Beaton, Brian (author), O'Donnell, Susan (author), Perley, Sonja (author), Walmark, Brian (author), Burton, Kevin (author), Sark, Andrew (author), and Centre for Community Networking Research, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
Format:
Paper
Publication Date:
2007-11-05
Published:
Canada
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 178 Document Number: C35677
Notes:
Community Informatics Research Network (CIRN) Conference 2007, Prato, Italy, November 5-7, 2007. 11 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C37096
Notes:
See C37095 for original, Pages 23-50 in Harry K. Schwarzweller and Thomas A. Lyson (eds.), Research in rural sociology and development: sustaining agriculture and rural communities. Volume 6. JAI Press Inc., Greenwich, Connecticut. 270 pages.
Seshagiri, Sarita (author), Sagar, Aman (author), and Joshi, Dhaval (author)
Format:
Paper
Publication Date:
2007-05-08
Published:
India
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 174 Document Number: C29704
Notes:
Pages 855-862 in proceedings of the International World Wide Web Conference, Banff, Alberta, Canada, May 8-12, 2007. Track: Technology for Developing Regions.
Landini, Fernando (author), Beramendi, Maite (author), and University of La Cuenca del Plata
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)
School of Psychology, University of Buenos Aires
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2019-07-24
Published:
Argentina: Taylor and Francis
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 101 Document Number: D10880
18 pages, online journal article, Purpose
This article aims at designing and validating a psychometric scale to assess extensionists’ and advisors’ beliefs about extension and innovation.
Design/Methodology/approach
The scale was developed by drawing upon results from a previous empirical research as well as insights from a literature review on extension and innovation approaches. The theoretical framework used to write the items was validated by 12 international experts from 11 countries. 608 Argentine extension workers completed the questionnaire. Replies were analysed using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.
Findings
The scale has a good fit and satisfactory level of internal consistency. Five factors were identified: Dialogue and horizontal coordination; Transfer of technology; Blame on farmers; Participatory, farmer-led extension; and Self-critical attitude.
Practical implications
The scale has multiple and different uses, including research, theory development, institutional practice, diagnosis, and teaching.
Theoretical implications
Results show that a horizontal, facilitative extension approach shares a common epistemology, as well as underlying values and assumptions, with territorial development and with an innovation systems perspective, and that both contrast with a traditional transfer of technology approach. Nonetheless, practitioners would not tend to see these two contrasting perspectives as contradictory but as complementary.
Originality/Value
The scale is the first validated psychometric instrument, based on an ample theoretical framework, that allows for a quantitative assessment of beliefs about extension and innovation.
