Assessment of training needs of agriculture university teachers

The present study was conducted with a purposively selected sample of 107 teachers working in the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad. The 66.36 per cent of the respondents belonged to middle age and 79.44 per cent were male. The 83.18 per cent had doctoral degree. The 29.91 per cent teachers were working as Professors, 39.25 per cent as Associate Professors and 30.84 per cent as a Assistant Professors. The 46.73 per cent had 11–20 years of experience and 54.21 percent of the respondents attended 5–10 or more than 10 training programmes. The 59.81 per cent of the teachers spent 25–50 per cent of their time for teaching activity and 37.38 per cent researchers spent 50–75 per cent of their time in research activity. The 20.56 per cent extension staff spent more than 75 per cent their time in extension activities. The 37.38 per cent of teachers belonged to high level of training needs, followed by 54.21 per cent with medium level of training needs and 8.41 per cent exhibited low level of training needs. Out five independent variables studied, all the variables were significant negative relationship with the level of training needs. Teaching or instructional competencies emerged as the most preferred training need of the respondents with the RBQ value of 92.75 followed by research competency with the RBQ value of 84.34. The interactive lectures, small group techniques/syndicate/buzz sessions and self learning exercises with RBQ value of 87.85, 87.64 and 84.94 respectively emerged as the most preferred training methods. The other training methods which were moderately preferred by the respondents were case studies/analysis, hands on exercise and brain storming with their RBQ value of 76.53, 74.45 and 70.71 respectively.