A Comparative Study on Effectiveness of Programmed Instruction and Lecture Method on Cognitive Domain of Extension Functionaries

Programmed Instruction (PI) is a self-instructional technique in which learners are presented with new subject matter in a graded sequence of controlled steps. The learners work through the PI at their own pace, and after each step, they test their knowledge by answering a question, and they can identify the right answer immediately. To compare the effectiveness of Programmed Instruction (PI) and Lecture methods in bringing desirable changes in the cognitive domain of extension functionaries on the subject, ‘Climate change, its impact, mitigation and adaptation strategies in agriculture’, an experimental study was conducted using Solomon four group design: before-after with three controls considering 240 respondents. The mean cognitive domain scores of PI and lecture method of instruction was worked out. The results of t test revealed that there was a significant difference between effectiveness of PI and lecture methods with respect to acquisition of learning on cognitive domain. The overall cognitive domain effectiveness in PI method (45.17) was significantly higher than the lecture method (32.83). In the areas of sub-domains of the cognitive domain too, the effectiveness scores of PI method of instruction was significantly higher than the lecture method. The study's conclusions suggest that the PI materials can be used most effectively to educate extension functionaries on the new agricultural technologies emerging from time to time. Furthermore, PI can be used to educate literate farmers on new agricultural technologies such as protected cultivation, secondary agriculture, and so on, which will eventually drive them to adopt these technologies.