Extension Practice

What is Extension?

A history in Australia

Performance Indicators and Benchmarking in Extension

Pareto's Law

To assist extension planning

Diffusion of Innovations Theory

Founded by Everett Rogers

Peter Honey and Alan Mumford

Learning Styles

Bennett's Hierarchy

Extension Program Evaluation Model

published - 30 September 2016

Continuous Business Improvement Model

The concept of Continuous Business Improvement (CBI) in a project setting is a structured and methodical process for developing profitable farm businesses. It draws on innovations in business and relationships with people. Its single most distinguishing feature is the in-built phase of reflection.
CBI in projects provides information on design and evaluation. …
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Methods & Tools

published - 28 September 2016

Adopt (Adoption and Diffusion Outcome Prediction Tool)

ADOPT has been designed to help evaluate and predict the likely level of adoption and spread of specific agricultural technologies and practices for particular target markets and where adoption will peak and the time it is most likely to. ADOPT is an MS Excel-based tool developed by CSIRO, the Victorian …
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ADOPT, Adoption, Adoption and Diffusion Outcome Prediction Tool, Innovations, Prediction, Target markets

Methods & Tools

published - 15 September 2016

Extension Continuum

The extension continuum recognises that there are four major strategies or models in agricultural extension. It illustrates that as extension situations become more complex, emphasis should be given to approaches, processes and tools that empower people to engage in ongoing processes of experimentation, learning and human development.
It recognises that there …
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Dealing with complexity, Empowerment, Engagement, Experimentation, Learning

Theory

published - 15 September 2016

Programmed Learning Model

Programmed Learning is essentially about formal or ‘packaged’ education opportunities that are positioned beyond informal learning that is often based on existing knowledge and experiences of individuals or bounded within a certain group. (Coutts et al., 2005). Programmed learning can be a formal qualification delivered by a Registered Training Organisation …
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adult learning, curriculum, experiential learning, learning objectives, Programmed Learning, top-down

Methods & Tools, Theory

published - 7 September 2016

Group Facilitation / Empowerment Model

This is about approaching extension as a bottom-up process to achieve change – as an exercise in human development for outcomes that have an impact at the farm, community and industry scale (Coutts et al., 2005). It uses a facilitation process to help groups of motivated participants to identify and understand …
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Methods & Tools, Theory

published - 1 September 2016

Cow Up a Tree – Collaborative Learning

A key argument within this theory is that the current extension situation has changed since the linear model of extension (adoption and diffusion model) was adopted worldwide after WWII. Cow up a tree argues that new issues are emerging such as:

Environmental crises
Food safety and quality
Rural and urban relationships, and
Multi-functionality of …
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Actors, Collaborative action, Collaborative learning, Critical engagement, Framework, Learning process approach, New extension approaches

Theory

published - 31 August 2016

Extension is Capacity Building

Capacity Building and Community Engagement is seen as a key development in the contemporary extension space and so is described in more detail as an approach. This is in the context of recognising the constantly changing conditions in which extension takes place (i.e. changing mix of institutional, cultural, political, technological, …
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Capacity building, Enabling change, Facilitation and Empowerment Model, Increasing capacity building, Information Access, Programmed Learning, Technological development

Theory

published - 28 August 2016

Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS)

The Agriculture Innovation System (AIS) is “a network of organisations, enterprises, and individuals focused on bringing new products, new processes, and new forms of organisation into economic use, together with the institutions and policies that affect their behaviour and performance,” (World Bank, 2006:16) that is, the way different agents interact, share, …
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Agricultural Innovation Systems, AIS, Innovation, Network, Partners, Value chain

Methods & Tools