Characteristics and barriers impacting the diffusion of e-extension among Texas Cooperative Extension County Extension agents

Characteristics and Barriers Impacting the Diffusion of E-Extension among Texas Cooperative Extension County Extension Agents. (August 2007) Amy Marie Harder, B.S., Colorado State University; M.Agr., Colorado State University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. James R. Lindner The overall purpose of this study was to understand the influence of selected factors on the adoption of eXtension by Texas Cooperative Extension County Extension agents. Specifically, the study looked at how the relationships between stage in the innovation-decision process, characteristics of agents, characteristics of the innovation, and barriers to adoption affect the diffusion of eXtension. A random sample of 237 agents was selected for participation in the study. A majority of agents reported they were in the knowledge stage (52%); 31% had no knowledge of the innovation; 8% were in the implementation stage; 3% were in the persuasion stage; 3% were in the decision stage and 2% were in the confirmation stage. Respondents had positive perceptions of relative advantage, compatibility, complexity and trialability as those characteristics related to eXtension. They had the most positive perceptions of complexity. They did not perceive eXtension to have a high degree of observability.

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