Browsing by Author "RAJESH BISHNOI"
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ThesisItem Open Access DESIGNING AND VALIDATING AN E-MODULE ON CREATIVITY FOR STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN AGRICULTURE(DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION ICAR-INDIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE NEW DELHI –, 2020) RAJESH BISHNOI; Premlata SinghCreativity plays an important role in development of science and technology. The field of agriculture cannot be exception to it. Presently, it is recognized that the development of innovations in science and technology, ability to compete in the present global market, quality of the scientific research and the development of unreached areas etc. are much dependent upon the creative brain. Hence it is important to conduct studies related to creativity and critical thinking abilities in order to devise appropriate strategy for education. Presently, elearning materials are very effective in providing quality education at higher level. Apart from the textbook, the use of e-learning tools is crucial for expressive and meaningful teaching. However, there are no e-learning modules for enhancing the creativity process and critical thinking abilities in higher education in agriculture. Therefore, this study was proposed to assess the creativity and critical thinking abilities of students and develop a capacity building module on this area. The present study was conducted with specific objectives of assessing the level of creative potential and critical thinking abilities among students, study the relationship among creativity, critical thinking ability, learning climate, socio-personal characteristics and personality traits among students and design and validate an e- module on creativity and critical thinking. The six universities were selected purposively based on ranking released by Agricultural Education Division of Indian Council of Agricultural Research. From each university, fourty students were selected by following simple random sampling. Total number of student respondents for the study was 240. Creative potential assessment test was developed to assess the creative potential of students pursuing higher education in agriculture subject. The result of the findings shows that majority of the agricultural students had low level of creativity score. The overall picture of different dimensions of creativity shows that majority of the students had medium levels of fluency, flexibility, originality and problem sensitivity. Results showed that there was significant difference between Deemed and Low Performing Universities. There was significant difference between High and Low Performing Universities. In contrast, it was observed that there was no significant difference between Deemed and High Performing Universities which indicates that both the categories were at par as far as creativity scores of the students were concerned. The result of the findings shows that the overall critical thinking abilities percentage score of agriculture students was 48.50 per cent. Among the dimensions of II critical thinking, the highest percentage score was obtained for data interpretation (64.86%), followed by deductive reasoning (63.54%) and inductive reasoning (59.30%). On the contrary, the students’ performance on the dimension’s like problem solving (38.13%), identifying assumptions (33.75%) and evaluating course of action (31.46%) was found to be lower than the overall critical thinking score. In the Critical Thinking Abilities Test, the students of deemed universities had performed better (60.44%) as compared to students of high performing universities (47.83%) and low performing universities (37.24%). Out of six parameters of socio-personal characteristics, 4 components viz., ‘gender’, ‘parent’s education status’ ‘level of aspiration’ and ‘academic achievement’ were found to have significant relationship with creativity and critical thinking ability. In personality trait components, ‘complexity’, ‘entrepreneurial orientation’ ‘hunger for knowing’ and ‘independence and courage’ were found to have significant relationship with creativity and critical thinking ability. Among learning climate dimensions, ‘student’s motivation’, teachers’ motivation, ‘teaching methodology and quality of teaching’ ‘information and technology service’ ‘relevance of learning’, ‘library facilities’, ‘counseling and coaching’ and ‘rewards and recognition’ were found to have significant relationship with creativity and critical thinking ability. It was also evident from the study that amongst the learning climate dimensions, ‘rewards and recognition’ had explained about 65.63 per cent variation in creativity while ‘students’ motivation’ had explained about 58.63 per cent variation in critical thinking ability. Seven validation parameters viz., content, visual design, learning & support, motivation to learn, perceived utility and navigation, accessibility, interactivity were considered. The result showed that applicability of the e-learning module ranked first according to the students while learning & support, content, visual design, motivation to learn, perceived utility and navigation, accessibility, interactivity etc. ranked second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh respectively. The overall mean of 2.75 indicated moderately high liking of the e-learning module by the students. Study underlines the importance of making differentiated strategies for enhancing creativity and critical thinking abilities among students in higher education in agriculture. The developed e-module on creativity and critical thinking abilities can be used for all Agricultural UniversitiesThesisItem Open Access VULNERABILITIES AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN RAJASTHAN: A GENDER PERSPECTIVE(IARI, DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION, NEW DELHI, 2013) RAJESH BISHNOI; Premlata SinghClimate change has wide ranging effects on the environment and on socio-economic and related sectors, including water resources, agriculture and food security, human health and biodiversity of arid and semi-arid ecosystems. Developing countries are the most vulnerable to climate change impacts because they have fewer resources to adapt socially, technologically and financially. Hence it is important to conduct socio-economic studies related to climate change in order to devise appropriate strategy for preparedness and adaptation. The present study was conducted with specific objectives of assessing gender role and resource analysis in crop, animal and routine household activities, awareness of men and women farmers about climate change in arid ecosystem, studying the men and women farmers’ perception about climate change, analyzing men and women farmers’ vulnerability to climate change and their adaptation strategy, and documenting the institutional interventions for climate change awareness and adaptation to climate change. The study was conducted in the Bikaner district of Rajasthan. The district Bikaner was selected purposively, while the two blocks and four villages and a total of 60 men and 60 women farmers were selected randomly. It was observed that in crop husbandry activities, women were doing mainly field work like harvesting; intercultural operations and these activities are affected by climate change. Hence, their work load and drudgery needs to be addressed. Majority of the work in the animal husbandry activities and routine household activities were done by the women farmers as compared to men farmers. Awareness about climate change was low in the women farmers as compared to men farmers. Men and women farmers perceived climate change in the same way. Majority of the men and women respondents ‘agreed’ that large-scale deforestation was the reason for the present climate change. Women farmers were more vulnerable (85%) than men farmers (71%) to climate change. Adaptation practices were documented from men and women farmers like farm diversification, mixed cropping, use of ash to protect crop from frost, use of drought tolerant varieties, use of biopesticide, ‘kanna bandhi’, etc. A number of institutional interventions for awareness and adaptation were documented but farmer’s awareness about these was very low. Furthermore these interventions have not reached these remote areas. Participation of women farmers was very low as compared to men farmers in the training organized by different institutions. Study underlines the importance of climate change communication. The study also revealed the increasing drudgery for women farmers in the changing climatic