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Unit 1: Fundamentals of Extension Education and Communication

Extension Education and Advisory Services - concept, principles, and approaches; Similarities and dissimilarities among extension education, adult education, and continuing/distance education; Historical and emerging perspectives of agricultural, veterinary, animal husbandry, and fisheries extension education in India and other countries; Community Development and Integrated Rural Development Programmes - concept, principles, and objectives; Role of agricultural extension in different sectors of agriculture and rural development; National Agricultural Extension System and Reforms; Public extension systems – ATMA and KVK; National Mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology; Private extension system; Pluralism in extension; Research-Extension-Farmer Interface - Farming System Research & Extension; Agricultural Knowledge and Information System (AKIS); Farmers Field School, Participatory approaches, participatory technology development; Technology Assessment and Refinement; Programmes and schemes for agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries, and rural development implemented by Govt. of India; Impact analysis of extension programmes; Concept, elements, and models of communication; Credibility, fidelity, empathy, and feedback in communication; Problems and barriers in communication; Distortion and noise in communication; Group and mass communication, Interpersonal and Intrapersonal communication, social networks in communication; Art & Science of public speaking; Human behavioural dimensions in extension education - perception, attitude, and emotions; Factors affecting attitude change; Theories of personality and motivation; Understanding of basic rural institutions, social structure, culture, and norms; Social and technological change processes, group dynamics, concepts, and theories of rural leadership.

Unit 2: Extension Methods & Agricultural Journalism

Concepts of andragogy and pedagogy; Human behavioural dimensions in extension - behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism; Factors influencing human behaviour; Types of learning; Domains of learning - cognitive, affective, and psychomotor; Learning theories; Experiential learning; Concepts and elements of teaching and learning processes; Principles of learning; Edgar Dale’s Cone of experience; Classification and features of different extension methods; Selection, planning, and use of Extension methods like demonstration, exhibition, farmers fairs, field days, tours, extension literature, etc.; Preparation and presentation of different projected and non-projected audio-visual aids; Basics of agricultural journalism; Types of publications - bulletins, folders, leaflets, booklets, newsletters, popular and scientific articles; Basics of writing, readability and its indices; Principles of visual design, fundamentals of layout and design, preparation of radio/video script; Principles of photography and its use in extension; Traditional media for communication in development programmes.

Unit 3: Information Communication Technologies

Concept of ICT and its role in agriculture and rural development; ICT tools - print and electronic media, community/internet radio, e-mail, Internet, use of multimedia, use of mobile apps, video and teleconferencing, computer-assisted instructions, touch screens, micro-computers, web technologies, and information kiosks; Social media - features and applications; Websites, portals, expert system, Decision Support Systems (DSSs) and apps related to agriculture, dairy, veterinary, fishery, and marketing, etc.; m-learning, e-learning; e-learning platforms – MOOCs, OER, etc.; Digital agriculture - applications of artificial intelligence (AI), IoT, GIS, GPS, Blockchain Technology; Big data analytics in extension; Market intelligence and information systems in agriculture, networking system of information and challenges in the use of ICT; Types of network - PAN, LAN, WAN, human-computer interactions - meaning; Theories of multimedia learning - Sweller’s cognitive load theory, Mayer’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning, Schnotz’s integrative model of text and picture comprehension, Van Merriënboer’s four-component instructional design model for multimedia learning; Basic principles of multimedia learning.

Unit 4: Training & Human Resource Development

Human resources and their importance in agricultural development; Concept of human resource management; Training and development of human resources; Training Need Assessment – concept, methods, and impact assessment; Training – concept and types; Training process - different phases of training; Models of training; Designing training curriculum; Training strategies - academic strategy, laboratory strategy, activity strategy, personal development strategy, organizational development strategy; Training methods; Factors determining selection of methods; Need and principles of capacity development; Process of capacity development; Levels of capacity - individual, organization, enabling environment; Human resource development - manpower planning, role analysis, role efficacy, induction training, job enrichment, self-learning mechanisms, counseling, mentorship, performance appraisal and feedback; Career development; Evaluation of training - types, levels, and models.

