Module 2 Philosophy & Principles

Module Overview

Philosophy and principles of extension aims to provide a backbone for agricultural extension activities.
These also serve as a written code for the purpose of being an institution responsible for the
implementation of programs that benefit farm families. They guide and sustain the existence of
agricultural extension work.

In this module, you will learn the guiding philosophy and principles of extension. The lessons will help
you understand the heart and mission of extension. If you are currently employed as an extension
worker or interested in becoming an extension worker, we suggest that you write down the philosophy
and principles and memorize them. These will guide you through your extension mission.

OBJECTIVES: At the end of the module, you will be able to:

1. discuss the philosophy of extension.

2. enumerate and discuss the principles of extension; and
3. explain the purposes of extension.

Lesson 1: Philosophy of Extension

Significance of Guiding Philosophy

For purposes of extension, by philosophy mean the body of principles which underlies and guides our
actions and draws together our extension objectives and activities.

Significance of a Guiding Philosophy in Extension

Philosophy gives your work a deeper meaning, a set of standards for conduct which arms you with
constructive zeal and positive attitude toward your work and the proper wish, with whom you relate, be
they on the farm, in the home, in the community or in your organization.

Philosophy of Extension

 Establishing equity or better distribution of wealth. The idea of "increasing productivity is the
main objective" means not merely increasing incomes but also establishing equity or better
distribution of wealth. The disparity between wealthy and poor farmers should be reduced (An
Introduction to Extension Delivery Systems, Valera et al).

 Extension education is contextual. Behavioral change such as education is contextual, and as

such needs change in allocation of resources, as well as in the sharing of social power. Thus,
extension must incorporate not only educational but also social and fundamental political
power.

 Community organizations are needed for social change. The focus on income generation and
other educational activities should be both broad-based and self-organizing. Small farmers
should be organized to participate in almost all aspects of rural development. Extension
programs should not allow farmers to be mere receptacles of benefits; they should also be
generators of those benefits
  Interest and development of people controlled and dominant in extension. Respect for the
human individual is of primary importance. As an extension educator, you have no right to
impose on people. It is accepted in education that people will change only if they want to
change. Therefore, ideally, the only valid practice in extension is to give your clientele the right
to decide on the extension objectives that are desirable to them and have meaning to their lives.

Summary

In summary, extension therefore, must help clients demand, search for, and select legitimate services.
The extension services should develop in the poor the capacity to define and ask for relevant services,
concerning both knowledge and skills. Thus, the "dole-out" mentality or the "good bounty", has
changed to their being makers of the good news and the relevant tools of human development. People
are clearly looked upon as determiners of their own present and future conditions.

Lesson 2: Principles of Extension

General Extension Principles

Several principles of extension have been developed from experiences in different parts of the
world. These principles are used as guide for extension agents in planning effective solutions to the
problems involved in helping the rural people.

The principles described in this topic will help you clarify some important aspects of extension
philosophy discussed earlier.

Principle 1. Extension works with its clients, not for them

The objectives of the extension work is not to

provide personal service but to work with people
and to teach them how to do things for themselves.
This implies that decision-making on matters
relating to the farm enterprise rests with farmers
themselves.
The extension agent can neither assume leadership
roles while working with rural people, nor in any
instance impose his or her views on the clients.
Leadership comes from the people and not from the
extension worker.
The role of the extension worker is to provide the
initial direction by providing information, or to keep
clear of the activities to be done by the people and
let the people get on with the job.
Helping people to make decisions for themselves is
recognizing that they know what is good for
themselves and treating them as rational adults.
Principle 2. Extension cooperates and coordinates with other Development Organizations

If extension is to provide educational assistance relevant to the needs and goals of the rural community,
there is a need for cooperation and coordination between the extension agency and those
organizations, both government and private, that possess services, skills and resources relating to the
achievement of any client needs, such as:

Political institutions and local political leaders whose active local support will help the extension
worker to be in closer touch with local farmers.
Support organizations such as those that supply agricultural or other inputs, credit facilities (e.g.,
rural banks), and marketing services to assure that inputs are available in sufficient quantity, in
the right place, and at the right time.
Educational institutions such as local schools and universities where subject matter experts can
be tapped for extension education purposes.
Research institutions which are sources of new farm information. Cooperation between
extension and research institutions will help develop location-specific technology.
Health services which can help extension workers to be aware of local health and nutrition
problems.

