5 pages., A simple random sampling technique was used to select 169 extension officers to examine their level of awareness of information communication technologies in North West Province, South Africa. Data were collected with structured questionnaire and analysed using frequency counts, percentages and multiple regression analysis. The results show that majority of the extension officers were male (76%) with the mean age of 44.6 years, married (79%) and 82.5% were Christians. Forty one percent of the extension officers had Diploma as their educational qualification and a mean of 16.7 years as working experience. The results revealed that out of the 37 ICT tools listed, extension officers indicated high level of awareness of nine tools, which include mobile phones (1.79), computer (1.68), internet (1.77), overhead projector (1.62), fax machines (1.60), organization e mail (1.58), fixed telephone (1.52), personal email (1.52) and organization website (1.50). Significant determinants of awareness level were were religion (t = 1.91, p = 0.58); constraints to ICT use (t = 1.78, p = 0.78); importance of ICT tool (t = 1.93; p = 0.63) and 2 were significant at 0.05% which were competence on ICT use (t= 3.50; p = .001); (t= 2.0, p = .003). The study recommends that more information communication technologies should be made available to extension officers, so that they will become more aware of the use of ICT in extension work as tools that can gather and disseminate agricultural information.
Fritz, Susan M. (author / University of Nebraska -- Lincoln), Namuth, Deana M. (author), Ward, Sarah M. (author), Byrne, Pat F. (author), and Egger, Valerie A. (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2004
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 177 Document Number: C30375
Rutherford, Tracy (author / Texas A & M), Wingenbach, Gary J. (author / Texas A & M), Fritz, Susan (author / University of Nebraska--Lincoln), Husmann, Dann (author / University of Nebraska--Lincoln), Egger, Valerie (author / University of Nebraska--Lincoln), and Wadhwa, Preeti (author / University of Nebraska--Lincoln)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2003
Published:
USA: AgBioForum
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 177 Document Number: C30376