Unit 5: Research Methodology in Extension Education

Types and stages of social research; Research problems and problem statements, hypothesis; Variables - concept and types; Research design - MAXMINCON Principle; Types of research designs - experimental, quasi-experimental, cross-sectional, longitudinal, case study, comparative; Mixed methods designs; Threats to internal and external validity; Measurement – meaning, postulates, and levels of measurement; Reliability and Validity of instruments; Sampling designs - probability and non-probability sampling; Methods of observation - interviews and interview schedules, semi-structured interviews, sociometry, semantic differential, Q methodology, projective techniques; Focus group discussion; Participant and non-participant observation; Techniques of scale construction - paired-comparison, equal appearing interval, summated rating; Item analysis; Scalogram analysis; Development of knowledge test; Methods of constructing indexes; Qualitative research; Parametric and non-parametric statistics for data analysis in social research; Tests of significance; Processing of data, coding-tabulation; Analysis and interpretation; Report writing; Ethics in social research.

Unit 6: Program Planning, Evaluation and Impact Assessment

Program planning and development - concepts and steps; Logic framework approach (LFA) for planning and management of program; Program Evaluation - concept, objectives, principles, criteria, and theories; Difference between monitoring and evaluation; Evaluation process; Steps in programme evaluation; Types of Evaluation; Objective oriented, management-oriented; Context evaluation, input evaluation, process evaluation, product evaluation, consumer-oriented evaluation, expertise-oriented evaluation, adversary-oriented evaluation, naturalistic and principal-oriented evaluation, Goal-free evaluation and meta-evaluation; Levels of Bennett’s hierarchy; Evaluation models - Logic model, Kirkpatrick’s model, Stufflebeam’s model; Programme management techniques; SWOT analysis, Bar Charts, Programme Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT), Critical Path Method (CPM), differences between PERT and CPM, advantages and disadvantages; Defining impact and impact assessment; Impact assessment vs impact evaluation; Social impact assessment – stages and approaches; Theories of change; Criteria and indicators; Quantitative and qualitative techniques for impact assessment.

Unit 7: Extension Management and Organizational Behaviour

Concept and principles of administration and management, classical and modern theories, schools of management thought; Functions of management - planning, organizing, staffing, directing and leading, controlling, coordinating, reporting, and budgeting; Leadership styles and theories; Decision-making in organizations; Organizational effectiveness, organizational climate, organizational development, job satisfaction, and morale; Time management; Performance appraisal; Coordination at different levels of extension management, methods of coordination; Management by Objective (MBO) and Total Quality Management (TQM); Project management techniques; Power and conflicts in organizations; Organizational communication - concepts, channels; Organizational climate, organizational culture vs. climate; Characteristics of organizational culture, creating and maintaining organizational culture; Organizational change, individual and group behaviour in organizations; Team-building process; Problem-solving techniques and negotiation; Motivational theories and techniques, work motivation; Transactional analysis; Managing stress, conflict, and emotions; Creativity - concept and process; Interventions for organizational development - interpersonal interventions, team interventions, structural interventions, comprehensive interventions, mobilization and empowerment skills; Concept and strategies in mobilization, concretization, and empowerment of rural people.

Unit 8: Entrepreneurial Development

Entrepreneurship - concepts, traits, and theories; Entrepreneurial characteristics and motives; Entrepreneurial competencies; Entrepreneurial motivation - need for power, achievement, affiliation, and autonomy; Achievement motivation syndrome; Simulation games and exercises for developing entrepreneurial competencies – risk-taking, self-efficacy, creativity, achievement planning, influencing process, problem-solving; Entrepreneurship development cycle; Entrepreneurial environment - internal and external factors influencing emergence of entrepreneurship; Barriers to entrepreneurship; Women entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship; Programmes and agencies promoting entrepreneurship; Types and techniques of training for developing entrepreneurial activities in various areas; Agripreneurship - agri-clinics and agribusiness centers; Microfinance, start-ups, SHGs, FPOs, cooperatives.