Principle 3. Extension is a two-way exchange of information.

Through the extension workers, researchers gain knowledge about farmers and local farming system so
that recommendations from research are relevant to farmers' needs and aspirations.

Trials in farmers' fields are good opportunity to determine whether the technology is appropriate.

Farmers feedback helps both extension workers and researcher learn how farmers react to a
recommended practice - to what extent it is adopted, adjusted, or rejected, and why farmers behave the
way they do.
The two-way exchange of information between extension and research on the one hand and the
clientele such as farmers on the other, is crucial to effective extension work. Such a process not only
ensures more viable tecnhologies, but also provides an invaluable learning experience for the clientele
involved.

Principle 4. Extension works with different target groups in the community

Extension recognizes that a community is composed of different categories of people with different
problems, aspirations and needs. Among those needing attention from extension agent are:

 landless agricultural workers;

 small and marginal farmers;
 women; and
 youth

They are significant parts of the rural social system

Principle 5. Extension works with what the clients know and have

Extension work is based on the needs and interest of the people. It starts from where the people are,
and from what they know and have.

For extension to be effective, the factors or conditions the extension workers should consider are:

a. physical environment such as rainfall, topography, soils and water;

b. biological factors such as the prevailing diseases, plants and insects; and
c. socio-economic conditions such as access to markets, channels of information, credit
availability, societal norms, customs and land ownership.

Extension work is based on the cultural background of the people with whom the work is done.
Improvement can only begin from the level of the people where they are. The extension worker has to
know the level of the knowledge, and the skills of the people, methods and tools they used, their
customs, traditions, beliefs, values, etc. before starting the extension programme.

Principle 6. People should be involved in all aspects of extension

People should not be regarded as mere "depositories" of knowledge or information. The recipients of
change should participate in all aspects of extension activities.

Involvement or participation can be in the farm, on problem analysis, project design, testing,
implementation and selecting innovations that are most appropriate to their own problems and
aspirations.

Effective extension education can happen only when extension workers and clients become work-
partners.

Other Important Principles

1. Development of intellectual and productive capacity. Extension is based upon the methods of
science, and it needs constant evaluation. The effectiveness of the work is measured in terms of
the changes brought about in the knowledge, skill, attitude & adoption behaviour of the people
but not merely in terms of achievement of physical targets.

2. Teach by showing, learn by doing. People learn to do by doing. Clientele take part while you
demonstrate on any particular subject. It is important to use method demonstration, technology
demonstration and field day to show them the technology before they will actually adopt it.

The end-product of the effort of extension teaching is the satisfaction that comes to the farmer,
his wife or youngsters as the result of solving a problem, meeting a need, acquiring a new skill or
some other changes in behavior. Satisfaction is the key to success in extension work.

3. Value re-orientation. Good extension work is directed towards assisting rural families to work
out their own problems rather than giving them ready-made solutions. Extension work should
be able to change their values from the value of merely receiving to self-initiative,
trustworthiness and rationale thinking for them to effect change in their living conditions.
 4. Participatory. Actual participation and experience of people in these programmes create self-
confidence in them and also they learn more by doing.

 Extension work is based on the full utilization of local leadership. The selection and
training of local leaders to enable them to help to carry out extension work is essential
to the success of the programme. People have more faith in local leaders and they
should be used to put across a new idea so that it is accepted with the least resistance.
 Extension work will have a better chance of success if the extension workers have a
whole-family approach instead of piecemeal approach or separate and un-integrated
approach. Extension work is, therefore, for the whole family.
 Extension is a cooperative venture. It is a joint democratic enterprise in which rural
people cooperate with their village, block and state officials to pursue a common cause.
 Extension works with and through people. You teach clientele and further utilizes them
in teaching others. Linkage among different agencies are good examples of learning with
and through people.

