family have to
be developed equally by involving all of them. This is because of the following reasons: The extension
programme effects all members of the family, the family members have great influence in decision-
making, it creates mutual understanding, it aids in money management, it balances farm and family
needs, it educates the younger members, it provides an activity outlet for all, it unifies related aspects,
such as the social, economic and cultural issues of the family, it assures family service to the
community and society.
9) Principle of satisfaction: Satisfaction of the people is very essential in extension work. Unless the
people are satisfied with the end product of any programme, it is not going to be able to run. They must
continue to act out of their own conviction and that is possible only when they derive full satisfaction
through adoption of innovations well suited to their needs and resources.
Eg: If an farmer is satisfied by seeing baby corn cultivation in a exposure visit he tries to adopt it.
EXTENSION PROGRAMME PLANNING

To understand the extension programme planning process, certain basic concepts of an extension
programme, planning and extension planning need to be understood.
Extension programme:
According to Kelsey and Hearne (1949), an "extension programme" is a statement of situation,
objectives, problems and solutions'.
According to the USDA (1956), an "extension programme" is arrived at co−operatively by the
local people and the extension staff and includes a statement of:
1. The situation in which the people are located;
2. The problems that are a part of the local situation;
3. The objectives and goals of the local people in relation to these problems.
Lawrence (1962) says that an "extension programme" is the sum total of all the activities and
undertakings of a county extension services. It includes:
(i) programme planning process;
(ii) written programme statement;
(iii) plan of work;
(iv) programme execution;
(v) results; and
(vi) evaluation.
  From the above definitions, it is clear that an extension programme:
 Is a written statement;
 Is the end product of extension programme planning;
 Includes a statement of situation, objectives, problems and solutions;
 Is relatively permanent but requires constant revision;
 May include long−term as well as short−term programme objectives;
 Forms the basis of extension teaching plans;
 Has been drawn up in advance; and
 Has been built on the basis of content.
So, we can define an extension programme as a written statement of situation, objectives, problems
and solutions which has been prepared on the basis of an adequate and systematic planning effort and
which forms the basis of extension teaching activities in a specific area, for a given period.
Definitions for a set of important terminologies in this regard would provide the needed clarity:
 Programme is a written statement containing a more pertinent factual data used in decision-
making, the problems agreed upon with priority assignment and the possible solutions to the
problems'.
 Plan or Plan of work is an outline of activities so arranged as to enable efficient execution of
the entire programme. It answers the questions of what, why, how, when, where and by whom
the work is to be done.
 Project is a single item of the annual plant containing the method of solution of a single
selected problem.
 Calendar of work is a plan of work arranged chronologically, according to the time when step
of work is to be done. It is a time schedule of work.
 Aim is a broad objective. It is a generalized statement of direction and may have several
objectives. It is also said to be an end in view to give direction to the creative process.
 Objective is a direction of movement. A well stated objective is always measurable. It is also
said to be a goal of growth.
 Goal is a distance in any given direction, proposed to be covered in a given time.
Planning:
The basic concept of planning appears to be well accepted in our culture. It is regarded as an
integral and important dimension of our culture's rational value orientation. Rational value orientation
assumes a conscious systematic approach to problem solving, i.e., problem definition, data gathering
and choosing between alternative ends and means on the basis of predetermined criteria.
Extension Programme Planning:
Having described the concepts of planning and extension programme, now the stage is set to
examine the concept of extension programme planning. A few points need to be explicated before
attempting a definition.
1. Extension programme planning is a process:
The dictionary meaning of 'process' is 'any phenomenon which shows a continuous change in
time' or 'any continuous operation or treatment'. If we accept this concept of process, we view events
and relationships as dynamic, ongoing, ever−changing and continuous.
The concept a person has of the extension programme planning process will affect actions and
mode of researching the process. Many programme-planning processes take place at any particular time
at different levels of the extension organization. For example, programme planning occurs at the
national level (five−year plans), at the state level (state plans, annual plans of work) and at the block
level. In fact, planning at the block level is taking place when:
The long−time plan or projected plan is being developed;
 The schematic budget is being planned;
 The annual plan of work is being developed;
 Detailed plans for individual learning experiences are developed with a major project.
2. Extension programme planning is a decision−making process:
Planning is basically a decision−making process− and so is extension programme planning. In
extension programme planning, scientific facts are put to value judgements of the people through the
implementation of a rational planning model in order to decide a programme which will be carried out
through the extension teaching activities.
3. Extension programme planning requires advance thinking:
If we could know 'where we are' and 'where we are to go' we could better judge 'what to do' and
'how to do'. Good extension programme planning is an intellectual activity since it usually involves a
study and use of facts and principles. It requires knowledge, imagination and reasoning ability. It is a
complex exercise as it involves people their needs, their interests, useful technology, educational
process, analyzing a situation and making decision about what should be done, determining useful
actions, projecting the desired shape of things in future and several other components, which are rarely
simple.
4. Extension programme planning is a social action process:
Extension programme planning involves interaction and the decisions so taken in the form of a
programme affect others. Interaction assumes some type of communication between two or more
people in the planning process. So when the extension staff involving specialists and people's
representatives decides on the programme content for extension teaching for the coming year, it is
involved in social planning. In this process, the scientific data is put to value judgements so as to decide
the intended direction of change and also the appropriate methods to be used to reach these goals.
Further, the resultant programme has many social consequences in terms of interaction with other
people, e.g., to inform them, educate them, persuade them, in order to introduce improved technology
into their minds and actions.
5. Extension programme planning is a collaborative effort:
Extension programme planning is a collaborative effort involving identification, assessment,
evaluation of needs, problems, resources, priorities and solutions.
6. Extension programme planning is a system:
Extension programme planning is a system as its procedures and processes are interrelated,
ordered and linked progressively to form a collective whole. It includes several sub processes, such as
planning, designing, implementing, evaluation etc.
Principles of extension programme planning:
Extension programmes have the definite purpose of improving rural life through individual,
group and community action. Extension programme planning has certain principles which holds good
irrespective of the nature of the clientele and the enterprises they may be pursuing, viz.:
1. Extension programmes should be based on an analysis of the past experiences,
present situation and future needs.
2. Extension programmes should have clear and significant objectives which could satisfy
important needs of the people.
3. Extension programmes should fix up priority on the basis of available resources and
time.
4. Extension programmes should clearly indicate the availability and utilization of
resources.
5. Extension programmes should have a general agreement at various levels.
6. Extension programmes should involve people at the local level.
7. Extension programmes should involve relevant institutions and organization.
8. Extension programme should have definite plan of work.
9. Extension programme should provide for evaluation of results and reconsideration of the
programme.
10. Extension programmes should provide for equitable distribution of benefits amongst the
members of the community.
Steps of programme planning:

