Extension Outreach Research Articles

Cooperative Extension and Sustainability Outreach: Programmatic Successes, Administrative Support, and Areas for Improvement

According to the 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, without urgent global changes, climate catastrophe caused by warming of greater than 1.5°C will occur by 2030, endangering the planet's capacity to sustain human populations and livelihoods. The National Network for Sustainable Living Education administered a national survey in January 2017 to assess how well-positioned Extension is to address sustainability in the communities the organization serves. Educators from 40 states responded, and 1,395 usable surveys were received. Survey results will help Extension employees discover opportunities for innovation and relevancy in their programming.

Surface Irrigation in the Lower Mississippi River Basin: Trends and Innovations

HighlightsBetween 1950 and 2017, there was a 12-fold increase in irrigated area in Arkansas and a doubling in Louisiana.Groundwater provides over 90% of the irrigation water applied to the 4 Mha of cropland in the LMRB.Ongoing efforts to address aquifer declines have been multi-faceted and include those of producers, public (local, state, and federal) institutions, and private organizations.Irrigation water management innovations include precision grading, reduced-flood or no-flood rice irrigation, pump automation, computerized hole selection, flowmeter requirements, and permit-based water use limitations.Abstract. The Lower Mississippi River Basin (LMRB) is an agricultural region of national and international significance. The basin relies heavily on the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer to provide over 90% of the irrigation water applied to over four million hectares of cropland, with Arkansas using approximately 70% of the water and Mississippi and Missouri using approximately 15% each. Surface methods predominate, especially furrow irrigation using plastic lay-flat tubing in corn, cotton, peanut, and soybean and flood methods in rice. Irrigation extent has steadily increased by approximately 2% per year, such that irrigation withdrawals, combined with the region’s geology, have led to considerable aquifer declines in portions of Arkansas and Mississippi. Attempts to address these declines have been multi-faceted and include innovations in crop management and source water management, and programs in water resources management. Crop management innovations are focused on soybean and rice production and include precision grading, reduced-flood or no-flood rice irrigation, pump automation, and computerized hole selection. Adoption of these practices remains heavily reliant on field demonstrations and extension outreach. Source water management innovations include on-farm reservoirs, managed aquifer recharge, and regional-scale river diversions. Due to the concerted efforts of producers participating in regional and state programs, progress has been made in making surface irrigation more efficient and less reliant on groundwater. However, aquifer decline remains a challenge to the LMRB’s economy, ecology, and culture. Keywords: Aquifer decline, Irrigation, Lower Mississippi River Basin, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, Surface water.

Evaluating Promotional Efforts for Driving Traffic to an Extension Outreach Website

As online communication becomes more important to Extension professionals, understanding how promotional strategies affect the number of people accessing online content also becomes more important. We tracked website visits resulting from four different promotional efforts to understand relative effectiveness of these efforts. Each effort was unique in cost, efficacy, and efficiency. We found that using multiple promotional approaches to drive traffic to educational content can increase engagement over time and allow for reaching larger audiences.

PROTOTYPE KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM UNTUK MENINGKATKAN PENYULUHAN KELUARGA BERENCANA BERBASIS ANDROID:STUDI KASUS BADAN PEMBERDAYAAN PEREMPUAN PERLINDUNGAN ANAK DAN KELUARGA BERENCANA KOTA BEKASI

The management of knowledge (knowledge management) is very important in an institution or organization to acquire and share knowledge (knowledge sharing) in order to develop the human resource potential and manage the company's assets or intellectual institutions, thus becoming close attention of Badan Pemberdayaan Perempuan, Perlindungan Anak dan Keluarga Berencana (BP3AKB) Bekasi. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of the influence of the knowledge management system of knowledge in the KB extension outreach activities, and building a knowledge management system application that can assist employees in planning extension activities online that can be accessed by android smartphone, which is expected to increase the productivity of employees . The method of this research is descriptive quantitative method which is supported by The Most Admired Knowledge Enterprise (MAKE), and a model of knowledge management system knowledge management system architecture using Amrit Tiwana. The results of this study based on questionnaires to the application of the android-based knowledge management system for employees that are on the 3:40 to 4:19 interval, the average value of the entire statement at 4:00 is well received. Keywords: Knowledge Management, Activity Counseling KB, MAKE, Architecture Knowledge Managemet System Amrit Tiwana, Android application.

