Social Technologies in the Perception of Rural Extensionists in Brazil

Social Technologies are technologies that are adapted to make self-managed enterprises economically viable through a set of transformative techniques and methodologies that promote social inclusion and improve quality of life. This study analyzed rural extension workers' perception of social technologies in technical assistance and rural extension (TARE) services in Brazil. This quantitative study used an online questionnaire, directed at TARE professionals in Brazil, with 575 respondents on the perception of rural extension workers. Analysis of variance was performed using the F-test to compare the means of each set of questions. The proportions of responses were compared using the chi-square test and Fisher's test at a probability level of 5%. Based on the perceptions of the rural extension workers, it was confirmed that most rural extension workers understand the importance of social technologies, and the majority, regardless of region, have similar thinking about social technologies. According to the specificities of each region in Brazil, work can be done to focus on the deficiencies of each extensionist concerning knowledge and work with social technologies. The deficiencies of each extensionist with knowledge and work with social technologies are associated with regional characteristics and the specific demands of each region.