Unit 9: Agricultural Innovation System and Extension Approaches

Innovation - concepts and attributes; Innovation generation process; Role of extension in agricultural innovation system, role of enabling environment - policies and institutions, innovation platforms; Role of innovation brokers, scaling up knowledge for innovation, identification, characterization, documentation, validation, and upscaling of ITKs and grassroots innovations; Diffusion of innovations - concept, elements, models, and theories; Innovation development process (technology generation and promotion); Adoption - concept, process, models, adopter categories and their characteristics; Factors influencing adoption; Diffusion network - opinion leadership, models of communication flows; Communication network analysis and theories; Change agents; Concept and stages of innovation-decision process; Consequences of innovations; New approaches and domains of extension - demand-driven extension, market-led extension (value chain extension), farmer-led extension, group-led extension, public-private partnership-based extension system; Participatory approaches for technology development and application; Engagement of voluntary and farmers’ organizations in extension; Gender-sensitive extension; Privatization of extension; Roles and approaches of extension for enhancing capacity of communities for climate change adaptation; Nutri-sensitive agriculture, agri-preneurship, agri-tourism, and urban and peri-urban agriculture; Extension and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Stakeholders’ analysis, linkages, and strategic partnerships; Sustainable rural livelihood - sustainable livelihood approaches (SLAs).

Unit 10: Gender Sensitization and Empowerment

Concepts of gender - gender roles, gender equality, gender equity; Gender relations, gender balance, gender bias, gender blindness, gender needs - practical and strategic, issues in agriculture and extension; Gender mainstreaming - approaches and methods; Gender analysis framework and tools; Gender empowerment measures; Dimensions and methodologies for empowerment; Gender impact assessment; Gender budgeting; Gender-specific technologies; Gender dimensions in food and nutritional security; Women’s empowerment - principles, framework, and dimensions; Strategies and barriers for women empowerment; Empowerment through SHGs, financial inclusion, microfinance, internet, and education; Women entrepreneurship; Public-private partnership for the economic empowerment of women; Building rural institutions for women empowerment; Digital women rights, constitutional provisions; Global and national policies and missions for the empowerment of women; Government programmes and schemes for women.

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1. Handbook of Agricultural Extension by ICAR

2. Extension Education and Rural Development by G.L. Ray

3. Communication for Development in the Third World by Srinivas R. Melkote and H. Leslie Steeves

4. Diffusion of Innovations by Everett M. Rogers

5. Agricultural Extension: A Reference Manual by FAO

6. Fundamentals of Extension Education and Management in Extension by R.K. Samanta

7. Training for Development by R.K. Samanta

8. Research Methods in Social Sciences by P. Sarantakos

9. Methods of Social Research by Kenneth D. Bailey

10. Fundamentals of Rural Sociology and Educational Psychology by A.R. Desai

11. Agricultural Extension Systems: Issues and Approaches by B.S. Hansra and N.K. Gautam

12. Entrepreneurship Development by S.S. Khanka

13. Managing Human Resources by Wayne F. Cascio

14. Organizational Behavior by Stephen P. Robbins

15. Program Evaluation: Methods and Case Studies by Emil J. Posavac and Raymond G. Carey

16. Participatory Rural Appraisal: Methods and Applications in Rural Planning by N. Narayanasamy

17. Information and Communication Technology in Agriculture by R. Saravanan

18. Gender Mainstreaming in Agriculture and Rural Development by Commonwealth Secretariat

19. Agricultural Extension: Worldwide Innovations by B.S. Hansra and M.S. Chahal

20. Advances and Challenges in Agricultural Extension and Rural Development by Paul Van Mele, Robert Chianu, and Grit B. Adegbola