Linking Experiential Workshops and Increased STEM Interest Among First- and Second-Generation Latino Youth

Extension outreach professionals are searching for new methods to target the growing population of Latino students. Oklahoma State University faculty in the Animal Science department and the 4-H Youth Development program partnered to sponsor a 4-H STEM Institute designed to promote science, technology, engineering, and math to Latino students in the Unidos Se Puede program. The STEM Institute was designed to introduce the Latino youth to college life and STEM based career opportunities. The program was evaluated utilizing the 4-H Common Measures Science instruments. The results indicate a positive impact on the youth’s perception of STEM as a career option. The students increase in self-efficacy predicts the students will increase their persistence in the subjects of science and math (Simpkins, Davis-Kean, & Eccles, 2006). Increased persistence in science and math leads to increased success in post secondary STEM studies and occupations.

GIS/GPS based Precision Agriculture Model in India –A Case study

In the present day context of changing information needs of the farmers and diversified production systems there is an urgent need to look for the effective extension support system for the small and marginal farmers in the developing countries like India. The rapid developments in the collection and analysis of field data by using the spatial technologies like GPS&GIS were made available for the extension functionaries and clientele for the diversified information needs. This article describes the GIS and GPS based decision support system in precision agriculture for the resource poor farmers. Precision farming techniques are employed to increase yield, reduce production costs, and minimize negative impacts to the environment. The parameters those can affect the crop yields, anomalous factors and variations in management practices can be evaluated through this GPS and GIS based applications. The spatial visualisation capabilities of GIS technology interfaced with a relational database provide an effective method for analysing and displaying the impacts of Extension education and outreach projects for small and marginal farmers in precision agriculture. This approach mainly benefits from the emergence and convergence of several technologies, including the Global Positioning System (GPS), geographic information system (GIS), miniaturised computer components, automatic control, in-field and remote sensing, mobile computing, advanced information processing, and telecommunications. The PPP convergence of person (farmer), project (the operational field) and pixel (the digital images related to the field and the crop grown in the field) will better be addressed by this decision support model. So the convergence and emergence of such information will further pave the way for categorisation and grouping of the production systems for the better extension delivery. In a big country like India where the farmers and holdings are many in number and diversified categorically such grouping is inevitable and also economical. With this premise an attempt has been made to develop a precision farming model suitable for the developing countries like India.

Extending Extension's Outreach: Using Student Interns as a Resource for Obtaining Implementation of Irrigation Improvements

Student interns are a resource that can increase the capacities of Extension professionals. Trained student interns based out of Nebraska Extension offices provided water and energy reduction recommendations to irrigators using center pivot irrigation systems. Follow-up interviews and a survey performed 1 to 3 years after the original assistance indicated impacts at levels similar to those garnered via previous assistance from Extension staff. In almost all cases, irrigators implemented soil water sensors, and the main motivations for doing so were financial. Recommendations for other improvements were infrequently implemented; however, as part of making those recommendations, the student interns collected fuel usage data that allowed for quantifying the energy and greenhouse gas impacts from reduced water use.

Assessment and Valuation of the Northern Grapes Project Webinar Series

Webinars have become an important aspect of many extension outreach programs, especially for large research projects that cover wide geographic regions. Evaluation of webinar impact is important to funders and stakeholders alike. Surveys to gather direct and indirect data can be used to evaluate webinars for their overall utility. The results can inform funders of program success and also serve as an indicator of the continued viability of webinar programming for extension audiences. The Northern Grapes Project administered a webinar series on topics related to grape (Vitis sp.) and wine production from 2012 through 2016. Thirty webinars were delivered to an audience of 3083, with nearly an additional 2400 views of recorded webinars. To estimate the value of the series, we modified two models, one that estimated viewer time investment and one that calculated the “green savings.” In addition, we surveyed webinar participants, asking them how much they would pay to watch a live webinar and access the archives, as well as how much money they had earned and/or saved from the information presented. Together, the models and survey indicated a webinar series value of nearly $3.4 million.

