Agricultural Extension and Communication Technology
Course Synopsis
GNS 101 Use of English I (2 Units)
See course description under General Studies Unit.
GNS 102 Use of English II (2 Units)
See course description under General Studies Unit.
GNS 104 Information Retrieval (1 Unit)
See course description under General Studies Unit.
GNS 106 Philosophy and Logic (1 Unit)
Symbolic logic, special symbols in symbolic logic, conjunction, negative, affirmation, disjunction, equivalent and conditional statement; the law of thought; the method reduction using rules of inference and bi-conditionals and quantification theory.
MEE 101 Engineering Drawing (3 Units)
See Course description under Department of Mechanical Engineering.
MEE 102 Workshop Practice (2 Units)
See course description under Department of Mechanical Engineering.
CSC 142 Introduction to Computers (2 Units)
To be offered at 200 level. See course description under Department of Computer Science.
See courses to be offered at the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology (SAAT) level.
ARE 202: Agricultural Statistics and Field Experimentation (3 Units)
Elements of statistics –Data collection, assembling, analysis and interpretations. Sampling and sampling techniques. Probability and non-probability sampling. Simple random sampling; stratified sampling; purposive sampling. Representation of data on charts. Computation of arithmetic mean, mode and median. Variance and standard deviation. Rules of probability. Probability theory. Joint probability and conditional probability, Statistical independence. Permutation and combination. Hypotheses testing. Correlation and regression analysis. Analysis of variance. Tests of significance in agricultural research and experimentation design. Review of research methods, Research methodology.
AEC 301: Fundamentals of Agricultural Extension (3 units)
Meaning, philosophy, scope, process and principles of extension; Major concepts in extension such as administration, leadership, motivation, and sustainability; History of Extension in Nigeria; Planning and evaluation of extension programmes i.e. the need for principle of, process of, steps in planning, annual plan of work and calendar of work, and evaluation of extension programme; Communication in extension; Meaning, nature; and elements of communication process, principle of communication, and application of communication process in analyzing communication problems in extension; the agricultural extension agent
AEC 302 - Organization of Village Communities (3 units)
Village organization of major ethnic groups in Nigeria; Social groups and associations; Leadership in rural communities; characteristics, types, functions, role of leaders in rural development and extension work; Definition of Rural Development; Development of rural community leaders; Organizations for rural development in Nigeria; Ingredients for Area Development and Growth attitudes of People, natural resources and institutions; Government involvement in rural Development; Rural Industrialization; Mobilizing Community People for Development
AEC 303: Introduction to Rural Sociology (3 Units)
Sociology as a Science; Definition of Rural Sociology; Importance of study of Rural Sociology; social Organizations and Rural Social Organizations; Major Social Institutions; Rural Urban Differentials; Rural Social Values and Norms; Diffusion of Innovation; Social Processes; Nature and Characteristics; Cooperation, competition, acculturation, accommodation, assimilation, etc Culture.
AEC 304 - Monitoring and Evaluation of Extension Programme (3 units)
The meaning and value of monitoring and evaluation; monitoring and evaluation in extension education; the nature of programme to be evaluated and programme, characteristics; the process of monitoring and evaluation: who monitors/evaluate, what depth of evaluation: Kinds or types of monitoring/evaluation, and the process as a sequence of decisions; Evaluation Frame work: three major elements of evaluation: criteria, evidence, and judgment, a case study.
AEC 305 – Extension Teaching/Learning Process and Methods (3 units)
Extension teaching methods; meaning, classification and discussion of examples from different classes, indigenous extension teaching methods; Extension as an educational process: the meaning of the concepts of teaching, learning and motivation, steps in teaching, learning, and principle of teaching and learning, teaching of and learning by adults; Audio-visual aids for extension teaching: purpose of visual aids, preparation of audio-visual aids and presentation of teaching aid; Practical: role play, visits to Ministry of Agriculture, Villages, Design, preparation and utilization of audio-visual aids, preparation and use of media resources and report writing.
AEC 306 – Agricultural Education and Training (3 units)
Concept of agricultural education and training, purpose of agric. education, social settings for agricultural education, setting for successful agric. programme, characteristics of under educated adults and their implications in agric. education, principles of planning farmer education programme, training need identification, training need analysis, approaches to extension training, problems of extension training in Nigeria
AEC 307 – Agricultural Extension Strategies and Supporting Services (3 units)
Farm family extension: Meaning/Definition, problems and importance of gender, status role of farm family units (e.g. Youth/Children, Men and Women) in extension; Definition, types and importance of local groups and local leaders in extension programme; Extension supporting institutions: Research-Extension-Farmer-Input Liaison-services (REFILS), Research Institutes, agricultural Development Programme (ADP),Credit Institutions: Banks and Credit Cooperation, Input supply companies, Agro-allied industries, and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Community Based Organization (CBO); Extension and Rural Development strategies in Nigeria. Practicals: Techniques of packaging agricultural innovations for farmers – voicing script writing, Agricultural news preparation and presentation.
