December 2004 // Volume 42 // Number 6
Editor's Page
Editor's Page
"JOE On-Line--All of It" announces just what the heading suggests and
reflects on how things have changed--and haven't. "December JOE" points
to articles whose topics wouldn't even have been on our radar screen when the
first JOE issue was published and to Commentary articles that ask the same question
and challenge us with their different answers.
Commentary
Is Extension an Idea Whose Time Has Come--and Gone?
McDowell, George
Extension and its funding are in deep trouble all across the country. Some
influences on our situation are in the society and beyond Extension's control.
Other influences are within Extension's control and include broadening our
support base, controlling our own self-destructive behavior, making sure we
are knowledge based, and collecting institutionally for the good things we
do. If we cannot accomplish these we may be an organization whose time has
come--and gone.
Participate in the JOE Discussion Forum on "Is Extension an Idea Whose Time Has Come--and Gone?"
Is Extension Relevant for the 21st Century?
Bull, Nancy H.; Cote, Lawrence S.; Warner, Paul D.; McKinnie, M. Ray
As a 90-year-old artifact of the days when an agrarian economy dominated society,
is it possible for Extension to still be relevant? As the primary outreach
and public service function of land-grant universities, the relevance of Extension
is tied to the perception and reality of the relevance of these host institutions.
Did the recent ECOP report A Vision for the 21st Century and other ECOP
statements address whether Extension remains relevant to the 21st century context?
Extension educators are assisting communities of place and of interest and
involving more university and agency colleagues in responding to changing citizen
education needs.
Participate in the JOE Discussion Forum on "Is Extension Relevant for the 21st Century?"
Feature Articles
Smith Lever 3(d) Extension Evaluation and Outcome Reporting--A Scorecard to Assist Federal Program Leaders
Hoffman, Bill; Grabowski, Barbara
The Government Performance Results Act requires that federal agencies and
programs set goals and measure outcomes (USGAO, 1996); however, program managers
find it difficult to make the transition from measuring program outputs to
developing outcome-related measures (USGAO, 1997). The Hoffman EEOR Scorecard
was developed to help federal Smith Lever 3(d) program leaders with this problem
by blending the LOGIC Evaluation Model with the utilization of Extension evaluation
and outcome reporting (EEOR) ideal practices. The utility of this question-based
scorecard for all Smith Lever 3(d) programs is exemplified through its use
with the CSREES Extension Integrated Pest Management Implementation Program.
Moving Towards Ecologically Based Pest Management: A Case Study Using Perimeter Trap Cropping
Boucher, T. Jude; Durgy, Robert
Despite almost a half-century of IPM research and Extension efforts,
pesticide usage continues to rise. Scientists and policy-makers have criticized
IPM for a continued dependency on chemical solutions. They argue that long-term
solutions will only be found by restructuring the crop system to incorporate
preventative ecological measures that keep organisms from reaching pest status.
Extension and IPM risk losing credibility on environmental issues concerning
pesticides and risk losing funding to organizations that are willing to develop
ecologically based pest management solutions. Perimeter trap cropping is presented
as one example of an ecologically based solution.
A Profile of Female County Agricultural Agents in Today's CES
Seevers, Brenda S.; Foster, Billye B.
Female county agents with agricultural program responsibilities consist of
only about 11.4% of the total population. The study discussed here created
a profile of women employed by the Cooperative Extension Service with agricultural
program responsibilities at the county level. A mail questionnaire was sent
to a census of the population (N = 488). Despite a high level of job satisfaction,
almost 60% of the women felt they had experienced barriers and challenges in
their profession as a result of gender.
Agent Performance and Customer Satisfaction
Terry, Bryan D.; Israel, Glenn D.
To fulfill its mission, Extension must develop programs that are relevant and high
quality, and improve the lives of clients. Customer satisfaction surveys are
used in Florida to collect data about these attributes. It is also important to
understand how employee performance affects customer satisfaction. Our findings show that customer
satisfaction was not significantly influenced by agent performance and that
Florida Cooperative Extension benefits from the experience of its workforce.
