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BLOG-67: Teaching in Agricultural Extension Education: Can We Improve It?

Among teaching, research and service in extension, teaching remains the most neglected. If we want to bring improvement in all these different dimensions of extension, we must pay serious attention to improving the quality of teaching in extension education, argues Dr. Mahesh Chander..

Dr Mahesh Chander, is Principal Scientist & Head, Division of Extension Education at
ICAR – Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar-243 122 (UP) India.
Email: mchanderivri@gmail.com

 

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  • Agriculture University in Nepal also have the problem that the course/curriculum is outdated and it should be revised in accordance with recent development of technologies in agriculture. Nice article to read for we extensionsit.

  • I congratulate Dr.Mahesh Chander for bringing out another important blog highlighting the poor quality of teaching of extension in India. Today we have many professors and possess doctorate degrees but very few are effective in teaching extension. It is very important to expose the faculty especially of SAUs for refresher trainings. In 2007 and 2008, RAGACOVAS (Now RIVER), Puducherry under CALPI programme ( Capitalisation of Livestock Programme experiences India ) with the active involvement of Intercooperation India (IC) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) the Faculty of Swiss College of Agriculture (SHL), had organised two trainers’ training programme in India and trained extension faculty of 13 veterinary colleges in India in addition to CARI and NDRI. The focus of this programme is on how to teach extension – teaching methodologies (www.intercooperation.org.in/wp-content/…/Vet%20Edu-CALPI%20series%2010.pdf). I wish NAARM, MANAGE etc must involve institutions like SHL, in developing suitable training programmes for capacity building of teaching faculty in the country. There are several opportunities for those who wish to become effective teachers. But unfortunately we do not want to improve further as there is no mechanism to rank the teachers on Ineffective – effective continuum. Because of this the teachers would like to focus on research and PG student guidance for which score cards are well defined. It is high time to introduce and consider student evaluation to evaluate the teachers in SAUs. Unless the teachers are committed the self directed training kits or modules will serve very little purpose. One should be proud to be a teacher and try to give his best to the students. We should not forget that “ A corrupt and incompetent teacher is not only a bad individual, but also an embodiment of a corrupt and incompetent generation. A corrupt teacher can only harm his students much more seriously than a class of corrupt and perverted judiciary, army, police, bureaucracy, politicians or technocrats.”

  • Marketing Officer, GALVAMAD- South-Asia Great thoughts Mahesh Chander Sir I like your Way Forward points covering more exposure and small group meetings with eminent extension experts. Today I realize extension must be integral part of all streams of Veterinary and animal husbandry science.

  • Thanks Ramchandran, we would appreciate receiving comments & suggestions for improving the scenario.

  • Completely agree with Maheshchander.leave been a teacher for 16years in Kerala Agricultural university.