AEC 308 - Extension Methods and Communication (3 units)
Meaning and concept of communication and Extension; communication process: Major, Model or theory, Element of communication process; Principle of communication in extension, relationship between communication, teaching-learning and adoption process in extension; Communication; Importance design/preparation and utilization of Audio-Visual aids in Extension; Computer and allied tools in Extension communication; Practical: Design, preparation and utilization of audio-visual aids and media resources, communication model building and role-playing.
AEC 309 - Extension Programme Development (3 units)
Types of Programmes, Reasons for programmes, Concept of programme development and stages in programme development. Importance, Process; Principles, Participation, Sustainability of Programmes of programme planning, some concepts relevant to programme development. The course is expected to provide insight into the major Approaches to programme development and clientele participation in programme development. Strategies for clientele participation. Levels of participation. Monitoring of programmes, Types of monitoring, Principles of monitoring, Process of monitoring. Evaluation of programmes, Types of evaluation, Principles of evaluation.
AEC 311 Basic Principles in Rural Development Studies
Concept of rural development, theories of rural development, principles of rural development, approaches to rural development, case studies of rural development programmes, role of local leadership, the rural development worker (training, qualities, curriculum development) and evaluation of rural development.
AEC 310 - Rural Community Development (3 units)
The theories of community; Community as a unit of social change; Overview on the theories of development; community development and other ‘developments’; Approaches to community development. Principles of community development, Stages in community development, leadership in community development, community development officer, community based organizations Case studies on community development in Nigeria and other African Countries; The future of communities in Nigeria.
AEC 312 - Introducing Technological Change in Agriculture (3 units)
Understanding Technological change; Basic sociological Concepts; technological change and Societies; Agricultural Extension; Methods of introducing technological change; General principles of introducing technological change; The work of agricultural Engineers in the Public Extension System.
AEC 314 - Agro-Industrial Information Generation and Utilization (Field trips to Agro based industries) (3 units)
Definition and principle of agro-industrial relations; functions or importance and characteristics of agro-based industries; Linkages between agro-based industries, extension and clientele; Packaging agro-based information and transfer to clientele; , e.g. National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NMCAN), Universities and faculties of Agriculture and Local Artisans, Industrial equipments and processing e.g. Federal Institute for Industrial Research (FIIRO), National Institute for Horticultural Research (NIHORT); Storage: National store product Research Institute (NSPRI). Processing National Institute for Horticultural Research (NIHORT), cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and National Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), Linkages of agro-Industrial related Institutions with other organizations and pubic; Industrial information generation and packaging; Visit to the agro-Industries and submission a report.
AEC 401 Indigenous Knowledge and Adoption (3 units)
Concept of indigenous knowledge, Development of indigenous knowledge, merit, problems/challenges of utilization, problems with diffusion and adoption, compilation of indigenous knowledge in the Nigerian society.
AEC 402: Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (10 Units)
Students are attached to industries, farms, research stations, etc., with a view to making these students develop more skill in farm management, Agribusiness, and related areas, and providing additional opportunity for them to learn to write field reports: Students are supervised during the training period and are expected to keep logbooks and other records designed for the purpose of monitoring their performances. Students are to write reports on their activities on site and present such reports at a seminar in the Department. The logbook, reports and seminar presentation will contribute to the final grades in the course.
AEC 403 - Extension Records (3 units)
Importance of record keeping in Extension; Type and classification of extension records; Example(s) from each of the classes; How, and when to keep extension records.
AEC 405 - Report writing in Agricultural Extension (3 units)
Importance and structure of an extension report; types or classes of extension report; Analysis of case reports. News gathering techniques, Mechanics and techniques of writing agricultural news stories for media. News evaluation and copy editing.
AEC 407: Students’ seminar (3 Units)
Students are expected to undertake studies of contemporary issues in agriculture, and write a term paper on a topical agricultural issue, to be presented in a class seminar. Students are expected to be supervised by instructors assigned to them during preparation of papers. Presented reports will be graded. Performance at the seminar presentation will also contribute towards grading of the course.
AEC 409 Rural Entrepreneurship Development and Extension
Definition of entrepreneurship, who is an entrepreneur, qualities of an entrepreneur, starting a business, managing a business, business skills, risks in business, small scale businesses in the rural areas, sourcing for funds, cooperatives, term paper on feasibility study on a rural enterprise etc
AEC 411 Farm Family Extension
Definitions of rural families, characteristics, importance of families to the society and to development, child training and development, home management and economics- nutrition, hygiene, family planning, first aid etc. A weekend with farm families.
