Phase II, Examines how individuals are connected to each other by communication flows in a social system and its effect of diffusion and adoption of an innovation. The majority of farmers in villages seek information on farm and other related matters from their friends, neighbors and relatives which speaks of the role of interpersonal communication in diffusion of innovations. Farmers in a progressive village sought information on high yielding wheat varieties from the best farmers of the village and farmers in non-progressive villages sought information from their friends. A similar trend was observed in diffusion of high yielding rice varieties information in an innovative and a non-innovative village. Relates the interpersonal relationships with the adoption of particular innovations.
Arunrat, Noppol (author), Wang, Can (author), Pumijumnong, Nathsuda (author), Sereenonchai, Sukanya (author), Cai, Wenjia (author), and State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control (SKLESPC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Institute of Communication Studies (ICS), Communication University of China, Dingfuzhuang East Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2017-02-01
Published:
Thailand: Elsevier Ltd.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 163 Document Number: D08153
17 pages., Via online journal., Purpose: This paper presents economic and pedagogical motivations for adopting information and communications technology (ICT)-mediated learning networks in agricultural education and extension. It proposes a framework for networked learning in agricultural extension and contributes a theoretical and case-based rationale for adopting the networked learning paradigm.
Design/methodology/approach: A review of the literature highlights the economic and pedagogical need for adopting a networked learning approach. Two examples are described to instantiate the language for learning networks: a small community of farmers in India and large Twitter community of Australian farmers.
Findings: This paper reviews evidence that successful networked learning interventions are already occurring within agricultural extension. It provides a framework for describing these interventions and for helping future designers of learning networks in agricultural extension.
Practical implication: Facilitation of learning networks can serve to achieve efficient agricultural extension that connects farmers across distances for constructivist learning. To realize these benefits, designers of learning networks need to consider set design, social design and epistemic design.
Theoretical implication: This paper contributes a theoretical framework for designing, implementing and analysing learning networks in agriculture. It does this by integrating existing ideas from networked learning and applying them to the agricultural context through examples.
Originality/value: This paper contributes an understanding of the value of networked learning for extension in terms of economic and pedagogical benefits. It provides a language for talking about learning networks that is useful for future researchers and for practitioners.