Given the importance of customer satisfaction as Extension's performance measure
for the Florida Legislature, we suggest that administrators should emphasize
customer satisfaction as a major factor in employee performance scores.
Improving County-Based Science Programs: Bringing Out the Science Teacher in Your Volunteer Leaders
Smith, Martin H.; Meehan, Cheryl L.; Enfield, Richard P.; George, Jeannette L.; Young, Jane Chin
4-H programs can play an important role in increasing children's exposure
to, and interest in, science. To be effective, however, specialized training
for volunteer leaders is needed. A method of training adult volunteer leaders
to train 4-H teens to be cross-age teachers of an inquiry-based science program
was designed and evaluated. Key components of this method were specific scaffolding
strategies, including modeling, coaching, effective questioning, promoting
group interactions, and encouraging independent investigation and thinking.
Data from focus group interviews and quantitative measures showed improvement
at all levels of project involvement: Adult volunteer leaders, 4-H teens, and
participating 4-H youth.
Motivations of Resource-Based Tourism Operators in North Dakota
Schroeder, Tim
Many rural areas are rich in natural resources that lend themselves to development
of tourism enterprises that assist with economic diversification. The study
discussed here explored the motivations of small resource-based tourism operators
in North Dakota. Data were collected from 27 tourism operators and analyzed
using qualitative methods. Operators' motivations were diversification, personal
recreational interests, taking advantage of environmental opportunities, helping
keep children in the area, civic mindedness, and personal relationships with
customers. Significant financial success was not a major motivation of the
operators, so Extension personnel should develop ways to work with the non-business
motivations found in the study.
Agricultural Landowners' Lack of Preference for Internet Extension
Howell, Jennifer L.; Habron, Geoffrey B.
Extension providers need to improve the communication of watershed conservation
practices. In order to determine landowners' communication preference a survey
was mailed to a random sample of landowners from four selected watersheds in
Michigan. Four hundred three landowners from four agricultural watersheds completed
the survey. A majority (77%) expressed support for written communication media,
while a minority (19%) supported the Internet. Younger, more educated, more
affluent landowners with home Internet access expressed more support for using
the Internet. Results suggest that Extension staff need to provide more Internet
training and experiences if the Internet is to contribute to watershed conservation.
Evaluating a Domestic Violence Task Force: Methods to Strengthen a Community Collaboration
Cranwell, Michele R.; Kolodinsky, Jane M.; Anderson, Kym; Schmidt, Frederick E.
A domestic violence collaborative was surveyed to evaluate and
make recommendations for strengthening membership, structure, and cohesiveness.
The article presents the evaluation methods, key findings, recommendations,
and the outcome of their implementation. Areas identified for improvement include:
membership diversification, membership-driven agenda, improved sub-committees,
and increased community involvement through outreach. A revised meeting format,
agenda setting strategy, sub-committee parameters, and the addition of quarterly
meetings were recommended and implemented. This model received positive feedback
as a method to strengthen collaboratives. The case study demonstrates how evaluation
research can be linked to practice to make real improvements to a community
collaborative.
Research in Brief
Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals Membership Survey: Results and Implications
Jackson, Ben; Hubbard, Bill; Habecker, Mindy; Kroenke, Mike; Reichenbach, Mike; Simon-Brown, Viviane; Traaholt, Sarah
A survey of the Association of Natural Resource Extension Professional (ANREP)
members indicated two primary reasons for joining: the need to belong to a
professional Extension association focusing on natural resources and the opportunity
to network with other professionals in this issue area. Three issues members
wanted addressed were: training and professional development opportunities,
identification of national natural resource issues and strategies to address
them, and interstate collaboration. Most respondents were satisfied with what
ANREP had done since they became members. Other Extension organizations could
adopt this survey methodology as a means to involve their members in their
strategic planning process.
Survey of Extension Professionals' Skill Levels Needed to Practice Public Issues Education
Singletary, Loretta; Smith, Marilyn; Hill, George; Corcoran, Patrick
The study discussed here examines Extension professionals' perceived skills
to practice Public Issues Education. Extension professionals who responded
rated their skills moderately, regardless of years of experience. This is true
for all experience levels, with each level of experience having certain skill
strengths that might benefit others. Those designing Public Issues Education
trainings and curriculum for Extension professionals should not presume that
tenure or experience in Extension guarantees high skill levels to effectively
practice Public issues Education. Further assessments are needed to determine
more precisely what skills and what skill levels are to be included in future
trainings.
