USE OF AN EXTENSION COMPUTER DECISION-AID PROGRAM BY HOME VEGETABLE GARDENERS (HORTICULTURE EDUCATION, COOPERATIVE EXTENSION)

Many state cooperative Extension Services use computers to deliver information, yet very little research has focused on clientele's use of that information. This study looked at users of a computer decision-aid program written for home vegetable gardeners and offered by Wisplan, University of Wisconsin-Extension's computer-based information system. The study attempted to determine who accessed the program and why, how these people used the information from the program, what their attitudes were toward the program and how the program fit into their information seeking process.;Program users had high income and education levels, supporting the Knowledge Gap Hypothesis' prediction that people who access information by new communication technologies have high socioeconomic status. They were also young and urban, and had substantial vegetable gardening experience. They used an average of over five vegetable gardening information sources in the previous and current years, and nearly all of them used the information in their computer printouts. Most said they would go to Extension for vegetable gardening information in the future, and they thought it was a good idea that Extension offered the program. Where they used the program predicted where they would most like to see it offered again, with the overall preferred site being a garden center. However, the majority would prefer to access the program by mail. If the program were offered only at the county Extension office, most people would like to talk to the horticulture agent while there.;General-interest decision-aid programs like the one studied could be used by Extension to increase awareness of Extension's programs, or they could be used within the context of larger educational programs. The high socioeconomic status of study participants suggests that some people might be excluded from Extension's services if information were made available only through such programs.;The program was offered at four Madison, Wisconsin, locations in spring, 1983--the county Extension office, a garden center, a public library and a shopping mall (N = 278). Respondents answered one questionnaire when they used the program and a second one later in the growing season.