AEC 413 Social relationship and behavioural change
Social relationship as an analytical unit in agricultural extension system, social relationship as an indicator of individuals and groups, innovation process, major theories of behaviour change in agriculture. Social interactions: cooperation, competition, conflict, conflict resolution, acculturation and assimilation. Sources of social and behavioural change in the society.
AEC 500: Students’ Seminars (2 Units)
Preparation, presentation and review of important agricultural issues in Nigeria and globally. Such review will cover the following areas: Agricultural extension development, administration, Women in Agriculture, Children in Agriculture; Gender matters, Rural development, Rural health development, Resource use, production economics, environment, diffusion of innovation, project appraisal, programme planning, Policy and agricultural commodity marketing; climate change.
AEC 501 - Research methods (3 units)
Basic characteristics of science, scientific/research process, Types of empirical research in social science. Steps in empirical research-setting of objectives; hypothesis formulation and testing; sampling techniques, design of questionnaire. Analytical techniques – descriptive and quantitative methods. Interpretation of results. Application of econometrics in data analysis. Use of inferential statistics in data analysis. Research report writing and presentation. Development of research proposal for grant application. Design of questionnaire, preparation, validation and reliability of data instruments.
AEC 502 - Extension Administration and Supervision (3 units)
Meaning of Extension, administration, management and supervisions; Historical development of Extension in Nigeria – the various organization models adopted up to date and emerging models; Principles of administration and supervision; roles and responsibilities of various levels of extension and other relevant staff; Principles of morale and motivation and implications for extension administration and supervision; Handling a personnel matters – staff development and promotion; Creating conducive working environment; disciplines, etc. Suggestions for improving Nigerian extension services.
AEC 503 - Introduction to Social Statistics (3 units)
Definition of statistics, measurement, Descriptive and quantitative methods of analysis, measures of central distribution (mean, median, mode), measures of association-chi square, PPMC, etc, measures of differences-t test, ANOVA etc, Regression analysis, reliability and validity measures, item analysis.
AEC 505 - Group Dynamics and Leadership in Extension (3 units)
Definition and distinguishing characteristics of group dynamics; assumptions in group dynamics; importance of group dynamics in agricultural extension. The place of the individual in the group, motivation, blocks to participation in groups and adjustments to blocks. Group development, phases of group growth; internal and external dynamics of groups; selection, features and use of some group techniques; group evaluation; importance, features and techniques. Some studies in-group dynamics; analysis of some groups relevant to agricultural extension and Practical.
AEC 506 Elements of Comparative Agricultural Extension Systems (3 units)
A highlight of the existing types of agricultural extension strategies e.g. ministry type, T & V etc. Case studies of selected countries in the developed and developing countries, comparison of strategies to highlight strengths and weaknesses.
AEC 507 - Social Change in Agriculture (3 units)
Elements and processes of change; The nature of social change – planned and unplanned; social structure and social differentiation; Measurement of change in rural societies; Resistant and conducive forces to change in rural societies; social movement and social change in contemporary Nigeria; the elements of social action; social change and attitude change; Technological change in Nigerian Agricultural development; Economic aspects of rural social change; Traditional institution and their transformations e.g. family.
AEC 508 - Diffusion of Innovations (3 units)
Definition and elements of diffusion; Perspectives on diffusion in social change. The innovation decision process, Characteristics of innovations, Adoption rates and adopter categories. Opinion leadership, Change agents. Theoretical formulation on the diffusion of innovations. Research traditions on diffusion, generalizations from diffusion research in Nigeria.
AEC 509 - Rural Child and Youth Development Studies (3 units)
Definition, roles, problems and importance of children and youth in Development; children and Youth development initiatives and programmes/projects; Youth development programmes (Review: formation, organization, method success and failure; Formation of Youth Clubs/Organization or group e.g. Young farmer club, 4-11 clubs etc. Child development, Child abuse, Youth development activities (both on and off farm); Youth Extension in grassroots development
AEC 510 - Gender and Women Development (3 units)
Concept of Gender, theories, roles, problems and importance in Development; Women development initiatives and programmes/projects; Women development programmes (Review: formation, philosophy, organization, method, success and failure; Participation of women in agricultural and rural development.
AEC 512 - Extension Psychology (3 units)
Concept of Psychology; Nature of Psychology; Fields of Psychology; definition and characteristics of social psychology; Importance of social psychology to extension; Understanding psychological concepts in extension; Attitudes, Values, Beliefs, Mores, Folklores, Intelligence, Emotions, and Morals; socialization: Process, agents and Products; Personality Development; Practical, Case studies and implication for extension.
AEC 599: Students’ Project (6 Units)
Students are to undertake supervised study on identified agricultural/economic related problems requiring empirical data collection, analysis and report writing. Students are also required to give both oral and written presentation. Students must apply the theories learnt in Research Methodology and econometrics in the implementation of their projects. Assessment of the course will involve grading of the project write-up, oral presentation and oral defense.