Leadership Training for Transforming the Community: A Participatory Approach
Tackie, Nii O.; Findlay, Henry J.; Baharanyi, Ntam; Pierce, Atheal
The study described here examined the effects of the leadership training workshops
on selected residents in Clayton, a rural Alabama city. Data were obtained
from 40 participants by a survey questionnaire administered 6 months after
the workshops. The results showed that the workshops were well received and
that many participants are using the information gained for community development.
The participatory approach to training has sound philosophical and practical
implications for effective community development. When participants are involved
in identifying their needs and are included in planning of the training process,
they are more likely to receive and use information provided.
Making a Case for Engaging Adolescents in Program Decision-Making
Olson, Jonathan R.; Goddard, H. Wallace; Solheim, Catherine A.; Sandt, Lisa
The study discussed here examined the degree to which adolescents
believe they are involved in community decision-making and examined discrepancies
between adult and adolescent perceptions of common youth problems. Perceptual
data were compared to adolescents' self-reported behavioral data to determine
if perceptions diverge from reports of actual behaviors. Results indicate that
many adolescents do not believe that their thoughts are considered valuable
by decision-makers. However, differences in perceptions among adults and youth
suggest that adolescent perceptions should be considered. Specifically, adults
were particularly aware of adolescent behaviors with observable consequences,
but adolescents were more aware of internal psychological problems.
Personal and Life Skill Development Through Participation in the 4-H Japanese Exchange Program
Arnold, Mary E.
This article presents results of a national evaluation of the 4-H
Japanese exchange program. The evaluation looked at the impact of participation
in the program on personal and life skill development in youth who travel to
Japan or serve as a host to an international youth visiting the United States.
The results indicate that participation in the program has significant impact
on personal and life skill development in youth, whether they travel to Japan
or serve as host. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed few significant differences
in development between youth who travel to Japan and youth who serve as host.
Minimizing Farm Business Succession Risk in New England: Delivery of Transferring the Farm Workshops
Heleba, Debra; Parsons, Robert; Sciabarrasi, Michael
To minimize the risks associated with farm business succession
among New England farmers, Transferring the Farm workshops were held
in March 2003. The workshops introduced farm families to elements of transfer
planning, including current estate tax laws, methods to transfer farm assets,
and determining family and farm goals. More than 200 farmers and others participated
in the workshops. Participation was balanced across age and gender, and represented
a diversity of farm enterprises across New England. There was a statistically
significant increase in participant knowledge gained at the workshop and strong
satisfaction with all aspects of the program.
Exploring Cooperation Between Secondary Agricultural Educators and Livestock Extension Agents: A Case Study
Grage, Kristina D.; Place, Nick T.; Ricketts, John C.
Due to the common goal of youth leadership development, there is the opportunity
for Cooperative Extension's 4-H clubs and Agricultural Education's FFA chapters
to be more effective through cooperation. The qualitative study discussed here
used focus groups to explore the level of and perceptions regarding cooperation
among agricultural educators and Extension agents. Major themes that positively
influenced cooperation were identified as: the relationship between the agricultural
educator and Extension agent, the awareness of the other profession, and the
understanding and perceptions of cooperation. Findings of this study indicated
a lack of collaboration between disciplines.
Effectiveness of an SPAT Educational Program
Renchie, Don L.; Larke, Alvin, Jr.; Jones, Wash A.
Regulatory agencies have been given extensive powers to address public concern
about the use of pesticides. To receive a pesticide applicator license in most
states, individuals must pass certain federal and state certification examinations
(Farm Chemicals Handbook, 1996). Training programs may or may not be
effective in preparing individuals to pass federal and state required certification
examinations. The study discussed here examined the effectiveness of a pesticide
training program conducted under federal law. Data collected from course providers
and license applicants reveal that this educational program substantially improved
the performance of license candidates and should be continued and expanded.
