تحليل عوامل تاثير گذار بر كاربري فناوري اطلاعات توسط كارشناسان نظام ترويج كشاورزي ايران

Analysis of Factors Impacting Application of Information Technologies in the Agricultural Extension System of Iran

The use of updated and relevant knowledge and information by extension experts plays a significant and key role in the proper exploitation of productive resources and enhancing farming productivity. Keeping the important and sensitive duties of agricultural extension in facilitating agricultural development in view, extension system needs to upgrade its role as an information system to deliver agricultural information at the lowest cost and shortest time along with a high degree of reliability. Accordingly extension experts in Iran decided to conduct this study to assess the factors affecting IT application. The statistical population of the study consisted of 1145 extension professionals working throughout the country in different provinces. A stratified proportionate random sampling technique was and 241 while extension experts comprising the sample size of the study. The reliability and validity of the tools of study were conformed through a pilot study and expert judgment. The results showed that participation in training courses on IT, attitudes towards IT application in extension, English proficiency, time spent in using internet and computer as well as age and education level were the main variables affecting the extent of IT use and application by extension experts. Regression analysis also indicated that three variables, viz., computer knowledge, internet knowledge and computer use, explained 75.2 percent of variation in the extent ofIT application bythe respondents.