10 Principles of Program Planning

Dr. Ashok Kumar

Course Outline

Introduction

 Learning objectives

 Principles of program planning

 Principles related to program

 Principles related to planning process

 Summary

Introduction:

A principle may be defined as a statement of policy to guide decisions and actions in a consistent manner. The importance of having certain principles to serve as guidelines in extension programming has been well recognized. Extension education encompasses many phases of farm, home and community life. To develop a program suited to such vast and varied conditions of human needs and variation is not an easy job. Planning is a complex job and involves a variety of facts, imagination, value judgment, skills etc. So some statements of policy to guide decisions and actions related to programming in a consistent manner are essential in order to develop a plan that will truly reflect the future needs of the extension public.

Objectives:

1. The students will be able to explain the importance of program planning principles in extension work.
2.  The students will be able to apply the principles of program planning in preparing the extension program.
3. The students will be able to apply the principles of program planning in effective execution of the extension program.
4. The students will be able to evaluate the extension program effectively.

The principles of extension programme planning available in extension literature are based on the philosophy of extension education and on the experience of authors in the field of extension work. However, most of the statements regarding principles of program planning have been made by foreign authors (Fanning, 1928; Knans, 1948; Brunner and Yang, 1949; Kelsey and Hearne, 1949; Jans, 1952; Maunder, 1956; Holman, 1957; Randabaugh, 1957; USDA, 1959; Rassi, 1960; Leagans, 1961; Matthews, 1962; Singh, 1962;). A critical look at these principles revealed that they vary in number, sequence, and emphasis and sometimes even in spirit from authors to author. It is therefore imperative that they be examined for their practicability in the Indian context.

Principles of Programme Planning

After a critical analysis of the program planning principles available in extension literature. Sandhu(1965) identified a set of principlesthat may be applicable in developing countries. The wording and sequence of these principles have been purposely kept the same as given by Kelsey and Hearne(1949) so far as possible, in order to maintain uniformity and to avoid further confusion and so are divided into two parts which are eleven in numbers and presented as follows:

1. Principles related to Program:

1. Program planning is based on analysis of the facts in the situation.

2. Program planning selects problems based on needs and interest of local people.

3. Program planning determines definite objective and solutions, which offer satisfaction.

4. Program planning has permanence width flexibility.

5. Program planning has balance with emphasis.

2. Principles related to Planning Process:

6. Program planning has a definite plan of work.

7. Programplanning is an educational process.

8. Program planning is a continuous process.

9. Program planning is a coordinating process.

10. Program planning involves local people and their institutions.

11. Program planning provides for evaluation of results.

1. Program planning is based on analysis of the facts in the situation

To be effective every program must start with the people and situation as they are and then build towards the ultimate goal of better living. It is important to take into account the conditions that exist at a particular time. This implies that factors such as land, crops, economic trends, social structure, economic status of the people, their habits, traditions and culture, in fact, everything about the area in which the job is to be done and its people, may be considered while planning an extension program for an area. These factors may be viewed in terms of established long-term objectives and rural policy. The outcome of previous plans should also be reviewed and results utilized. Factual informationis obtained through block staff, district staff available, local institutions like Panchayat, school, cooperative societies and youth club etc. Assuming that technical knowhow alone, will be able to solve the problems of farming community will be a blunder. No program can achieve expected outcome if they are no in harmony with the culture of the people.

Burner and Yang (1949) argue that there is no greater mistake than to assume that technical know-how alone will solve the problems of the farmers. They say that no program or even technique can achieve the desired results when not in harmony with the culture of the people. ‘Extension knows, if need be, the surer way is to effect cultural change by the slow but certain process of education”.

2. Program planning selects problems based on needs and interest of local people:

All the problems cannot be attacked once. It is necessary to select the most urgent concern. choice of the problems must be among those brought out by the analysis of facts regarding what are felt and unfelt needs. So, the extension work must begin with the interests of the people to be effective. Problems should be related to family, community and block situations. He problems should be arrived at democratically through participation of people, extension staff and others who can contribute to program.Sound program building selects problem based on people’s needs. It is necessary to select these problems, which are most urgent and have widest concern. Problems should be chosen among those highlighted by an analysis of the facts regarding what are felt as unfelt needs. Extension worker should begin with the interests of farm families. It is well known that people join together because of mutual interest and needs.