Ideas at Work
Gardening in the Zone: A Collaborative Effort Between Iowa State University Extension and Mass Media Outlets
VanDerZanden, Ann Marie; Haynes, Cynthia
A collaborative project among the Iowa State University Extension Service,
a regional gardening magazine, and regional television stations has resulted
in a new avenue to deliver educational programming related to horticulture.
Gardening in the Zone is a series of 26 2-minute segments that are broadcast
weekly from April through September during the evening news. These segments
provide research-based information to a large audience that traditional Extension
programming methods might not otherwise reach. It also provides a new venue
through which to disseminate the Web address for the ISU Extension Web site
with links to a number of educational publications.
The Pendleton Community Garden Project--More Than Just Planting Seeds
Voluntad, Alice; Dawson, Patricia; Corp, Mary
The Pendleton Community Garden Project is more than just planting seeds. It
is about planting ideas, growing skills, and nurturing leadership and self-esteem
in participants. Extension Family and Community Development, 4-H, and Agriculture
faculty provided leadership in bringing together 22 local agencies to work
with at-risk youth and senior volunteers. Thirty-five at-risk youth and over
100 seniors and community volunteers turned a vacant lot into a community garden
that supplied fresh produce to local food bank recipients and homebound seniors.
Both seniors and youth benefited from this intergenerational partnership, thus
strengthening Extension's leadership role in forging partnerships for sustainable
communities.
Getting the "Yes" to Sponsorships
Galloway, Robin
Extension programs and events can be expensive to operate. This article covers
innovative ideas to attract business sponsors. Learn how to find decision-makers,
create successful requests for funding, and satisfy sponsors before, during,
and after events. Effectively marketing Extension programs as a desirable commodity
to businesses is an academic and practical endeavor. Businesses need to advertise
to attract customers. Most retail stores receive cooperative advertising funds
from their suppliers. The implication is that businesses can leverage their
dollars by sponsoring your events. By understanding managers' motivations,
the outcome will be "yes" when you ask for a sponsorship.
Active Assessment for HACCP Training: Integrating Pedagogical Reasoning with Primary Trait Analysis
Lo, Y. Martin; Fukushima, Kazuko; Rippen, Thomas E.; Gdovin, Susan L.; Hahm, Tae-Shik
An active assessment mechanism based on Primary Trait Analysis (PTA) and the
six aspects of a pedagogical reasoning model was developed to leverage the
effectiveness of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) training. By
integrating critical thinking into the design of problem scenarios, students
are expected to go through five different levels of learning, starting with comprehending science
content and available resources, transforming the information for accomplishing
the task, and implementing into the target process and ending with evaluating and reflecting on
various outcomes of the situation. Students are thereby are expected to develop new
comprehension of the topics.
Maintaining Healthy Boundaries When Working with At-Risk Audiences
Torretta, Alayne
At-risk clients' needs may burn out the most diligent of people. To be most
effective in making positive, healthy changes with at-risk audiences, Extension
professionals must remember to maintain and reinforce healthy boundaries. This
article reviews three types of boundaries, physical, mental, and emotional;
describes healthy and unhealthy boundaries; and explains what to do if Extension
professionals recognize unhealthy client boundaries.
Developing a Heritage Festival
Brzuszek, Robert F.
The remarkable shift in the U.S. from rural to urban life does not come without
social consequences. Many of the learned skills and trades associated with
farming and rural life are now becoming lost to the majority of the U.S. population.
One way of continuing traditional knowledge and skills is by offering hands-on
demonstrations through a community heritage festival. This article describes
Mississippi's community-based Piney Woods Heritage Festival.
Development of a Task Force to Provide Education and Leadership to an Emerging Industry
Fisher, Jeff; Nye, L. Tony; Mangione, David
The Ohio Meat Goat Task Force is a model for engaging resources and building
leadership capacity to generate income and enhance sustainability of farm businesses.
