Critical analysis of e-learning opportunities and e-readiness in the public extension system: Empirical Evidence from Tamil Nadu

Application of E-Learning strategies in Agriculture is seen as a potential driving force in bringing about knowledge based on sustainable agricultural development. Efforts have been made to introduce initiatives on pilot basis without taking into consideration, the existing capabilities of the extension systems of the country. Any strategy aiming at providing learning opportunities to extension workers should be based on critical analysis of e-learning opportunities and e-readiness among the existing system. In this backdrop, the present study was conducted in Tamil Nadu to assess the feasibility of e-learning strategies for agricultural development in general and rice sector in particular.An analysis of the distribution of respondents based on ICT skills revealed moderate to high degree (45% and 42%) of ICT skills among the rice workers. Various potential Digital Rice Knowledge Delivery Systems (RKDS) are also identified enabling identifying effective channel for knowledge delivery. Among these RKDS, online courses with field exposure (83%), online synchronous courses (75%) and online asynchronous courses (81%) are identified to have feasibility for launching e-learning in agriculture. E-readiness perception of extension workers revealed that 63% have moderate and 32% have high level of e-readiness. Factors such as ICT ability (r=0.8513**), frequency of use of ICTs (r=0.8638**), experience (r= -0.5353**) mass media exposure (r=0.8113**) and several other socio-economic factors are having significant correlation at 1% level of significance.