This study was prompted by a lack of information concerning influentials in certain Virginia counties, and the limited involvement of these individuals in Cooperative Extension programs. The reputational method was employed in identifying the influentials in a selected rural agricultural county in Virginia with 10,000 inhabitants. Additional information was collected with a pre-tested interview schedule. The following objectives constituted the framework for the study: 1. Identify the influentials and determine and describe their salient characteristics. 2. Determine the interrelationships and informal structure. 3. Determine the factors to which influence was attributed. 4. Ascertain the extension agents ability to identify the influentials. 5. Derive implications from findings pertinent to Cooperative Extension work. The 23 persons identified as being the most influential were all males who were between 32 and 81 years of age, and all except two were county natives. Occupationally the group was predominated by full-time farmers and retail merchants. The 12 persons attributed county-wide influence were older, had more associations with each other and had held a larger number of formal positions than the local community influentials. All were interrelated through organizations and business contacts and appeared to comprise a unitary structure similar to a "power pool." Each influential in the pool possessed several interrelated factors which contributed to his power. Past achievements was perceived to be one of the most important factors. Results of the study indicate the need for an organized identification program for extension agents and the recognition of the power structure as an important resource in conducting Extension programs. / Master of Science

This thesis was designed to assess the effectiveness of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service's Information Project in reaching an urban audience, as could be determined by analyzing results from a planned informational program involving chemical pesticide information. Data for the analyses were extracted from a primary study, "The Effect of a Planned Communications Program on Change of Attitude and Knowledge of the Urban Dweller Toward Chemicals and Pesticides," Budget Bureau No. 40-6673, financed by a grant from the Federal Extension Service, United States Department of Agriculture. The sample considered was comprised of 597 residents of Richmond, Virginia who were interviewed following conduct of the planned informational program, which used television, radio, newspapers, and a publication. Knowledge and attitude scores of people exposed to the program were tested against 12 variables for significant differences. Statistical methods included frequency distribution, percentage, and t test for significance. Analyses indicated that 140 individuals in the sample (23.45%)had been contacted by mass media. Television had the most contacts; 85 people (14.24%) saw information contained in the planned program. Radio contacted 11 people (1.84%); the newspaper contacted five people (.84%); the publication contacted 16 individuals (2.68%). Of the 48 score comparisons, five showed a significant difference at the 5% level of probability. These were explained as occurring in a chance, non-related pattern. The conclusion was that the planned communications program was ineffective in increasing knowledge and promoting favorable attitudes toward chemical pesticides in the urban audience for which it was designed. / Master of Science

The purposes of this study were: to identify indicators of an effective unit program in Virginia and to test the indicators identified to ascertain their usefulness as an extension program evaluation instrument. Fifty (50) extension agents participated in this study which used a modified Delphi research technique. Three (3) probes were sent to the agents and a field trial was conducted in fifty-four (54) extension units (nine (9) units for each extension district) by the district chairpersons. Probe I requested study participants to submit one-liners which were indicators of an effective unit program. These statements were categorized and synthesized into thirty-eight indicators for probe II. The second probe asked the participants to indicate the extent of agreement or disagreement with the items, thus ranking the indicators according to importance to program quality. Probe III utilized the results of previous probes and ascertained the strength of each indicator. / M.S.

The objectives of the study were as follows: 1. To investigate the following of the Cooperative Extension in the United States (Virginia) and Nigeria (Anambra): A. Background and history B. Organization C. Administration D. Responsibilities of personnel E. Financing F. Program areas G. Training of staff H. Communication processes and methods used I. Reporting and evaluation of programs 2. To write·a descriptive comparison of the two extension systems. 3. To make recommendations for the improvement of the Nigerian Agricultural Extension Service based on the findings. Nigeria has an Agricultural Extension Service which has not been successful in changing the life of the peasant farmers and needs to be improved if agriculture is to be successful in Nigeria. Nigeria's economy has gone down within the last year due to the reduced price of oil on which the nation has built its wealth since the mid-1960's. It is now believed by the Nigerian policymakers that agriculture is a more stable and everlasting base for the economy and again needs to be the primary source of income in Nigeria. The methods used in this study were as follows: A. Literature review. A literature review was made on the elements selected for study. B. Sources of information. Additional information was obtained from other sources such as the Cooperative Extension Service in the United States and Nigeria, personal interviews, world bank offices in the United States. C. A descriptive comparison was made on all of the elements studied and conclusions were drawn. Recommendations for the improvement of the Nigerian Agricultural Extension Service were made. The comparison between the Cooperative Extension Service in the United States and the Nigerian Agricultural Extension Service shows similarities and differences. There is greater similarity in their operations than in the organizational and administrative structure. There are also differences in the methods used to carry out the extension programs, variety of programs, procedures used in program planning and reporting and evaluation of programs. Ten important recommendations resulting from this study are: That the Federal government enact legislation (laws and regulations) which will provide adequate financial support, recognition and direction for the operation of the Agricultural Extension Service. That the technical personnel of the Agricultural Extension Service carry out educational functions exclusively. That additional technical extension personnel be employed so that there is an adequate number to do the work and that they be well trained. That more workers in the Home Economics programs be employed and trained. That the extension workers use the training and visit system (T and V) to train the farmers. That the extension service provide an adequate number of demonstration units. That cine vans (demonstration units) equipped with microphones and cinema equipment tour all the villages more frequently to enlighten the farmers. That a separate Evaluation Section be included in all Agricultural Extension Divisions in the nation. That the personnel of the Agricultural Extension Service be given adequate training in the area of reporting and evaluation. That adequate funds be provided for the reporting and evaluation section so that the workers and the public will know how much progress is being made, / Ph. D.

The success of cooperative extension depends on the knowledge of how to apply the principles of extension education to situations where the activities are to be performed. The cooperative extension services dynamic localized approach to the solution of the common persons problem has stood the test of time. It is not necessary to establish a new system, but what is needed is to increase accountability and efficiency in the way programs are planned and developed. The overall purpose of this study was to develop criteria for assessing the local cooperative extension program planning process in Virginia. Specific objectives that served as a basis for accomplishing the overall purpose of the study were: 1. To identify principles that are basic for planning an effective local extension program. 2. To verify these principles with a panel of experts. 3. To formulate criteria, based on the verified principles, to assess if on-going local extension programs were developed following the accepted programming principles. 4. To field test the criteria to determine the degree to which the criteria are used as guides during the local extension program planning process. This study was a qualitative study. The principles identified and the criteria developed were reviewed by a panel of eight experts, then field tested in randomly selected extension units in the West Central Extension District of Virginia. Using personal interview methodology, unit directors of the randomly selected units were used for the field testing stage of this study. Six of the seven principles identified as basic for planning/developing effective local extension programs were accepted by the panel of experts. Eighteen criteria were formulated based on the accepted principles. Criteria as used in this study implies an overall description of a set of related actions and/or operations which will be called standards of the planning process. It was found that most of the unit directors in the West-Central Extension District of Virginia interviewed for this study use the criteria as guides during their respective programming process. The panel of experts and unit directors agreed that the criteria were important as guides for local extension programming processes. Based on the findings the author concluded that: (a) there are six essential principles for planning effective social extension programs; (b) that there are 18 criteria that can be used as guides for assessing if local extension programs are planned/developed using the essential extension program planning principles; and (c) that it is possible to assess local program planning activities in extension. A recommendation made from the study that the process of assessing local program planning activities be tested statewide to increase the usability potential of the criteria and give possible directions for statewide in-service needs of unit directors and extension agents. / Ed. D. / incomplete_metadata