Extension Agent's Perception towards the Effectiveness of Mass Teaching Methods Employed in Wheat Growing Education (Case: Golestan Province)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate an extension agent's perception with respect to effectiveness of mass teaching methods employed in educational activities of irrigated wheat growing farmers in Golestan Province. Survey and correlational methods were employed in the study. Questionnaire was used as means to collect data. The study population consisted of the whole extension workers who had participated in the educational activities of irrigated wheat growers in Golestan Province. Trough census sampling method, 91 extension workers were selected. The data resulted was analyzed using SPSS. Establishment of validity was done by obtaining the view points of faculty members of the Department of Extension and Education in Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources as well as the view points of agricultural extension specialists from Jihad of Agriculture Organization in Golestan Province. Reliability test was carried out through a pilot test outside the research sample. Cordnbach's Alpha for questions of extension worker frequency use from group teaching methods and effectiveness of group teaching methods determined as 0.87 and 0.82, respectively. The findings of the study revealed that there exists a significant correlation between the rate of using such educational methods as slide and film (95%) and use of such educational methods as communique, leaflet, poster, exhibition, predicate blackboard and pictures (99%); and an extension agent's perception of the effectiveness of mass teaching methods. This study suggests a paying of attention to extension worker's education on mass teaching methods for more efficient educational activities as regards irrigated wheat growing farmers.