Philosophy of Extension

PHILOSOPHY OF EXTENSION

  • Philosophy is the pursuit of wisdom, body of general principles or laws of field of knowledge. Essentially philosophy is a view of life and its various components.
  • The practical implication is that the philosophy of a particular discipline would furnish the principles or guidelines with which to shape or mould the programmes or activities relating to that discipline.
  • Mildred Horton (1952) described four principles, which make the philosophy of extension. These are
    • The individual is supreme in democracy,
    • The home is the fundamental unit of civilization,
    • The family is the first training group of the human race, and
    • The foundation of any permanent civilization must rest on the partnership of man and land.
  • According to Ensminger (1965) the philosophy of extension is as follows: 
    • Extension is fundamentally a system of out of school education for adults and young. It is a system where the people are motivated through a proper approach to help themselves by applying science in their daily lives in farming, home-making and community living.
    • Extension is education for all the farmers, farm women, youth and villagers as a whole.
    • Extension is bringing desirable changes in the knowledge, attitude and skill.
    • Extension is helping people to help themselves by education and not merely by service.
    • Extension is working with men and women, boys and girls to answer their felt needs and wants
    • Extension is teaching people what to want (i.e. Converting unfelt needs into felt needs) as well as how to work out ways of satisfying these wants, and inspiring them to achieve their desires.
    • Extension is teaching through “Learning by doing and seeing is believing”.
    • Extension is to work in harmony with culture of the people.
    • Extension is a two way channel; it brings scientific information to village people and it also takes the problems of village people to the scientific institutes for solution.
    • Extension is working together to expand the welfare and happiness of the people with their own families, their own villages, their own country and the world.
    • Extension is a living relationship between the extension workers and the village people. Respect and trust for each other and sharing of joys and sorrows results in friendship through which village extension works continues.
    • Extension is development of individuals in their day to day living, development of their leaders, their society and their world as a whole.
    • Extension is a continuous educational process in which both learner and teacher contribute and receive.
  • According to Kelsey and Herne (1967) the basic philosophy of extension education is to teach "how to think, not what to think". Extension’s specific job is furnishing the inspiration, supplying specific advice and technical help, and counseling to see that the people as individuals, families, groups and communities work together as a unit in blue ‘printing’ their own problems, charting their own courses, and that they launch forth to achieve their objectives. Sound extension philosophy is always looking ahead.
  • In the words of Bhatnagar and Desai (1987) extension is an educational, cooperative, collaborative, democratic, persuasive and never-ending process that generates harmony, leadership, effective communication, participation and involvement of the people in organizing self-help activities and projects. It is a system of ‘learning by doing’ and 'seeing is believing’ at an individual level and 'mutual learning’ at group level amongst professional and target beneficiaries, result in a high degree of rapport and empathy.

Last modified: Tuesday, 6 December 2011, 7:54 AM