Assessment of training needs for extension personnel of information communication technologies skills in Assiut governorate, Egypt

Abstract

The main objective of this research is to assess training needs for extension personnel in Assiut governorate, Egypt in the skills of information and communication technology (ICT). In order to achieve this objective, it aimed to: (a) Identify knowledge levels for extension personnel of ICT Skills, (b) Identify application levels extension personnel of ICT Skills, (c) Assess training needs in the area of ICT Skills by extension personnel in Assiut governorate, (d) Examine the relationship between training needs for extension personnel and their characteristics. In order to achieve the above objectives, a survey was carried out on 117 extension personnel in Assiut governorate; a questionnaire form was prepared and distributed among all extension personnel in the governorate. The researcher followed up the process of data collection and was able to obtain responses from 117 out of 135 personnel (87%) in the governorate. The multidimensional Models were applied (Borich, Delta N and Modified Delta N), to measure the training needs of respondents, and priorities was ranked according to the needs level. The results showed that the majority of respondents evaluated ICT skills their levels of knowledge and use of these skills as very low or low. Both the perceived and the calculated training needs on ICT and its skills were high or very high. Significant correlations were found between training needs for ICT skills and some characteristics of extension personnel. Great efforts must be devoted to design necessary training programs for extension personnel in Assiut governorate to improve their levels of knowledge and use of ICT skills in order to improve extension work in Assiut governorate, Egypt.