5. The classroom is where the people are. Except in some special training courses, there is no
formal classroom used. Technology is taken right in the area of the clientele either on their
farms, in their homes and barangays where he is given on-the-spot instruction. Groups may
gather under the trees or in any house in the barangay to learn from you and from each other.

6. Education is carried on with group of people or with individuals. When you visited your
clientele or he goes to the extension office for some advice, that is individual teaching. This is
very effective but quite expensive. The clientele as a group is accorded regular training meetings
by you.

7. The spirit of self-help is essential in a democratic living. In a democracy where people have
equal rights and privileges, self-reliance is essential for every individual so that he/she can avail
of the opportunities for self-development and progress.

Lesson 3: Purposes of Extension

In this lesson, you will learn the purposes or importance of extension in community development.

In these common purposes the extension services are designed. Note that behavioral change is an
underlying process in all the purposes. In this context, extension is both an individual and a social
learning process.

1. Transfer of Technology

Extension in this context aims to retail, transmit, or otherwise communicate knowledge, usually the
results of research.

Technology transfer refers to the general process of moving information and skills from information
or knowledge generators such as research laboratories and universities to farm family clients.
  Main objective of this activity is to give client end users or practicioners updated knowledge and
tested practices. This purpose is normally viewed as the offering of advice in terms of
recommendations, usually in the instructional.

2. Assistance in Decision-Making

Clients are trained to make decisions that are well-informed in things like market outlets, prices,
crop processing, and storage.

Homemakers are trained to use available economical but nutritious sources of food for family or
infant meals.

 In this purpose, extension attempts to teach new values such as efficiency and productivity.

3. Social Support System

 This purpose involves the use of extension activities to create situations favorable to the
acceptance of innovations, especially when these ideas or practices are the initial stage of
acceptance.
 The role of extension agents refers to "encouraging companions".
 Extension in this purpose may be considered to "energize farmers to generate and regenerate
momentum among them.
 It is the articulation of national or general program of government to the local setting, since any
government program need redefinition or adjustments to fit the local setting.

Module 3. The Clients

The rural people are the clients of the extension delivery system. They differ in age, educational
aspirations, culture, beliefs, value systems, experiences, income and family size. They are adult learners.
They learn and accept ideas based on their interests and needs. In this context, extension efforts are
enhanced by an accurate and thorough assessment of the needs and resources both material and
human, the rural system served, as well as the working knowledge on the principles of effective adult
learning.

In this module, you will be able to learn the different characteristics of adult learners and their
motivation to study, as well as adult learning.

At the end of the Module, you should be able to:

1. Characterize adult learners and their motivations to learn.

2. Discuss adult learning.
3. Describe how to facilitate adult learners.

Lesson 1: The Adult Learner

An Extension Worker as Adult Educator

You as Extension Worker who works with rural people is in essence an adult educator.

 You stimulate, direct and guide the farmer's learning process.

  You provide effective learning situations that create new learning experiences for people to
acquire new knowledge, skills and attitudes to help them solve their problems in the home and
on the farm.

To do all these, it is important for you to know and understand adult learning and the factors that
influence it.

If you are going to accept the responsibility of providing adult learners with a worthwhile learning
experience, you therefore should understand adult learning and the adult learner: who they are, their
needs, how they learn and how they differ from younger students.

Characteristics of Adult Learner

There are several distinctive characteristics of adult learner which have a marked bearing not only upon
what he learns but how he learns:

1. The adult learner is free to avoid, engage in, or withdraw from an educational experience as
he pleases. - The adult learner regards the hours that he gives to learning as precious and
expects them to be used to some constructive purpose. In other words, adult learners welcome
and enroll in adult educational opportunities if they feel the instruction will meet their needs.

2. The adult learner is one with lots of experiences. - As an individual matures, he accumulates an
expanding reservoir of experiences that causes him to become an increasingly rich resource for
learning, and at the same time provides him with a broadening base to which to relate new
learning. If what is taught therefore seems neither relevant to his own experience nor of
potential benefit, particularly in the immediate future, the adult learner will almost reject it.

