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.
AEX 201 Introduction to Agricultural Extension and
Extension Teaching Methods 2 Units
Evolution of Agricultural Extension Worldwide; Historical perspective of agricultural extension in Nigeria; The past performance of various extension programs, systems and models practiced in Nigeria; Recent trends in agricultural extension; Agricultural extension policies and special programmes in extension; Institutional setting of agricultural extension; Classification and study of various agricultural extension teaching methods; aids and their uses, teaching, learning, learning experience and learning situation – meaning and definition; elements of learning situation and its characteristics; principles of learning and their implication in teaching – steps in extension teaching; Family Approach to Extension Vs. Group Approach. The Change Process (Social Action Process); Preparation and Use of Teaching Materials and Aids.
AEX301 Introduction to 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.
AEX 312 Agricultural Laws and Reforms 2 Units
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.
AEX 421 Information Communication Technology and
Documentation in Extension 2 Units
Meaning and types of ICTs; Overview of technologies used in extension programmes (uses of audio-visuals, phones, cameras, banners, computers, internet and posters in extension); Techniques for documenting farming activities; Practical application of ICTs in documenting farming activities; Use of Web 2.0 tools and on – line resources in extension; Presentation skills; Techniques for news and script writing in extension; Techniques of exhibition and advertising in agriculture; Techniques for printing of films, slides, How to use video cameras, tape recorders, public address system, cartoon and graphics in extension; Constraints to the use of modern ICTs in agriculture; Care and maintenance of selected audio and visual equipment in extension.
AEX 422 – 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 482 Introduction to Research Methods in Extension 1 Unit
Basic processes and steps in selecting research topics; Defining a research problem; Developing research hypothesis and objectives; Introduction to literature review; Principles of research Design; Different sampling techniques; Questionnaire preparation and collection of data; Basic methods of referencing research materials.
AEX 511 – 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 531 – 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 541 – 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 Gender Issues in Extension 2 Units
Concept of gender in agriculture; Gender inequality issues; Gender and poverty levels; Factors affecting poverty in Nigeria; Strategies for implementing gender–biased Programmes; Concept of inclusiveness, vulnerability, marginalization and elite capture in rural programmes; Socio-cultural constraints and obstacles to gender mainstreaming in agricultural extension; Concept, philosophy and principles of rural youth and women programmes; 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.
AEX 581 – Statistics in Agricultural Extension 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 583 – Proposal Seminar 1 unit
Each student is expected to present his/her project research proposal under a supervisor on an area of their choice or they may be assigned specific topics by their supervisors. This will comprise the research topic, background information, problem statement, objectives, literature review, methodology and instruments for data collection to a forum consisting of academic staff and students of the department for approval before field work.
AEX 522- Facilitation and Advocacy in Agriculture 2 units
Concepts of facilitation and advocacy in agriculture; Identification of policy issues and advocacy objectives; Understanding policy – making process; Participatory Rural Appraisal tools (e.g. focus group discussion process); Presentation mechanism; interpretation, facilitating knowledge and information flows; Strategies to stimulate knowledge and information flows; Communication for advocacy; method for learning effective linkage; Conflict management (e.g. negotiation, mediation, reconciliation, arbitration and priority setting etc.).
AEX 552 – 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 556 – 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 572 Environmental Extension 2 Units
Concept of the environment and ecology; components of the environment, equilibrium among the components; Human activities and the environment(interaction between man and environment –merits and demerits); Environmental degradation and the consequences -global warming, greenhouse gases, erosion, desertification, climate change etc.; Environmental control (reclamation and protection), agroforestry practices, global view on the environment; Natural resources conservation; Population growth and dynamics; Malthusian law and the role of science and technology.
AEX 592 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.