The collaboration of multi-disciplinary faculty, producers, allied industry,
ethnic cultures, and various agencies combines expertise and leadership with
applied experience to foster entrepreneurship. Grants have been secured to
research ethnic market preferences, processing infrastructure and capacity,
and economically viable production systems. Education provides farm businesses
capacity to build leadership, share knowledge, and network resources to capture
value-added marketing opportunities.
Tools of the Trade
What Cooperative Extension Professionals Need to Know About Institutional Review Boards: Recruiting Participants
Brown, Randy; Martin, Sally; Weigel, Dan
As more Cooperative Extension professionals conduct evaluations,
needs assessments, and research that is professionally published and presented,
there is a need to better understand the process for navigating the university
Institutional Review process. This article examines challenges associated with
recruiting participants and is the second in a series providing tips for preparation
of IRB proposals and the implementation of more sound and productive studies.
3D Visualization in Community-Based Planning
Suen, I-Shian; Borich, Timothy O.
A new wave of recently developed Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software
provides for higher levels of analysis, modeling, and visualization for community
development and planning. Beyond the typical 2D static map produced through
most GIS software, more recent developments allow for much more detailed 3D
visual graphics. CommunityViz allows for predictive modeling, data integration,
and 3D visualization. It is the utility of this last capability that is examined
in an Extension pilot program in an Iowa community. Based upon this application,
the potential of this type of software for Extension education is discussed.
Total Resource Management: A Successful Professional Development Program
Fox, William E.; Carpenter, Bruce
The Total Resource Management Program provides an example of how professional
development programs can implement participatory approaches to professional
development. The pilot project of the Texas Cooperative Extension and collaborators
provides opportunity for natural resource management professionals to participate
in training exercises relating the principles of strategic management to natural
resource management while interacting in a multi-disciplinary training workshop
that allows for not only learning from the instructors, but also from their
colleagues and peers. The Total Resource Management program is one of the Natural
Resource Education & Management Flagship Programs for the state of Texas.
Why Should 4-H Horse and Pony Youth Wear Certified Equestrian Helmets?
McKee, Katherine; Brady, Colleen
This article reviews literature that pertains to the use and function of equestrian
helmets. It provides health reasons that may be used to justify the use of
equestrian helmets. The article covers equestrian injuries, helmet wearing
habits, head injuries, and equestrian helmets. The authors use the information
provided to advocate the use of helmets and to recommend that Extension professionals
promote helmet use among youth equestrians.
The Self-Guided Horse Facility Analysis: A Proactive Safety Education Tool for Equine Facilities
Greene, Elizabeth A.; Trott, Josephine F.
Extension professionals who work with horse owners, barn managers, and other
equine clientele often encounter resistance to new management ideas. There
are several faulty theories that horse people often rely on with respect to
safety in equine facilities. Exposing these flaws facilitates convincing horse
owners to adopt safer standard operating procedures. The Self-Guided Horse
Facility Analysis is a checklist-driven booklet designed to help clientele
recognize the potential hazards in their facilities and to make a proactive
change before an accident occurs.
Bringing People with Common Interests Together at a Trade Show
Khan, Mohamed F. R.
The International Sugarbeet Institute was developed as a "one-stop" meeting
place for growers and providers of goods and services required for sugarbeet
production. Growers are provided with the opportunity to discuss their needs
and requirements with providers. For 2 days, individuals and companies make
available all the machinery, equipment, technology, and services required by
the sugarbeet industry. Popular national figures inform growers of issues that
affect the industry. Participants share and discuss ideas on how to improve
sugarbeet production and maintain a viable sugarbeet industry. Trade shows
like the International Sugarbeet Institute are a great tool for Extension educators.
Soil Aggregation: A Practical Exercise for Crop Producer Education
Wortmann, Charles S.; Brubaker, S. Corey
The importance of soil physical properties to crop growth is often under-estimated
by producers. Simple tests are needed for demonstration of variations in soil
physical conditions due to soil properties and management. Tests that can be
used by producers in their fields are preferred. A test of wet aggregate stability
of soil is described that can be used in teaching crop producers about soil
physical properties. The test requires little equipment and less than 10 minutes
of teaching time. The test is also appropriate for use by producers to diagnose
problems and monitor trends on their fields.
