JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND EDUCATION RESEARCH
Year:2015 | Volume:8 | Issue:1 (29)|Papers Count:6

The purpose of this study was to investigate research skills of graduates’ students of Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University. Survey method was applied in this research. The statistical population of this research was M.Sc. and Ph.D. students of Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University from which 68 students were selected. A questionnaire was developed to gather data. Validity and reliability of the research instrument were confirmed based on the evaluation of a panel of experts and Cranach’s Alpha coefficient respectively. The findings of research indicated that students’ information seeking skill was excellent but their research methodology, statistical and writing skills were acceptable. The results of correlation analysis revealed that there was a positive significant relationship between information seeking skill, research methodology skill, statistical skill and writing skill with each other and with total research skill. The relationship between number of papers published, number of research projects and students’ statistical and writing skills were also significant. Applying t test revealed that there was a significant difference between students’ research skill based on educational level and attending to research methods course. In addition, the results indicated that there was a significant difference between students’ writing skill with regard to sex and educational level. On the other hand, students’ statistical skill was significantly different in the case of variable such as educational level and attending to research methods course.

The realization of real goals of agricultural extension has been prevented because of ignoring the psychological issues of farmers behavior by extension agents. Therefore this descriptive- correlation study aims to investigate Factors Affecting the Farmers’ Locus of Control the Locus of Control of farmers, to determine the implications for agricultural extension. The statistical population of research consists of farmers from Bistoon, Belverdi and alzahra settlements near Harsin city (n = 230), and the sample of study is determined 144 pepole by krejcie and Morgan table. According to the results, about 55 percent of farmer shave external locus of control. It means that they attribute their successes and failures to external factors such as luck or difficult situations. By using factor analysis, items of locus of control were classified into six factors and were named as follows: chance and influence of genetic factors, the spirit of independence and self-reliance, know ledge and experience, belief in bad luck, tradition alism and risk aversion. Findings from regression showed that the most important explanatory factors for the locus of control are lawful Management style, publican professional experience, ability to self- assessment and education respectively which totally predict 45% of the variance of locus of control.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the Effects of innovation capacity to improving performance in cooperative of rural women. The present study is an applied research type. The total population of this study was 788 women the members of cooperatives in the Tehran province and 240  of them were selected by using Cochran formula through random sampling method. The main instrument of research was a questionnaire and level of Alpha Cranach at different section was 85 percent. Results related to levels of innovation capacity revealed that low investment on recruitment and training technical staff, The level of investment, investment in technology and new equipment purchases, the level of product, innovation and Changes in previous of cooperatives, the level of marketing, applying new methods of marketing and the level of management, access to required information is regarded as the most important and first priority. Results of multi variable regression reveal that economic, policy, and educational mechanism explain 73% of changes for enhancing innovation capacity.

Agricultural extension could play an effective role in rural development when beyond the transfer of technology; get involved in human resource development. The extension agents could achieve this function of agricultural extension who playing leadership role in the rural community. Thus, this study aims to investigate factor influencing achievement motivation in leadership role among extension agents of Kermanshah province. Factors influencing achievement motivation in leadership role have been recognized by using Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Farmer’s model of achievement motivation consist of background, personal and environmental factors. This is a quantitative study that has been conducted through survey method using questionnaire as the study instrument and the target population of this study are extension agents of Kermanshah province who have participated in a case study. The results of this study have revealed that background factor, personal factor, and environmental factor have explained respectively 14, 49 and 12 percent of variability in achievement motivation in leadership role variance. Therefore, in this paper in spite of introducing determining variables of each factor and investigating their significant relationships with the dependent variable of study, related suggestions for promoting the achievement motivation in leadership role of extension agents would be presented.

This study was to investigate the factors influencing adoption of biological control of rice stem borer (using Trichogramma wasps) which carried out in the East Gila province in 2013. In this study, by using a minimum sample size of Bartlett et al, 370 patients were sampled to avoid errors resulting from non-returned questionnaires; the sample size was selected as 400 farmers. Information required by the questionnaire paddy fields samples were obtained and analyzed. For the analyzing of data in from of econometric model called the Longitudes. The results showed that the most important factors in technology adoption were Trichogramma paddy fields education, participation and collaboration, rice production, agricultural cost, number of birds and number of family members of paddy fields. Apart from two factors: the number of birds and number of family members who had a negative effect on the probability of acceptance of this technology has had a positive impact.

The purpose of this paper waste investigate the students’ entrepreneurial psychological characteristics, driving factors and barriers of entrepreneurship in colleges of agriculture. Statistical population of this research consisted of agricultural students at branches in region 5 of Islamic Azad University, Iran. 341 of them were selected as a sample by using Bartlett’s Table and using stratified random sampling method. Data gathering instrument was a questionnaire that its face and content validity was approved by a group of relevant professionals and its reliability was confirmed by calculating Cranach’s alpha. Results hawed that more than 53 percent of student shovel entrepreneurial morale and psychological characteristics. In addition, from the students’ perspective trepreneurial training and financial wards to the creation of new ideas were the most important composent for entrepreneur ship in the colleges of agriculture. Also, the problems of access to finance for investment and students unfamiliar with farming and rural areas were the most important barriers to entrepreneurship in the colleges of agriculture.