Editor's Page

December's Tools of the Trade

Tools of the Trade articles are supposed to "report on specific techniques, materials, books, and technologies that can be useful to U.S. Extension professionals." The ones in this issue fill that bill.

• "Assessment Technology: Its Use in Improving Leadership and Management Performance" describes a method used at Ohio State and, increasingly, across the country to "groom" Extension's leaders.
• For a measurement technique the authors say is "even fun," see " A Technique to Measure Opinions, Skills, Intentions, and Behaviors That's Different--Even Fun."
• "The Revolving Client Pool: One Solution to Value-Added Programming Challenges" and "Developing a Farm Newsletter for Better Communications Between Tenant and Landowner" speak most directly but not exclusively to those of us who work in agriculture.
• In "The Value of a Toolkit," you'll learn how effective a toolkit of flexible, targeted educational resources can be, and you'll find out what one costs, too.
• Then there's "The Happier Way--A Film Review," describing a circa 1920s silent film--about Extension, no less. The author would like to hear from anyone who has more information about the film.

And that brings me to my next topic.

Feedback Wanted

October's Commentary articles have gotten some good feedback. The electronic discussion forum that's part of "Extension: On the Brink of Extinction or Distinction?" http://www.joe.org/joe/2000october/comm1.html contains a dozen or so thoughtful and enthusiastic responses. And the authors of "Value-Free Extension Education?" http://www.joe.org/joe/2000october/comm2.html report getting responses from Extension staff across the country.

That's great. Keep it coming. We want JOE to be a real forum for discussion and force for change. That's why we include authors' e-mail addresses. (And if you really feel strongly, you can always reach more of us in a Commentary.)

In 2001, we'll be testing a JOE electronic discussion forum for even more feedback and livelier discussion. We haven't gotten the bugs worked out yet, but, when we do, you'll be the first to know.

JOE Updates

I've got two for you.

• First, we've just revised the Submission Guidelines http://www.joe.org/sub1.html to make the differences among the types of articles we're looking for a little clearer. (See "Journal Sections/Article Types.")
• Second, more JOE is on-line. As I'm writing this, Jim Lemon and his crew at Ohio State are putting the finishing touches on another year's worth of JOE. By the time you read this, you should be able to search back issues from 1985 to the present. As time permits, we'll delve deeper and post more issues of the pre-electronic JOE.

Best wishes for the New Year.

Laura Hoelscher, Editor