JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND EDUCATION RESEARCH
Year:2012 | Volume:5 | Issue:2 (18)|Papers Count:11

The main goal of the present research is to study and analyze the managerial factors influencing on quality of higher education in viewpoint of members of faculty of Agricultural Branches, University of Tehran. The statistical population is 256 faculty members teaching at Agricultural Branches, University of Tehran (Aboreihan and Karaj Branches). By the use of random sampling method and in proportion to the sample size, 83 respondents were chosen through Cochran formula and in order to increase the accuracy, 100 persons were chosen as respondents. The tool for gathering data was questionnaire and its validity was confirmed by faculty members who were teaching agricultural extension and education. In order to determine the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach alpha co-efficient (a=0.86) was used. Data was analyzed by the use of SPSS software. The results obtained from factor analysis indicated that financial resources and facilities, organizational, influencing and leadership, planning and control factors determine approximately 74.82% of total variance of managerial factors influencing on quality of higher education in viewpoint of the tutors.

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of educational factors on developing biological control in greenhouse products from consumer’s point of view in fruits and vegetables markets of Tehran. It was an applied type research and descriptive/correlation method was used. The total population was 15408 consumers and 320 persons were considered as sample. Sample size was calculated through Cochran formula, and sampling has performed systematically and randomly. Research tool was questionnaire and its validity was confirmed by faculty members. The reliability was determined by Cronbach alpha (93%). Data analysis performed by using SPSS software. Based on the perception of respondents, face to face training would have the highest impact on application of biological control by producers on greenhouse products. The results of stepwise multivariate regression analysis showed that workshops and seminars, sabbatical for extension experts, training in schools, TV programs, journals and magazines and sending newsletter to local authorities had explained 37.1 percent of changes in dependent variable.

The purpose of this study was to analyze experts' attitude towards strategies in combating with drought in Alborz province. The design of the study was descriptive, and it was carried out through a survey method. The target population consisted of agricultural experts in Alborz province (N=200). Through Kerjcie and Morgan sample size table 132 experts were chosen as the study sample. Research instrument was questionnaire. Content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of agricultural extension & education experts. A pilot test was conducted to determine the reliability of the questionnaire. Cronbach's Alpha was estimated 0.86-0.94. Factor analysis results showed that about 64 percent of experts' attitude toward strategies for coping with drought is determined by the four factors of irrigation, farming, management and protection.

The purpose of this research was to identify factors influencing the adoption behavior of summer crop farmers in Shoushtar Township regarding integrated pest management of Iran. Total population in the study included all summer crops farmers in Shoushtar township (N=1100). A random sample of farmers was selected based on Krejcie and Morgan table (n=285). The sampling method of this research was random cluster sampling. To test the validity of questionnaire, panel of experts was used. Reliability of evidence was examined by 30 questionnaires and based on Cronbach Alpha; it was determined to be reliable. The type of research was applied research. Also the research method was correlative, descriptive and causal relational. According to the main results of this research, 32.3 percent of farmers has adopted integrated pest management in low level. The correlation between level of adoption behaviors of summer crop farmers regarding integrated pest management and level of education, technical knowledge, and income, amount of dry land, level of mechanization, social participation, social status, and access to communication channels in were significantly positive at 0. 01. The results of stepwise regression analysis show that social Status, technical knowledge, age, attitude may well explain for 52% changes in level of adoption behavior of summer crop formers regarding integrated pest management.

The purpose of this study is an investigation of factors services provided by rural ICT centers in Isfahan province. This research was applied and descriptive-correlation method was used. The total population of this study was rural population in Isfahan province who used the services by ICT centers and by multistage sampling, 198 persons were selected. The research instrument was a questionnaire and its validity was confirmed by faculty members. The reliability was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.87). The results showed that the tendency toward using services was in high level. Majority of respondents have used telecommunication and telephone services. Major problems in using the services were traditional attitudes in using Services and shortages in facilities and equipment. The results of path analysis showed that level of knowledge has greatest effect in the usage of services. Level of Satisfaction from service had the second greatest effect in using services. Path analysis explained about 56.4 percent of the total variability.

The major purpose of this paper was to explore attitude of owners and managers of agricultural SMEs toward ICT application in environmental education with emphasis on Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The descriptive/correlative method was used. Participants of this study were 202 owners and managers of agricultural SMEs of Kermanshah and Ilam provinces who were selected by stratified sampling method. The revised version of New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) was used to develop the questionnaire. NEP scale normalized by reversed translation technique based on statistical society conditions and the validity was confirmed by faculty members at Razi University. Internal reliability was assessed by calculating the Cronbach alpha which was measured to be 0.77. The results showed that attitude toward Electronic Education with mean of 3.11 had a highest correlation with ICT application in environmental education.

The purpose of this study was to analysis the effective mechanisms in application of bio-information in farming activities based on viewpoint of agriculture extension experts of Khuzestan province. The questionnaire was main instrument of this research. Expert panel determines the validity of research instrument and reliability is determined by Cronbach alpha (above 0.7).By stratified cluster sampling, 177 agricultural experts were selected. The method of research was causal- relation. The results of the research revealed that in logistic regression model the most impact variables on the level of appropriateness of applying bio-information in farming activities are accessibility, experimental level, application level, attitude about bio-information and the level of understanding of this type of information. The finally, 4 logistic regression model were presented for predicting level of appropriateness of applying bio-information in farming activities.

This study analyzed the strategies to improve students' attitudes toward agriculture career in College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran. The research method was descriptive – correlation. The statistical population was students at College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran (N=3143) that by using a stratified sampling method and Cochran statistics, 218 persons were selected as statistical sample. The data gathering tool was a questionnaire and its content validity was confirmed by using a panel of experts. Cronbach's alpha showed that the reliability of questionnaire was desirable. The results showed that 97 percents of students had positive attitude toward agriculture career and personal interest, income and social status had high priority in choosing career by them. Factor analysis showed that eight factors, namely the transformation in agricultural education, improvement of training quality and development of team working, motivational-encouraging strategies, occupational-political supports, development and reinforcement of non-governmental organizations, professional development of agricultural workers, development of using information technology in agricultural education and industrial development of agricultural department explained 66 percent of the total variance in strategy for improving students' attitude towards agricultural career. Transformation in agricultural education with the highest amount of total variance was the most important factor in this regard.