Agricultural Extension is a system of an informal education which aims at improving agriculture by educating the farmers. Hence, the extension functionaries should be educated on the new innovations in agriculture from time to time so that, they inturn educate the farmers in a better way. While searching for the new educational technology, Programmed Instruction (PI) was found to be an effective method, which was proved in many fields and with various categories of subjects. Hence, an experimental study was conducted to analyze the effectiveness of PI in bringing desirable changes in the cognitive and affective domains of extension functionaries on the subject, ‘Climate change, its impact, mitigation and adaptation strategies in agriculture’, an experimental study was conducted using Solomon four group design: before-after with three controls considering 240 respondents. Correlation coefficients were worked out between effectiveness scores of PI and the personal and situational, communication and extension education variables of extension functionaries. The results revealed that Educational level (0.419), job involvement (0.375), organisational commitment (0.437), leadership abilities (0.380) and participation in capacity building activities (0.391) were positively related to the effectiveness of PI at one percent level. Whereas, the job satisfaction (0.463), achievement motivation (0.726), contacts with research system (0.725), climate change orientation (0.571), exposure to print media (0.663), exposure to electronic media (0.534), agricultural articles reading habit (0.454) and time spent in field extension work (0.681) were positively and significantly related with the effectiveness of the PI of extension functionaries at five percent level. Further, no significant relationship was observed among the variables such as Rural - urban – background (0.261), Experience (0.131), job autonomy (0.070), Job stress (0.105), Organisational stress (0.153), Organisational climate (0.135).

Programmed instruction, profile characteristics, extension personnel, effectiveness, relationship

The findings of the study clearly revealed that, Educational level, job involvement, job satisfaction, organisational commitment, achievement motivation, leadership abilities, contacts with research system, climate change orientation, exposure to print media, exposure to electronic media, agricultural articles reading habit, participation in capacity building activities and time spent in field extension work were positively and significantly related with the effectiveness of the PI of extension functionaries. Hence, PI may be considered as an effective method to teach the extension functionaries on agricultural subjects from time to time. The PI instructional approach can be used to educate the para extension workers like facilitators in Bhoochethana programme, Assistant Technology Managers, Block Technology Managers, Subject Matter Specialists of ATMA, contact farmers in KVKs etc.

Manjula N., Chandregowda M.J., Shivashankar M. and Srinivasa Reddy M.V. (2022). Relationship of Profile characteristics of Extension Personnel with Effectiveness of Programmed Instruction. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(4a): 672-680.