Status and proliferation of private schools in Marawi city: Implications on the quality of education

This descriptive research design was conducted to determine the status of the increased number of private schools and its proliferation in Marawi City based on the 1998 Revised Manual for Private Education particularly in the compliance of government requirements and its implications to the quality of education. A total of twenty-six private schools served as the respondents of this study. Many developing nations lack adequate resources to fund public schools and universities. Faced with growing lower-and middle-class populations that are too often underserved, these nations increasingly rely upon private education to complement public education. The increase in the number of private schools could be alarming especially when it comes to quality education. Ideally, private schools should always be adjunct to quality education, yet it is sad to note that the prevailing perceptions on the proliferation of private schools are not accompanied by quality. Findings revealed that the relationship between the profile of the school and the extent of compliance with government requirements revealed no correlation at all, while the t-test revealed a not significant relationship between the teachers’ profile and the level of passing standardized and board examinations. For the relationship between the profile of the owners’/administrators and the extent of participation in extension and community outreach programs, except for the monthly income was found to have not significant relationship with extension and community outreach programs. Lastly, the test of difference between the owners’/administrators’ and teachers’ perceptions on the factors for the proliferation of private schools revealed a not significant difference.

Q Methodology: A Method for Understanding Complex Viewpoints in Communities Served by Extension

This article introduces Q methodology, an idea-sorting activity that can help Extension improve outreach and education on new and contentious issues. Q methodology is a helpful tool when Extension professionals are confronted with controversial or complex resource management challenges. Through the analysis of a simple card-sorting exercise, researchers can determine quantitatively and qualitatively how different issues combine to result in (a) an individual's viewpoint on an issue and (b) groupings of different viewpoints within a community. We describe the basic approach to implementing Q methodology and suggest circumstances in which it can help facilitate Extension outreach and education.

Use of Prezi Software to Support and Expand Extension Outreach and Education

Working with innovative technologies helps Extension professionals promote, enhance, and expand outreach. Innovative software, for example, can support educators in creating presentations that better accommodate various types of learners and appeal to new audiences. This article highlights one such technology: Prezi. Prezi is a free software system Extension professionals can use to develop fresh and effective presentations. Prezi allows for the delivery of information in an easy-to-understand and eye-catching format and is appropriate for use in both traditional in-person and online Extension programming.

Analysis of factors influencing access to credit among catfish farmers in rivers state Nigeria

The research analysed credit constraints among catfish farmers in Rivers state, Nigeria. The study objectives were achieved using descriptive statistics, probit model and likert scale technique. Primary data was obtained with the use of structured questionnaire from 120 respondents through a two stage sampling procedure. Descriptive statistics from the study showed that majority (63.3%) of the fish farmers were males and 70.0 per cent were not able to access loan. Source of capital for most the farmers were mostly personal savings (81.7%). Results show that gender, age and education were determinants of access to credit among the fish farmers. The farmers identified the absence of extension agent visits, theft of fish and high cost of labour as some of the important challenges hampering their production. The study encourages famers to join farm organisations and also suggests that farmers’ literacy can be enhanced through greater extension outreach in fish farming areas.Keywords: Access, aquaculture, credit, economy, farmers

Knowledge Gaps of the Health Benefits of Beans among Low-Income Women.

