FARMER-PREFERRED LEARNING METHODS AND UTILISED TEACHING APPROACHES BY EGERTON UNIVERSITY, KENYA

Abstract

Universities are centres of frontier knowledge and skills, with the capacity to transform communities,when appropriately and adequately transmitted to users. The aim of this paper was to compare farmer-preferred learning methods and those utilised in teaching during Egerton University\u2019s outreach activities, with a view to drawing useful insights for more effective community future engagements. A cross sectional survey was conducted in 2017, using researcher-administered questionnaires, on a sample of 84 farmers purposefully selected from communities where Egerton University implemented extension outreach programmes. Key informant interviews and focus group discussions were also conducted for community leaders and extension officers in the selected Wards, to supplement data collection. Results showed that the decision to participate in the outreach activities implemented by Egerton University was personal, with nearly all the respondents (99%) citing acquisition of new knowledge and skills as the major reason. Demonstrations were the most preferred and utilised methods (90 and 92%, respectively); while the use of group discussions were preferred by 51% of the respondents and utilised in 86% of the outreach activities. Results also showed significant relations for demonstration (\u3c72 = 17.21, P<.001), touring university model farms (\u3c72 = 68.11, P<.001) and use of training videos (\u3c72 = 40.98, P<.001) between farmer-preferred learning methods and utilised teaching methods. This explains the popularity of demonstrations as a teaching and learning method of Egerton University in connecting theoretical and scientific aspects, to practice. Learner centred teaching methods, with the capacity to facilitate collaborative or cooperative learning, should be enhanced.Les universit\ue9s sont des centres de connaissances et de comp\ue9tences, capables de transformer les communaut\ue9s lorsqu\u2019elles sont transmises de mani\ue8re appropri\ue9e et ad\ue9quate aux utilisateurs. L\u2018objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait de comparer les m\ue9thodes d\u2019apprentissage privil\ue9gi\ue9es par les agriculteurs et celles utilis\ue9es dans l\u2019enseignement pendant les activit\ue9s de sensibilisation de l\u2019Universit\ue9 d\u2019Egerton, en vue de tirer des enseignements utiles pour des engagements futurs plus efficaces dans la communaut\ue9. Une enqu\ueate transversale a \ue9t\ue9 men\ue9e en 2017, \ue0 l\u2019aide de questionnaires administr\ue9s par des chercheurs, sur un \ue9chantillon de 84 agriculteurs d\ue9lib\ue9r\ue9ment s\ue9lectionn\ue9s dans les communaut\ue9s o\uf9 l\u2019Universit\ue9 d\u2019Egerton a mis en oeuvre des programmes de vulgarisation. Des entretiens avec des informateurs principaux et des discussions de groupe ont \ue9galement \ue9t\ue9 men\ue9s \ue0 l\u2019intention des dirigeants communautaires et des agents de vulgarisation des quartiers s\ue9lectionn\ue9s, afin de compl\ue9ter la collecte de donn\ue9es. Les r\ue9sultats ont montr\ue9 que la d\ue9cision de participer aux activit\ue9s de sensibilisation mises en oeuvre par l\u2019Universit\ue9 d\u2019Egerton \ue9tait personnelle, presque tous les r\ue9pondants (99%) citant l\u2019acquisition de nouvelles connaissances et comp\ue9tences comme principale raison. Les d\ue9monstrations \ue9taient les m\ue9thodes les plus pr\ue9f\ue9r\ue9es et utilis\ue9es (90 et 92%, respectivement); tandis que le recours aux discussions de groupe a \ue9t\ue9 pr\ue9f\ue9r\ue9 par 51% des r\ue9pondants et utilis\ue9 dans 86% des activit\ue9s de sensibilisation. Les r\ue9sultats ont \ue9galement montr\ue9 des relations significatives pour la d\ue9monstration (c2 = 17,21, P <0,001), les fermes mod\ue8les universitaires en tourn\ue9e (c2 = 68,11, P <0,001) et l\u2019utilisation de vid\ue9os de formation (c2 = 40,98, P <0,001) entre les m\ue9thodes d\u2019apprentissage privil\ue9gi\ue9es par les agriculteurs et les m\ue9thodes d\u2019enseignement utilis\ue9es. Cela explique la popularit\ue9 des d\ue9monstrations en tant que m\ue9thode d\u2019enseignement et d\u2019apprentissage de l\u2019Universit\ue9 d\u2019Egerton pour relier les aspects th\ue9oriques et scientifiques \ue0 la pratique. Les m\ue9thodes d\u2019enseignement centr\ue9es sur l\u2019apprenant, avec la capacit\ue9 de faciliter l\u2019apprentissage collaboratif ou coop\ue9ratif, devraient \ueatre am\ue9lior\ue9es