Skill in seeing the relationship between principle and practice

PROGRAMME PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION 2(1+1)
Lesson 10 : Abilities of Planners

Skill in seeing the relationship between principle and practice

This involves knowledge and understanding of:

  1. The nature and role of principles related to community development and extension work.
  2. The nature and role of techniques and procedures for carrying out programmes.
  3. The inseparable interdependence of principle and practice in the extension educational process.

Theory and practical always have a relationship. Principles relate to why and techniques to how. One may understand the structure of theory (principle) but unable to apply it practically (Practice). On the other hand, one may be able to use technique skilfully but does not understand its principle i.e. how the technique relates to the whole process of community development or to the specific aspect of the activity. An effective extension worker must understand the principle lying behind his technique in order to make the technique most effective and such workers are more creative.

Rural development workers, sometimes appear to misinterpret the term ‘practical’. They infer that ‘to be practical’ means things must be simple, easy to do and not complicated. The term ‘practical’ suggests that whatever technique works well in a situation, regardless of its complexity, is practical.

Principles” give meaning to techniques and techniques give application to principles. Thus, it is quite obvious that the person who only knows how, and the person who only knows why are always likely to have a job, but the person who knows both how and why will eventually supervise both of them.

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Last modified: Wednesday, 11 January 2012, 6:07 AM