We determined knowledge of the health benefits of consuming beans, and assessed if awareness varied by acculturation status among Hispanic and non-Hispanic low-income women. We used a self-administered survey with Iowa women aged 18-65 years who were eligible to receive income-based services through 2 healthcare clinics, a WIC clinic, and Extension Outreach. Chi-square and ANOVA were used to compare bean health benefit knowledge, demographics, health-risk factors, nutrition information seeking, and self-efficacy by acculturation categories. Of the 158 women who completed the survey, 58% were Hispanic, with a mean age of 36 years. In terms of acculturation, 24% were Hispanic-dominant, 30% bicultural, and 46% English dominant. Over 50% of all respondents did not know bean consumption lowered cholesterol, aided blood glucose control, or reduced some cancer risks. Responses for 5 of 7 knowledge statements differed significantly by acculturation. Hispanic-dominant and bicultural women reported significantly better health, higher bean consumption, and less cigarette smoking than English-dominant women. Bicultural and English-dominant women were more likely to use the Internet for nutrition information. There are knowledge gaps about the health benefits of bean consumption among low-income women. Nutrition education to improve their knowledge may lead to increased bean consumption, reducing health disparities and improving nutrition.

Bridging the Gap between Consumers and Agriculture Producers Using the NDSU BBQ Boot Camp Model

ObjectivesUsing the NDSU BBQ Boot Camp Model we evaluated consumer perception of production agriculture and sustainability, while teaching outdoor cooking methods with meat as the focus in North Dakota cities over a 5-yr period.Materials and MethodsA pre- and post-test of attendees (n = 3112) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the BBQ Boot Camp educational program and to obtain demographic information. The test had 11 multiple choice questions “A, B, C, D” and 5 “Yes” or “No” questions that asked attendee’s basic information about food, food safety, and cooking. The last 6 questions collected participant’s perceptions of food, livestock stewardship, and tools educators use to communicate food and agriculture information and rank each question on a Likert, 5-point scale, 1 = not important, 5 = very important.ResultsBoot Camp attendees scored a 15% improvement in test scores after completion of the program (pre-test average score = 67%; post-test average score = 82%, P < 0.002). We observed that younger North Dakotans ages 18 to 29 were less concerned about where their food was produced compared to older attendees. More concern was placed on food production as the group age increased to the 40 + age group (P < 0.05). Food safety was more of a concern for women as they aged compared to aging men (age × gender interaction; P < 0.048).ConclusionThe data collected over the 5 yr period provides insight into people’s attitude in North Dakota on food and agriculture production. The mission of Extension Outreach is to enhance the lives of people through research, education and community and BBQ Boot Camp encompasses all 3 of those core values. The use of barbecue as a means to educate consumers about agriculture and food has proven to be successful. The success can be seen where female participants scored lower than male participants in the pre-test, but recieved higher scores in the post-test.

A Salamander Tale: Effective Exhibits and Attitude Change

Little information exists regarding intention behind the design and development of Extension outreach and educational exhibits. An evaluation of response to the exhibit A Salamander Tale indicates that the methods used to develop the exhibit resulted in an effective way to present information to an adult audience. Survey questions were based on research literature on attitudinal learning, especially literature discussing cognitive, affective, and behavioral learning components. Of 409 survey respondents, 69% or more reported positive changes in attitude about eastern hellbender salamanders and their habitats. Perhaps most important to hellbender conservation efforts, 73% of survey respondents claimed they would change their behavior and 70% claimed they would tell others what they learned from the exhibit.

Using Technology to Enhance Extension Education and Outreach

We held a technology session at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Horticultural Science in Atlanta, GA, to provide guidance for technology choices in extension education and an opportunity to learn more about engaging new audiences, including the millennial generation (people born between 1982 and 2000). The use of technology is now an integral part of extension-client interaction. Presenters in the session gave examples of when technologies such as blogs, social media accounts, or web conferencing tools allowed extension personnel to increase engagement with online consumers and ultimately help fulfill extension’s mission of extending knowledge and changing lives. Effective engagement requires both educators and learners to be satisfied with the exchange. It is critical to monitor the quality of these digitally facilitated exchanges as compared with traditional face-to-face interactions. Additionally, it is possible to quantify digital engagement with readily available metrics, such as “retweets” (a reposted or forwarded message) or “likes” (indication an item is appreciated). These allow innovative and substantive reporting to further justify continued use of digital technologies for enhancing client-extension relations.

