Importance of Extension Evaluation

Importance of Extension Evaluation

  • It is done to measure the degree of the programme in terms of the objectives and goals set forth. This is basically done to determine the changes in the behaviour of people as a result of extension programme.
  • The evaluation is done not only for the physical achievement but also the method and techniques used and of the other steps in programme. Programme planning process so that the strong and weak points may be identified and necessary changes made. Importance
      1. Considerable savings can be made by conducting formative evaluation at training stage.
      2. The plants for coordination outside extension were followed as planned after periodic evaluation indicated that no changes were required.
      3. Evaluation keeps the extension agency on right track and helps in differentiating means from ends.
      4. Evaluation helps in planning of future programme based on evaluation result of previous one.
  • Programme improvement :Evaluation is a integral part of education process. It is focused on the improvement of this process. By taking a critical outlook, we can discover ways and means for improving out education efforts. Thus evaluation gives direction to continued improvement in programming. It is also provides fresh data regarding situations essential for improving programming functions.
  • Programme accomplishment :Evaluation helps us to determine progress with any activity or job. It also allows us to assess the results of our education efforts through evaluation. We can assess the strength, weakness and value of our extension activity and teaching method used. Thus evaluation helps to determine the degree to which specific objectives are being achieved and in the process also helps to clarify these objectives.
  • Public relations :Evaluation provides realistic information to report to the public, parliament and legislative bodies. Organisation, individuals and professional groups in the community need to be constantly informed regarding the extension programme.
  • Profession growth :Evaluation enhances our knowledge it gives us an index as to how we are doing as professional workers. Hence we learn when we evaluate and thereby can rectify our shortcomings.
  • Professional security: Evaluation provides us with information that give us satisfaction, a feeling of accomplishment, confidence is ourselves and in extension education function. It also gives satisfaction to extension workers, panchayat samiti members, leaders and other staff members.
  • Effective workmanship :Evaluation gives up the opportunity to work together as an extension staff to determine the effectiveness of our educational programmes.
  • Impact of extension programmes :Evaluation helps to determine the short term and long-term impact of the extension programme in terms of social and economic dimensions.
  • Content of the programme :Evaluation provides information as to whether the extension teaching methods are being used effectively or not, or whether any non extension methods ae being used etc. it also helps in involving a new methods of extension evaluation enables determination of whether the content is contributing to overall objectives of extension or not.
  • Thus the purpose of extension evaluation is to discover the extent to which programme objectives are being achieved. To determine the reasons for specific success and failures to uncover principles underlying a successful programmes to direct the course fo a programme with techniques for increasing effectiveness, to redefine the --------- to be used for attaining goals and to obtain continuous support, satisfaction and improvement.
    Importance in programme planning
    1. Evaluation helps to establish a benchmark, the first principle in programmer building is to get the fact about a situation and the first measurement in evaluation must be taken at the point where people start or just before the teaching process begins.
    2. Extension shows how far our plans have progressed. Studies of extension work have shown that it often takes years of constant teaching to ensure general adoption of practices.
    3. Evaluation shows whether we are proceeding in the right direction. It helps to test our objectives and to recommend changes were needed.
    4. Evaluation helps to locate strong and weak points in any programme or plan. Improvement can be made only when we locate weak points and makes and effort to strengthen them.
    5. Evaluation improves our skill in working with people. In programme building, much skill is required to enable people to bring all the facts together and to arrive at sound conclusions without domination by professional workers.
    6. Evaluation helps to determine properties for activities in the plan of work. As extension becomes more complex, one of its greatest problems is to determine what to do, how much to do and what to omit.
    7. Evaluation brings confidence and satisfaction to extension work. Volunteer leaders, even more than paid workers benefit by the satisfaction they get from knowing what results are obtained. When the evaluation slows a negative result, we can then change or work in line with what has been found and proceed with confidence with the results of evaluation studies rural people can more intelligently participate in future planning of their own programmes.

Last modified: Friday, 13 January 2012, 6:20 AM