Determinants of Computer Mediated Communication for Farmers

In recent years agriculture production has become a complex business requiring the accumulation and integration of knowledge and information from many sources. Traditional communication channels have all along been used successfully, but these have mostly been monologue and have not allowed for much interaction with users. Computer mediated communication offers greater potential as an interactive mass medium. The determinants of an effective computer mediated communication delineated, will help in formulating wise polices and effective strategies for the development of agriculture. With convergence of communication technologies, any institution involved in the process of agricultural extension worth the name is bound to serve the farmer with the requisitioned information at the requisitioned time. This necessitates the use of computer-mediated demonstrations related to agriculture that offer hassle free and user-friendly access to farmers. In an attempt to identify the characteristics of an effective computer mediated communication, a study was done at Kerala Agricultural University, Mannuthy, Thrissur. Factor analysis using principal axis method was used to extract the nine factors for expressing the characteristics of computer mediated communication. Results indicated Credibility-Accessibility, Presentation-Treatment, Experiential Learning, Animation, Intervention, Cataloguing, Imaging, Audio and Geographic Specificity factors crucial to effective computer mediated communication.