Learning Preferences of Next Generation Hispanic/Latino Specialty Crop Growers

A bicultural team of Penn State Extension professionals assessed educational method and learning style preferences of Hispanic/Latino stakeholders who aspire to be next generation specialty crop growers and specialized horticultural managers. During 2014–16, team members conducted and evaluated bilingual programs in various formats, including in-depth workshops, model demonstration plots, on-farm trainings and tours, fact sheets and field guides, and videos. Postprogram surveys indicated formats that provided opportunities for active learning of research-based information applicable to participant operations were most successful. Purposive surveys and interviews identified further ways to adapt extension outreach and education for next generation growers. The top-rated methods of learning for Hispanic/Latino growers were on-farm demonstrations and study circles, tours of other growers’ farms, self-paced on-line courses and videos, and interactive workshops. Factors Hispanic/Latino grower survey respondents felt limited them from participating in educational activities or using extension resources were timing of program, cost, and location. Survey participants suggested extension might improve education and engagement with Hispanic/Latino growers by increasing the use of social media in Spanish, holding educational programs specifically for Latino farmers to increase networking opportunities, and holding educational events at the farms of Latino growers.

A Review of Extension Master Gardener Program Record-Keeping Systems

Record-keeping systems (or volunteer management systems) were identified as a capacity-building tool for Extension master gardener volunteer (EMGV) programs. Not all states have or use such systems, and there are differences among existing systems. A survey was conducted in June 2015 to document and compare record-keeping systems for EMGV programs nationally. Survey results indicate that EMGV programs are still hours-focused in reporting and data collection and that EMGV record-keeping systems offer time-saving benefits for state coordinators, agents, and volunteers. Record-keeping systems also offer potential for further engaging Extension master gardeners in Extension outreach and demonstrating educational impact in communities.

Mixed picture of readiness for adoption of evidence-based prevention programs in communities: exploratory surveys of state program delivery systems.

An emerging literature highlights the potential for broader dissemination of evidence-based prevention programs in communities through existing state systems, such as the land grant university Extension outreach system and departments of public education and health (DOE-DPH). This exploratory study entailed surveying representatives of the national Extension system and DOE-DPH, to evaluate dissemination readiness factors, as part of a larger project on an evidence-based program delivery model called PROSPER. In addition to assessing systems' readiness factors, differences among US regions and comparative levels of readiness between state systems were evaluated. The Extension web-based survey sample N was 958 and the DOE-DPH telephone survey N was 338, with response rates of 23 and 79 %, respectively. Extension survey results suggested only a moderate level of overall readiness nationally, with relatively higher perceived need for collaborative efforts and relatively lower perceived resource availability. There were significant regional differences on all factors, generally favoring the Northeast. Results from DOE-DPH surveys showed significantly higher levels for all readiness factors, compared with Extension systems. Overall, the findings present a mixed picture. Although there were clear challenges related to measuring readiness in complex systems, addressing currently limited dissemination resources, and devising strategies for optimizing readiness, all systems showed some readiness-related strengths.

Challenges and Opportunities for Agro-Pastoral Livestock Smallholders in Mali

This paper reports on an in-depth assessment of smallholder livestock production in rainfed agro-pastoral communities of Mali through an analysis of data from 36 case studies. Approximately 1,108 farmers were involved, with two-thirds of the case studies focusing on ruminant production and the remainder dealing with cooperative capacity building. Feeding and forage-related needs were the most frequently assessed in the case studies involving smallholders raising small ruminants or cattle, whereas organization-related needs were the most frequently assessed in those involving smallholder livestock cooperatives. Meeting the feed and forage requirements of small ruminants and cattle is the most urgent need for livestock smallholders, but addressing this challenge will be difficult without concurrent control of the breeding season and common diseases as well as implementation of appropriate methods to track and cull unproductive animals. Empowerment of grass-roots organizations, particularly women's cooperatives, through literacy programmes and effective extension outreach could have significant impacts on the improvement of smallholder livestock enterprises.