Delivery Methods Preferred by Targeted Extension Clientele for Receiving Specific Information

Results from this study of extension clientele in North Carolina depict the need for Extension professionals to provide educational opportunities through multiple program delivery methods. This research is available in Journal of Applied Communications: https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol78/iss1/4 Delivery Methods Preferred by Targeted Extension Clientele for Receiving Specific Information John G. Richardson R. David Mustian Results from this study of Extension clientele in North Carolina depict the need for Extension professionals to provide educational oppQrtunities through multiple program delivery methods. Clientele's choice of methods was based on receiving information thot wos both subject and audience specific, yet the informtition could be re· c:eived in tin understllndable trnd personally comfortable manner. Data were collected by Extension agents using a structured personal Interview. Study respondents were mature adultS; a majority had nonfarm professions as primary occupations, had completed some post secondary training, had at least some dependence on Extension for information, and had received Extension information for more than five years. Respondents indic:otcd personal visits, meetings. newsletters, d monstrations, ond workshops as most preferred delivery methods. Other major findings include: method demonstrations were preferred by younger. more educated clientele: clientele with less dependence on Extension and fewer years of contact with Extension preferred the videocassette: farmers preferred personal visits and meetings more than did Individuals with other occupations; and clientele with th longest interaction with Extension and those perceiving Extension profe$$ionals as educ ators were more likely to identify computer software and computer networks as important program delivery methods. Jolin (i. JUcMr4a,on 1, on Exlt~ SptdoH$l-Ed1JCotlonol Prog,o! Y1$ (Ot U\oC' Nonh (~rolino (~ro\hc El.~~~~~ ond eicte~ A.~(e Pf«e»Qf of Adu1" o! W C(ll'tVl'lut1ltyColl,e,g:e Edvcotlon 11 North C.1olitlo ~o:e Univ~sily. R. OovSd Mu.st.tan b $tote Le,ader of Ev1 ! uo1lon ror the Horth Coro&lo <:009(':rodve E.wt.el'\llon ~~ oOO Profc-»Ot of Adult ond Commun! )' Colfq>e Ed1Ki1dOn ot ! '1otlh Cerollne State U nh·ffslty . Joum&I of Applkd Comm:Wlk4.UOJU. VOi , 78. No, I . I994/2l 1 Richardson and Mustian: Delivery Methods Preferred by Targeted Extension Clientele for Re Published by New Prairie Press, 2017 lntrOOu<:tion <:oopcr. ,tive Extension cducati<ln i$ bHCd on nonformal program deli very with voluntary partidpant.s, As the l& nd ,grtint un ivCt$ i ly sys1em evolv ed , printed mtitcrial s, such as re-search bul! ttins. were made 3iv. ,il&blc ti t E>tpcrimcnt St.,lie> ns for those persons who were aware or the Stations' existence and so ught them out. ~ter . de monstrations were used ext en si vely for successful Extension edu<:"&tion delivery. Although man) ' or the original pr ogram dtl ivery method$ or Cooperative ExtcnsiO! 'l . iirc $lilt use d successfully, program del ivery options ond opport unities h. ,vc e.xptindcd t:ts c:ommunic:. ,tion tec::hnotogies have changed. Some techno l og ies t hat were unovoilable in earlier yeors of ExtcMion education. s h os the telephone :ind radio. are now token for grant ed as delivery methods. Now. com• putcr nctwotk.s, s. :,tcll ite tronsmi$$iOn$, ond other h tech communication systems are becoming a normal part of our doily living, Because o f the continuously e>tpanding means for reaching d ien te le. Ex tCn$ion educator$ will need to maint.oin <:urtent knowledge of available delivery methods not only to keep up with chonging prefer. er\C:eS of <:lientele but tilso to &$. SeSs the u1Ulty of individual methods for achieving educaHonal objec tiv es efficiently Md effectively.