Fig. 2 Steps of programme planning

Collection of facts:
Sound plans are based on availability of relevant & reliable facts. This includes facts about the
village people, physical conditions, existing farm & home practices, trends & outlook. Besides, other
facts about customs, traditions, rural institutions, peoples' organisations operating in the area, etc.
should be collected. The tools & techniques for collecting data include systematic observations, a
questionnaire, interviews & surveys, existing governmental records, census reports, reports of the
Planning Commission, Central Bureau of Statistics, and the past experiences of people.
Analysis of the situation:
After collecting facts, they are analysed and interpreted to find out the problems & needs of the
people.
Identification of problems:
As a result of the analysis of facts, the important gaps between 'what is' & 'what ought to be' are
identified and the problems leading to such a situation are located. These gaps represent the people‟s
needs.
Determination of objectives:
Once the needs & problems of the people have been identified, they are stated in terms of
objectives & goals. The objectives represent a forecast of the changes in the behaviour of the people
and the situation to be brought about. The objectives may be long-term as well as short-term, and must
be stated clearly.
Developing the plan of work and calendar of operations:
In order to achieve the stated objectives & goals, the means & methods attaining each objective
are selected; and the action plan, i.e. the calendar of activities is developed. It includes the technical
content, who should do what, and the time-limit within the work will be completed. The plan of work
may be seasonal, short-term, annual or long-term.
Follow through plan of work and calendar of operations:
Once the action plan has been developed, arrangement for supplying the necessary inputs,
credits, teaching aids, extension literature etc. has to be made and the specific action has to be initiated.
The execution of the plan of work is to be done through extension methods for stimulating individuals
and groups to think, act and participate effectively. People should be involved at every step to ensure
the success of the programme.
Evaluation of progress:
It is done to measure the degree of success of the programme in terms of the objectives & goals
set forth. This is basically done to determine the changes in the behaviour of the people as a result of
the extension programme. The evaluation is done not only of the physical achievements but also of the
methods & techniques used and of the other steps in the programme planning process, so that the strong
& weak points may be identified and necessary changes may be incorporated accordingly.
Reconsideration and revision of the programme:
The systematic and periodic evaluation of the programme will reveal the weak and strong points
of the programme. Based on these points, the programme is reconsidered and the necessary adjustments
& changes are made in order to make it more meaningful & sound.
Programme planning is not the end-product of extension activities, but it is an educational tool
for helping people to identify their own problems and make timely & judicious decisions. From the
above mentioned cycle, it is clear that the planning of an extension programme comprises a logical
series of consecutive steps. The first 4 steps form the programme-phase. The steps 5-7 form the action-
phase. The step 8, i.e. reconsideration, joins the 2 phases together, where it leads to the fact-collecting
step, thus beginning once more the never ending or continuous process of planning the extension
programme.