3. An adult learner will spurn information and ideas that are opposed to his cherished beliefs.
Beliefs are influenced by culture. In working with farmers, as an extension worker you should
discover the rural people's systems of moral and religious beliefs before you can plan education
for change.
For example, in Muslim areas, it is abomination for them to eat pork. Extension worker assigned
in the area should therefore refrain from including swine production in the plan for education.

4. An adult learner usually selects his own area of educational interest. Adult learners vary in
educational interests. In general, however, they want to acquire knowledge under the category
of "how to do better". They want to attend training activities which they hope to find means of
solving immediate, special life problems. Moreover, adults want to learn tasks connected with
their occupation and solving occupation's problems; tasks connected with adult status; home
and personal responsibilities; and practical knowledge and skills related to their individual selves
and their environment.

5. An adult learner takes advantage of the advance of new learning devices to choose the
method by which he will study. In most developing countries, farmers enroll in schools-on-the-
air conducted by local radio stations. The lessons are discussed with the help of a printed guide
or scripts and tests questions are raised every after the lessons for the enrollees to answer.
Farmers write down and send their answers and conclusions on the discussion questions. Text
 messages are also used by farmers to ask queries on the lessons discussed. Their questions are
answered and documented, and feedbacks are used as guide for planning future programs.

6. An adult learner holds an image of himself that the teacher must respect. An adult learner may
desperately want to learn but resent being treated as a pupil. For an adult learner, the
consequences of learning may well be direct, immediate, and far-reaching. Usually, he can apply
newly acquired knowledge or skills at work or in his social life.

7. The spacing of an adult's learning is dictated by his occupational and family commitments.

The spacing of adult learning is most often part time, irregular, and spread over many years.

In a community, you will usually experience difficulty in inviting farmers to attend a farmer's
class or meeting. The reason behind this is, male farmers are normally engaged in full time
farming, so they postpone attending the class especially when the peak of activity in the farm
coincides with the schedule of the class or meeting until they feel they are free. In the same
manner, women farmers are full-time housewives. In most cases participation in learning
opportunities become their second or even their last priority.

8. The adult learner and other adults are likely to display a cooperative spirit in contrast to the
competitiveness of the young. From their own experience, adult learners can contribute to one
another's learning and to group achievement. The cooperative spirit displayed by adults might
be explained by the fact that they usually belong to one or more organizations existing in the
community.

Differences between Child and Adult Learner

CHILD
Guided by Adults
Easy to Influence
Limited experience
Curriculum is set
ADULT
Makes own decisions
To see is to believe
Full of experience
Know what they want to know

Motivation of Adults to Learn

Given the characteristics of the adult learners, what then will motivate them to study?

Researchers generally agree that adults want to learn. In our previous discussions of the
characteristics of the adult learner, we learn that an adult is motivated to participate in an organized
learning activity if he thinks it will help solve his personal, social, or vocational problems or it will make
him happy. Thus, the learning experience that he may be inspired to seek will reflect his "dominant
concerns” and will accordingly vary with the dictates of his particular age.

Psychologists classified specific motives of adults to learn in the following ways:

1. The desire for security

This may be interpreted in terms of adequate food, clothing, and shelter or wealth for the
family. Everyone wants protection and comfort for his physical well-being and his family. Other
people take satisfaction in the thought of spiritual hereafter.

2. The desire for affection/response

We want others to want us, extend themselves to us, to need us and to appreciate us. Thus, the
farmers want to be treated as our friends, family, neighbors or associates. They want us to let
them feel a sense of belongingness.
3. The desire for recognition

Some people want the highest crop yield in the community, the best hogs, the fattest cattle, or
the most productive home yard. This attitude is often motivated by the desire for recognition.
Those people who wanted recognition to express their desire through entertainment, keeping
up with the social class, state demands, competitions and so on. They want to be somebody and
to move to the top.

4. The desire for new experiences

Most people usually grow bored with old routines. They want to try something new and
different. They want the thrill of something new. They like to travel new places, try new foods,
begin new hobbies, seek out and create new situations, they seek contact with new people, look
for and accept new and different responsibilities.