Burner (1945) said that an extension program must meet the felt needs of the people. Leagans (1961) has recommended that the extension workers adopt the subject matter and teaching procedure to the educational level of the people, to their needs and interests, and to their resources.

3. Program planning determines definite objective and solutions, which offer satisfaction:

In order to hold interest, we must set working objectives and offer solutions which are within reach and which will give satisfactions on achievement. This is related to motivation for action. People must see how they or their communities are going to benefit from the proposed solutions. Very often the simplicity or dramatic effect of the practice recommended is the most potent factors in its wide adoption. Further, if there is to be progress and not more evolution in the development of man, the objectives must be periodically revised in view of the progress made. In others words, as changes occur, objectives need to be predetermined to allow for even further progress to be realized. The set objectives for whom they are intended should understand solutions, which are within reach and will give the satisfactionof achievement of objectives, They should be agreed upon by the people and be attainable and they should be stated in terms that can be measured. Objectives, which are determined by extension worker, should be made clear to the people.

4. Program planning has permanence with flexibility:

Any good program must be forward looking and permanent. Permanent means anticipating years of related and well-organized effort. Along with this lower process, which both follows and makes a long-term trend, experience has shown that particular items will need to be changed to meet unforeseen contingencies or emergencies. Without flexibility, the program may not, in fact, meet the needs of the people. It has been found that particular items need to be changed to meet important emergencies. A  program should be prepared well in advance to its execution but not too far ahead of time. Ordinary events may be subjected to change in part though not in total. It is therefore obvious that an extension program must be kept flexible to meet the changing needs and interests of the people. A program must have flexibility in meeting the changing needs and interests of the people since some events may subject it to partial changes.

5. Program planning has balance with emphasis:

A good program should cover the majority of people’s important interests. It must be comprehensive enough to embrace all age groups, creeds and races at all levels and community, block, state, national, and international problems. It is futile to deal with only one phase of life in a community as an end in itself. At the same time, a few of the most important or timely problems should be chosen for emphasis. To avoid scattered effort, something must stand out. Decisions must be made as to which of the needs are most urgent. The next consideration in choosing items for emphasis is to time and effort throughout the year. Too many things carried out simultaneously will divide either the worker’s or the people’s attention.It is not at all desirable to deal with only one phase of lifein a community as an end in itself.

6. Program planning has a definite plan of work:

A plan of work is the predetermined action to be undertaken to execute the extension program. When plan of work satisfies he questions of 5W’s and 1H like what, where, when, who, why and how, it is said to be success of the extension program.No matter how well a program is thought through, it is of no use unless carried out. This implies good organization and careful planning for action. This implies good organization and careful planning of action. A plan of work is an outline of procedure so arranged as to enable to what, where, when and how the job will be done. In carrying out program plans, i.e., the women in the community may work on one segment, the men on a second segment and youth club members on a third. Organization should be used as a tool to accomplish these purposes, never as an end in itself.

7. Program planning is an educational process:

Program planning in extension is an educational process, which helps increasing knowledge, skill and attitudes. The people involve in program planning should pay more emphasis for skill training and attitudinal changes.The process of program planning itself an excellent teaching device. It teaches people to think, to reason, and make decisions and act through participation. It is time consuming but good investment. Extension program have helped people to solve many problems, but an equality important outcome has been the development of the people themselves to the end that they can more effectively identify and solve the many other problems, which confront them. In this aspect, extension planning is unique and from planning for highways etc.

In planning extension programs, acceptance of the importance of need to use intrinsic educational values is an important prerequisite for the development of effective program procedures. The process of program planning is in itself an excellent teaching device. This concept should encourage the extension workers to devote sufficient time and effort to developing block extension programs. People will become interested in the program when they are involved in the planning process. So, efforts are necessary to involve a large number of people in identifying their needs and significant interests. Effective programplanning is a scientific, problem solving process, in which skilled thinking is necessary to help people meet and overcome the complex problems of today’s society.

