Extension Network Development and Management Training

Learning Outcomes

• Identify and analyse existing networks and stakeholders relevant to extension delivery.
• Develop strategies to establish and expand networks for improved extension services.
• Implement network management practices to maintain effective relationships.
• Evaluate network performance and adjust approaches to achieve extension objectives.
• Demonstrate effective communication and collaboration within networks.
• Apply ethical principles and professional standards in network development.

Target Audience

Extension officers, agricultural advisors, community development workers, and other professionals responsible for delivering extension services in rural or urban settings.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment. However, experience in extension or community development is recommended.

Course Outline

Practicals

Overview

Practicals provide hands-on experience in applying network development tools and techniques. Learners will engage in stakeholder mapping, network design, communication planning, and M&E framework development through simulated scenarios and group exercises.

Practical Activities

• Stakeholder Mapping and Engagement Role-Play — Learners conduct a stakeholder analysis for a given agricultural extension scenario, then role-play engagement with different stakeholder types. (5h)
• Network Design Workshop — In groups, learners design an extension network structure, including governance, roles, and communication protocols, and present their design. (6h)
• Communication Plan Development — Learners develop a communication strategy for a network, selecting appropriate ICT tools and creating a sample information product. (4h)
• Monitoring and Evaluation Framework Exercise — Learners design an M&E framework for a network, including indicators, data collection tools, and a reporting template. (6h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total

Component	Out of	Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored)	100%	30%
Daily Average (multiple choice)	100%	20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice)	100%	50%
Final Total	—	100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

How it works

• Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
• Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
• You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
• If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.

Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates	Discount
5	3% off
10	6% off
15	9% off
20	12% off
25	15% off
30	18% off
50	30% off
75	35% off
100	40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.