AGEC 351:

EXTENSION
COMMUNICATION
AND TEACHING METHODS.

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COURSE OULITNE

LECTURE DAYS / TIMES:

 MONDAYS: 5:00 – 7:30 P.M.;
TUESDAYS: 4:00 – 5:00 P.M
THURSDAYS: 2:00 – 4:30 P.M.;
FRIDAYS: 11:15 – 12:15 P.M.
VENUE: EH 101 (all lectures).

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INTRODUCTION / BACKGROUND

The overall effectiveness of an extension service is

dependent upon the knowledge and communication
skills of each member of the field staff.
Extension work is much more than just the ability to
communicate.

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CONT.
An agricultural innovation may look good on paper,
but if its packaging and transmission to farmers is
faulty, it will not create the desired impact.
Communication of agricultural innovations using the
right packaging and teaching methods is very
necessary in effecting change and boosting
productivity.

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CONT.
The extension methods employed by the extension
workers during the development of programmes
directly affect the effectiveness of their effort.

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CONT.
• It will be counter- productive if the extension worker
uses or adopts the same methods to teach both youth
and adults.
• This is because:
• adult learners differ from the youth, in that, adults are
more experienced ,
• able to learn different things and more interested in
the immediate usefulness of knowledge gained.

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CONT.
This course has been designed as a teaching and
learning guide to boost the knowledge of students to
be effective in their design and delivery of extension
programmes

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The course is divided into two
units:

UNIT 1: Extension Communication

UNIT 2: Extension Teaching methods.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

At the end of this course students should be able to:

Define communication
Explain the various communication theories
List and explain the principles of communication
Explain the processes involved in communication

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COURSE OBJ. CONT
List and explain the barriers of communication
List and explain the models of communication
Define change and explain the processes involved in
effecting change
Explain the importance of communication in
effecting change

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CONT.
List and explain the various teaching methods
State the factors for selecting extension teaching
methods
Explain the processes involved in educational
campaigns.

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COURSE TOPICS

Definition of concepts(extension, communication,

teaching)
Communication theories
Communication processes
Communication models
Principles of communication.
Principles of teaching and learning
Change and the change processes
Importance of communication in effecting change

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COURSE TOPICS CONT.
Extension teaching methods (mass, group and
individual)
Factors influencing selection of teaching methods
Educational campaigns

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CONT
PRACTICALS:
Select an agricultural problem, design a teaching
method, select an appropriate method(s) for
communication and demonstrate how it would get to
the farmers
State how you would conduct an agricultural
campaign to eradicate the problem identified.

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RULES OF CONDUCT

Students must conduct themselves properly during

lectures.
 Indecent behaviour and dressing will not be
tolerated.
 All phones must be put on vibration during lectures.
Students must inform the lecturer when they are
unable to attend lectures due to ill health or any other
tangible reasons through their class representatives
before the next lecture begins.

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Conduct cont.
Records of attendance will be taken at regular
unannounced periods and all must take note that no
excuses will be entertained.
No visitors will be entertained in my office one Hour
(1 Hour) before a lecture begins.

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ASSESSMENT

All class assignments will attract 15 marks ; 10 marks

for class quiz and 5 marks for attendance which will
be taken at various times during lectures. End of
semester marks will attract 70 % of the final
examination mark.

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REFERENCES

• Carey, Harry A. and Haberland, Heather N. 1999.

Communication in Extension. A teaching and
learning Guide. FAO Rome.
• Crouch, B.R. and Chamala, S. 1981. Extension
Education and Rural
• Development Volume 2. John Wiley and sons,
Chichester, N.Y.
• F.A.O. 2001. Agricultural and Rural Extension
Worldwide. Options for
• institutional reform in the developing countries
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REFERENCES

• FAO Reference Manual. 1997. Improving Agricultural

Extension. Burton E.
• Swanson, Robert E. Benz & Andrew J. Sofranko
(eds.). FAO, Rome.
• Jacobsen, Chanoc. 1983. Principles and Methods of
Extension Work. Israel
• Associationfor International Cooperation, CIADC.
• Leeuwis, Cees , 2004. Communication for Rural
Innovation. Rethinking Agricultural Extension. Third
edition. Blackwell publishing CTA.

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REFERENCES

• Macdonald, I. and Hearle, D. 1990. Communication Skills

for Rural
• Development. Evans Brothers Limited
• Saville, A.H. 1976. Extension in Rural Communities.
Oxford University Press.
• Swanson, Burton E., Benz, Robert P & Sofranko, Andrew J
1998. (eds). In Improving agricultural Extension. A
reference manual FAO Rome.
• Van den Ban A.W. & Hawkins, H.S. 1996. Agricultural
Extension. 2nd Edition.
• Blackwell Science.

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