COURSES DESCRIPTION

AEX101                 Philosophy and Principles of Agricultural Extension                        2 Units

Definitions of extension; Need for agricultural extension; Origin and history of agricultural extension; Basic philosophies and objectives of agricultural extension; Principles governing effective extension work; Introduction to different branches of agricultural extension; Paradigms for agricultural extension; Concepts of adult and community education; Roles of private sector in agricultural development; Strategies for rural and agricultural development.

 

AEX 102                Psychology in Extension                                                                               2 Units

Meaning, scope and importance of psychology; Intelligence – meaning, types, factors and importance in agricultural extension; Personality- meaning, types, and their effect on learning, human relationship and agricultural extension; Perception, emotions and frustration –meaning, types, factors and importance in agricultural extension; Motivation- meaning; types of motivation, theories of motivation and importance in agricultural extension; implications of physical, mental, emotional and social aspects of learning; Needs and theories of need. Problem-solving and decision- making strategies; Evaluation of learners’ achievements.

 

AEX331            Introduction to Agricultural Extension & Rural Sociology                 2Units      

Meaning of sociology and rural sociology; Basic concepts and principles of rural sociology to an understanding of rural situation; importance of rural sociology in agricultural extension and their interrelationship; Importance of rural communities and institutions; Characteristics of Nigerian rural society- differences and relationship between rural and urban societies; Social groups – classification, formation and organization of groups; Social stratification – meaning and forms; Culture and their roles in agricultural extension; Social processes and social change in rural areas; Leadership in rural communities – meaning, classification of leaders, roles and functions of rural leaders and different methods in selection of leaders; Training of leaders – lay and professional leaders; Development of rural community leaders;  The extension agent and the rural community; advantages and limitation of using local leaders in agricultural extension.

 

AEX332                 Extension Teaching Methods                                                                     2 Unit

Agricultural laws in Nigeria; International laws on movement of biological materials, quarantine and procedures; Land Use Act of Nigeria; Land reforms in other countries; Land reforms for reducing poverty in rural and urban areas; Property ownership, acquisition and disposal in general setting; Land tenure systems and small scale farmers in Nigeria; Restrictions on the use and ownership of land; Right in the use of water (the riparian right); Food and drug laws;  Partnership/ concurrent/ co-ownership of properties; Land administration for good governances and conflict management; Policies relating to agricultural insurance; bush burning; marketing , export and import of food commodities; Factors affecting agrarian laws.

         

AEX432 – Agricultural Extension Practices                                                                              2 Units

Practical work experience in Extension Activities; Discussion and application of extension principles and methods to actual problem situations in Nigeria; Targeting existing problems situations in rural areas, such as climate change, climate change adaptation strategies, food security issues, health and family living.                     

      

 AEX 515 – Extension Administration, Organization and Supervision                              2 Units

Concepts, Theories, Principles and Guidelines of Administration, Organization, Supervision as Applied to Extension; Administrative Function and Responsibility in Agricultural Extension; Staff Recruitment, Selection, Placement and Supervision; Budget Development and Fiscal Control; Office Management in Extension; Principles of Morale and Motivation; Implications for Extension Staff Development and Promotion; Discipline, Assessment/Appraisal of Extension Work Accomplishments; Administrative steps to Improve the Nigerian Extension Services.                                                                     

 AEX 521 – Communication and Diffusion of Innovations                                                    3 Units

Concept of communication; The communication process; SMCR model of communication; The concept of  feedback in extension communication; Barriers to effective communication;  Communication channels and media use in extension; Models of mass communication flows;  Definition and elements of diffusion; Processes of adoption and diffusion of innovation; Innovation decision processes (optional, collective and organizational); Characteristics of innovation; Adoption rates, innovativeness and adopter categories; Factors related to differential rates of adoption of new agricultural technology; Opinion leadership and Change Agents; Theoretical Formulations on the Diffusion of Innovations; Implication of these processes and factors to effective agricultural extension in rural areas.

