Field trial analysis of printed agricultural extension administration learning materials

Endang Indrawati, Idha Farida, Diarsi Eka Yani and Nurhasanah
Universitas Terbuka
Indonesia

The printed learning materials have been revised in the Agribusiness Study Programme in Universitas Terbuka (UT), especially those printed for more than five years, including the materials for the Agricultural Extension Administration course. Evaluation of the learning materials is needed to assess their suitability for promoting the competencies (cognitive, affective and psychomotor) that students need to support their learning.

The purposes of this formative evaluation were to assess the quality of the Agricultural Extension Administration course and generate an analysis based on pre- and post-tests for Modules 2 and 5. The population for the study was all students in the Agribusiness programme, and a sample of 30 students was taken from the Serang Regional Office. The data collected were analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods. The conclusions obtained from the field trial analysis of the readability level of Modules 2 and 5 were as follows. The learning materials were easy to understand and helped students in self-learning; the exercises given were appropriate and related to the content; and the summaries could be understood — but there were not enough examples and the illustrations were not suitable enough. Based on the pre- and post-test analysis, it was found that, after the students studied Module 2, there was a significant increase in their ability to master the content. On the other hand, for Module 5, there was a decrease in their ability to master the learning materials. The students made some suggestions for improving the quality of the materials in the two modules, and they proposed that further research should be conducted to create non-print course materials.