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2. Feasibility of using mobile phones as an educational medium in agricultural extension services in Guilan Province, Iran
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Allahyaria, Mohammad Sadegh (author), Atashi, Maryam Ranjbar (author), and Dunn, Emily Shea (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018
- Published:
- Taylor & Francis
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 18 Document Number: D10476
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural & Food Information
- Journal Title Details:
- 19(2): 129-140
- Notes:
- 13 pages., via online journal., This study examined the feasibility of the use of mobile phones as an educational tool in agricultural extension services in the Guilan Province of Iran. A descriptive-survey methodology was employed on a sample population of 120 agricultural extension agents. Data were analyzed at descriptive and inferential levels using SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). The results of the factor analysis indicated that the application of mobile phones in extension activities was influenced by three factors: economic, skill, and infrastructure. These factors accounted for 52.3% of the variance. Moreover, the possibility for the development of mobile phones as an educational medium is impacted by social, financial-credit, information-communicational, psychological, and improper conditions factors that, in total, captured 70.4% of the variance.
3. Using educational theory and research to refine agricultural extension: affordances and barriers for farmers’ learning and practice change
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Sewell, A.M. (author), Hartnett, M.K. (author), Gray, D.I. (author), Blair, H.T. (author), Kemp, P.D. (author), Kenyon, P.R. (author), Morris, S.T. (author), Wood, B.A. (author), and Massey University
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2017-04-24
- Published:
- New Zealand: Taylor & Francis
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 109 Document Number: D10968
- Journal Title:
- The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- 23(4) : 313-333
- Notes:
- 20 pages, via online journal, Purpose: To examine the factors that support and hinder farmers’ learning and to investigate the impact of an innovative learning program on farmers’ practice change. Design/methodology/approach: Individual interviews and focus group discussions were held with 24 farmers over 20 months. Observations were made of these farmers as they participated with eight agricultural and social scientists in a range of innovative experiences to learn about chicory and plantain establishment and management. These learning experiences were designed around evidence-informed educational pedagogies. Data sets were analyzed using NVivo to determine common themes of affordances and barriers to learning and actual practice changes. Findings: The affordances for learning and practice change include belonging to a learning community, enhancing self-efficacy, engaging with scientists, seeing relative advantage, reinforcing and validating learning, supporting system’s integration and developing an identity as learners. Barriers to learning and practice change include issues of: trialability, complexity, compatibility and risk. Practical implications: The importance of basing new models of extension around evidence-informed pedagogies known through educational research to promote learning and practice change. Theoretical implications: Sociocultural theory and self-efficacy theories of learning are critical to the success of effective agricultural extension programs. Originality: To date, little empirical research about the affordances and barriers for pastoral farmers’ learning has been based on contemporary educational research.