 

AEX 533 – Agricultural Extension Education                                                                        2 Units

Meaning, philosophy, objectives, principles and functions of agricultural extension education; Extension teaching and learning process; Principles of learning; Adult learning theories and principles; Extension clientele system; Development and use of local leaders/leadership in extension work; Problems of extension work in Nigeria.              

 

AEX 547 – Programme Planning in Extension                                                                      3 Units

Importance of Programme Planning in Agricultural Extension; Need, Educational Objective, Learning Experience, Clientele Participation, Plan of Work, and Calendar of Work; Assumptions, Principles, Characteristics of Programme Planning; Programme Planning Models; Programme Development and Organisation; Co-ordination of Extension Programmes with other Programmes in the Rural Areas; The Role of Good Public Relations, Good Leadership and Co-operation for an Extension Worker; Concept of Evaluation Applied to Agricultural Extension Programmes; Monitoring and Evaluation; An Overview of the ADP in Nigeria;  

    

AEX 561         Rural Youth Extension Programmes                                                            2 Units

Concept, philosophy and  principles of rural youth agricultural extension programmes ; characteristics of agricultural extension workers and club leaders; Initiators and aims of setting up rural youth clubs; youth and women programmes in Nigeria and the world; Administration, programme planning and organization of rural youth and women agricultural extension programmes; Educational activities used to promote rural programmes and processes of evaluation.

                    

AEX 581 – Statistics and Research Methods                                                                        2 Units

Data collection techniques; Statistical theory; Different statistical methods for handling data; Levels of measurement, Frequency distribution; Measures of central tendency, Measures of dispersion; Hypotheses testing; Simple correlation; Tests of differences; Regression analysis; Factor analysis; Computer application of statistical tests and interpretation of results; Presentation of research findings in narrative, tabular and graphical forms.

     

AEX 556 – Rural Community Development                                                                        2 Units

Sociological Economic and Related Policy Perspectives as they Relate to Rural Development;  The Theories of Community; Community as a Unit of Social Change; the Micro and Macro Approaches to Social Change; Dimensions of Innovations; Approaches to Community Development; Community Development and other Developments; Model of Rural/Agricultural Development and Their Relevance to Nigerian Situation; Processes and Methods of Community Development/Agricultural Developments;  Problems of Institutions and Infrastructural Community.  Case Studies on Community Development in Nigeria and other Developing Countries; Features of Communities in Nigeria; Assessment of Rural Community Development in Nigeria; Challenges of Rural Community Development in Nigeria; Lessons Learnt in Rural Community Development over the years; Community Leadership and rural livelihood; Agricultural extension and problems of extension system.

      

AEX 554 – Technological and Social Change                                                                     2 Units

Understanding technological change; Basic sociological concepts; Technological change and societies; General principles in introducing technological change; Technological change in Nigerian agricultural development; Obstacles of agricultural change; Reducing resistance to change; Ethical consideration in introducing technological change; Agricultural engineers and public extension system; Impact of technological change in agriculture; Role of extension worker in technology transfer; World Trade Organization (WTO) and its implications for Nigeria‘s agriculture; Selected case studies.               

      

AEX 552 – Advanced Rural Sociology                                                                                   2 Units

General Sociology Theory; Analysis of Social Structure of Rural Agrarian System and Societies; Selected Theories of Social Change and Their Potential for Modernization of Rural Societies; The Rural Urban Continuum; Demographic Characteristics of Rural Nigeria;  Malthusian law and the role of science and technology; Social Change Attitude Change; Measurement of Change in Rural Societies; resistant and conducive forces of change in rural society; Economic Aspect of Social Change; Group Dynamics; Traditional Institutions and Their Transformation in Nigeria; Leadership Patterns; Involvement of Local People in Directed Change; Problems of Rural Societies, their Causes and Solutions; Rural Development Models; Case Studies of Rural Development Projects.                                                                                                          

AEX 599                 Project                                                                                                           4 Units

Each student is expected to choose and execute a research project under a supervisor in any area of their choice or they may be assigned specified areas by their supervisor. These researches are geared towards problem-solving and culminate in a project report.