The people who do the planning may part in local surveys and neighborhood observations. This provides an opportunity for them to learn more about their own community and area and increase their interest. The extension worker has the responsibility of providing local leaders with the knowledge skills and attitude they must have if they are to help in educationally serving the people. Essentially, learning takes place through the experiences the leader has and the responses he makes to the stimuli of his environment. The experience gained in finding facts, analyzing situations, recognizing problems, stating objectives and thinking of possible solutions and alternatives should make for a better and more effective learning environment. The extension personnel should remember this fact and provide opportunities for the effective participation of local people in program planning.

8. Program planning is a continuous process:

Since program planning is viewed as an educational process and since education is seen as a continuous process, therefore it logically holds that extension program planning is a continuous process. There is no question of exhausting new knowledge, either in the subject matter, which we deal on, or in the methods of teaching. With the constant flux of agricultural technology, extension education is faced with an increasingly more difficult job as it tries to serve the needs and interests of the people. Sutton (1961) said that extension in a changing society must adjust and plan for the future to serve the needs of people. He set forth five steps, which might be useful in making necessary adjustments:

1. Keep close to the people.
2. Be flexible and ready to grasp with firmness new problems as they arise.
3. Work with people in seeking practical solutions to their problems.
4. Keep abreast of technological and logical change.
5. Close the gap between research discovery and practical application.

It is obvious that tomorrow’s problem will not be the same as todays. So extension must make periodic adjustments in its plans to meet the changing problems. Extension must also be alert to the change that is going on in science and technology. With new technology, solutions to the problem change. It is therefore necessary to view extension program planning as a continuous process though its recurrence is cyclic. The situation changes through economic ans social trends through actions of people, problems change, emphasis change and phases may be completed and new problems may arise and needs new solutions and new programs

9. Program planning is a coordinating process:

Program planning finds the most important problem and seeks agreement on definite objectives. It co-ordinates the efforts of all interested leaders, groups and agencies and considers the use of resources. It obtains the interest and co-operation of many people by showing them why things need to be done and promotes the best use of all resources. This is important in working with people. Within the extension organization, the block staff may work together on an integrated program, each member devoting part of his energy to appropriate phases. Program planning process requires coordination and efforts of many people including officials and nonofficial. Therefore, a cooperative approach is necessary to achieve success.

9. Program planning involves local people and their institutions:

Involvement of local people and their institutions is very essential for the success of any program for their development. The essence of extension program is to work with and through people. People become interested and give better support to the program when they are involved in the planning process. So, extension programs should be planned with the people and not for them and therefore, they should involve from initiation to completion of theextension program and there should be equitable distribution of benefits among the members of the community. The extension program should make provision for all the participatory members to avail equal benefits and that makes the program sustainable. The local organizations including government and nongovernment agencies should be aware of the program developed at the village level. This will be a positive sign for receiving participation.

10. Program planning provides for evaluation of results:

Since extension program planning involves decision-making procedures, so evaluation is important in order to make intelligent decisions aimed at achieving the stated objectives. Extension program should provide scope for evaluation of result and reconsideration of the extension program. Matthews (1962) pointed out that extension program planning and evaluation go together. Kelsey and Hearne (1949) have said that all other principles of program building are related to evaluation.

Effective evaluation wills, of course, depends on clear objectives, knowing which people we are trying to teach and having records of the results in terms that reflect changes in their action. Starting a program with the intention of engaging in a careful evaluation at the close of a specific period has a salutary effect on all the intermediate processes. However, provision has to be made both for concurrent and ex-post facto types of evaluation. Evaluation provides opportunity to reconsider movements if goes wrong. The scope of evaluation is the main theme of progressiveness.

Summary:

Program planning has certain principles, which hold good irrespective of the nature of the clientele and the society they may pursue and if the program planning principles are followed in preparing and execution of the extension programs in the community, the set objectives along with the results will be achieved and viewed as the success of the extension program. Therefore, all the principles of program planning must be kept in mind by the extension people for preparing the extension programs and in the effective execution for the achievement of the program’s objectives.