Andrew, Chandra L. (author) and Tarleton State University
Format:
Dissertation
Publication Date:
2017-01-01
Published:
Ann Arbor: ProQuest
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 17 Document Number: D10469
Notes:
326 pages., ISBN: 9781369787863, Via ProQuest Dissertations and Theses., Stufflebeam’s (1969) context, input, process, product (CIPP) model was used to evaluate 11 undergraduate agricultural communication programs. The programs were selected based upon their 2012-2013 membership numbers in the National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow chapters, with the goal of selecting the universities with the largest undergraduate agricultural communication programs. Research has indicated that regular evaluation is vital to the agricultural industry and the graduates from agricultural communication programs.
The researcher sought to answer the following research questions: 1. How many credit hours does each program require? 2. What categories of courses are offered within the curriculum for an undergraduate agricultural communication degree? 3. What are the expected topics students should receive in each category? 4. What is the degree productivity of each undergraduate degree or concentration in agricultural communication over a five-year timespan?
The context portion of the study was the history of agricultural communication. The input construct of the model was the characteristics of undergraduate agricultural communication programs. The process portion of the model was the traditional programs’ coursework offered in the programs. Finally, the product construct was the topics required by graduates.
The evaluation identified 28 categories of coursework that occurred in the undergraduate agricultural communication curriculum of the 11 selected universities. The frequency of categories occurring at each university ranged from a high of 11 to a low of three. Topics varied depending upon category, but overlap of topics did occur among categories. The overlap indicates that faculty are striving to encompass multiple topics within their offered courses’ framework.
Finally, all programs had increased their number of graduates in a five-year timespan. With the exception of one program, all remaining programs expected enrollment to continue to increase in the future.
Hasan, Md. Mahedi (author), Mondal, Md. Nazrul Islam (author), Islam, Md. Nurul (author), and Hoque, Md. Aminul (author)
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2017
Published:
United States: Taylor & Francis
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 64 Document Number: D10728
Journal Title Details:
32(3): 214-223
Notes:
11 pages., via online journal., Farm programmes (FPs) of varied categories have been developed and
aired over several decades by Bangladesh Betar, the national radio of
Bangladesh for the diffusion of farm technologies. The study aimed
to produce an in-depth academic evaluation of their effectiveness
in educating farmers in Bangladesh. A sample of 465 respondents
from the Khulna and Rajshahi divisions in Bangladesh was randomly
selected for a questionnaire survey. To analyse the data, relevant
documents were collected from the Ministry of Information, the
Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock
of Bangladesh. Frequency distribution, z-test, and binary logistic
regression analysis were used as statistical tools. The farm knowledge
levels of the farmers were considered the predictors for evaluating
the effectiveness of FPs. The results revealed that 93.33% of the
sample did not listen to the FPs, while only very few of the listeners
listened regularly. Despite this, at the ‘weak’ and ‘average’ levels of
knowledge significant differences were noted between listener and
non-listener farmers of FPs. The binary logistic regression analysis
(Model 1) identified that the farmers who listened to the FPs were
likely to acquire farm knowledge 6.62 times more than the farmers
who did not listen to the FPs. The farmers who listened to the FPs were
likely to have farm knowledge 2.64 times more than the farmers who
did not listen to the FPs but consulted with other sources of farming
information (Model 2). Similarly, a listener of FPs with farm training
was likely to acquire farm knowledge 5.76 times more than a nonlistener with farm training (Model 3). The FPs were found to be very
effective and could be used to better complement other mechanisms
for educating farmers. Regular access to the FPs ought to be ensured
through appropriate stimulants for the diffusion of farm technologies.
