Learning Task #3 - Who Are the Experts?

As a personal interest, I became involved with other members of the cohort in the planning and delivery of early career workshops for new extension educators. After much discussion about what should be components of the three day training, I decided to go exploring on the Internet to find out what topics are part of new educator training in other states and what kind of orientation is held for new educators. I veered off of the original topic a little when I didn't find presenters who are experts, but chose to explore topics, web pages and on your own training's for new educators. This was an enlightening process for me as I discovered there are not very many Extension Services that operate in a similar way. New staff training's are organized differently, held for different lengths of time or designed as an on your own resource. I began by locating a web page that listed all the Cooperative Extension Services (www.ansi.okstate.edu/internet/agexten.html) and could link you to each state and their specific web site. I explored each of these web sites, nearly fifty (a couple of the states were not listed). I was specifically looking for information about new staff orientation or professional development, but also explored many aspects of their sites while I visited. I looked at hot topics, how to find specialized information and sometimes explored 4-H sites. Some states did a terrific job of making it easy to go exploring by listing several topics on their home page that had many links added on. Other states allowed for a search on the home page and would give so many choices that I got frustrated and quit. Often when I would type in "new staff orientation" I would get 200 or more options, most of which were newsletters from specific programs. Other sites had changed addresses or were not accessible to me because I was not an internal user. I found web sites from eight states that I felt were helpful, both in offering information and resources for further exploration. I was looking for information about what topics were helpful at training's or what themes were followed as educators attended more than one training. These websites were all extremely different, which I hadn't expected. Some only allowed internal users after a point, while others let you explore to your hearts desire. 7 North Dakota - www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/staffres/library/contents.htm This site contained a great listing of topics which were available for educators by book, video or audio tape. The topics varied from conflict management to ethics, leadership, stress, volunteer management, evaluation, communication, and community development. This site wasn't ideal for someone who is new and looking for an overview of a program or topic, but it would be extremely valuable if there were questions about a specific issue or problem or if they needed a resource in planning a program, etc.

7 Penn State - www.cas.psu.edu/docs/casadmin/NSO/NSOMain.html This site contained a variety of topics for the new educator. There were opportunities to learn the History of Extension, learn the guidelines for travel, liability issues and time management. Other valuable information included planning a successful meeting and an employee handbook. This site was an excellent resource for me. I explored several of these topics and liked the layout and friendliness of them. I also used a time management quiz, a resource on cluttering your desk and time wasters as a resource when presenting a session to new educators at the recent Early Career Workshop. They were very helpful as discussion starters and as reminders of some things for new staff. 7 Kansas State - www.oznet.ksu.edu/dp_pdev/new.htm The Kansas State site was a timeline for new educators and the sessions they should attend as new staff. They were designed to be built on one another and to enhance the educator. 7 Session 1 was New Agent Orientation and an introduction for 12 hours. This was a prerequisite for attending any other session. 7 Session 2 was New Agent Communication Training, a 20 hour session. 7 Session 3 was Program Development Training for 26 hours. 7 Session 4 was County/District Operations for 16 hours. 7 Session 5 was for people who were serving as mentors to the new educators and was Understanding and Practicing Effective Mentoring for 2-4 hours. I really liked this approach to training over the first couple of years as an Educator. Using these sessions as building blocks is valuable in this experience, so educators don't feel overwhelmed following the first training or early on in the job. This site also provided a terrific resource on mentoring that I am sure I will refer to time and again as I look at how Minnesota can establish a mentor program with all new employees.

7 Ohio State - www.ag.ohio-state.edu/`hrteam/pro-dev/newpers.html This site provided a timeline of what to accomplish and attend within the first three years in Extension. They encourage attendance at an orientation within the first six months to associate them with the job. Within the first 6-30 months, training sessions included CORE training, volunteer program/management, program development and evaluation, building relationships, managing conflict, and effective teaching. The sessions for 18-36 months of employment were to attend an action leadership retreat and long range financial planning. Again, I like the strategies laid out in this planning for new educators. I like the topics addressed or the sessions planned around these topics. I feel these are necessary for getting the job done successfully. I'm not sure how successful they are in getting educators to attend during the third year, due to being involved in programming, etc. I'd be curious to know how people view "orientation" at that stage of their career. 7 Nebraska - http:ianrwww.unl.edu/ianr/coopext/humanres/intro.html Nebraska offers six modules of learning to new educators to develop their background in Extension. 1. Specific skills to be successful 2. Helping People Learn 3. Working with People 4. April Preview 5. Field Experience 6. Self Directed Web Based Learning I am still a little confused about whether these are to be done on your own, by attending conferences, or a combination of both. I did find another website on tips for program planning that I thought was extremely valuable as it helped to lay out more processes to help planning and questions to ask about evaluation and purpose. I thought that as an extremely helpful piece for anyone to consider, no matter what stage of their career they are in. 7 Michigan - www.canr.msu.edu/aee/extension/profdev/profdev.htm Orientation training's are set up for educators much like in Minnesota. It was unclear how the process worked, as the schedule set up on the web page said the last training for new educators, so I am unsure if they divide people up and they move through together, or if all people attend for the first two years, no matter how long they've been employed. Michigan has core competency training for new educators, but I couldn't access the descriptions for what these core competencies were. A unique concept of this web page was E3 - Extension Educator Extra, as series of essays "to make you think through basic concepts, ideas and philosophies as a basis for the strengthening of educational philosophy and practice." There were many essays on excellent topics and they are exactly what they say, thought provokers. I read the one on delegating responsibility because I need help on that one. I need to print it out and keep it close at hand to read often because it points out some important concepts and makes you analyze some of the things you do as well. An excellent component of the new staff web site! 7 Wisconsin - www.uwex.edu/ces/nco/1,html I finally found information after much searching and I was glad I kept looking on this site. It included some very valuable charts about "Who Helps When." It includes timelines of: Before the First Day, the First Day, the First Week, First Month, 2-6 Months, Beyond. Resource people to help with this process included county office people, District Director or supervisor, program area person, personnel or professional development office, and a mentor. I was thrilled to see a mentor included in this process because I believe a mentor can be beneficial to helping a person become acquainted with the job, as well s provide feedback and assistance throughout the orientation and well into the job. A mentor can often be approached with topics people aren't always comfortable talking to coworkers or a supervisor about. 7 Minnesota - www3.extension.umn.edu/units/staffdevelopment/library/html

Minnesota offers a great lending library on very appropriate topics. Again this might not be as valuable to new educators, but can be a tremendous resource as they being planning a program or problem solving of an issue. A great site included frequently asked questions of who to call, so a great resource about topics and specific issues and names and phone numbers of those who could help. A new staff handbook was helpful to provide some background and resources about Extension Information and orientations and workshops were also included.

I am not sure I would be able to pick a site that is the best overall, because they all had features that would be helpful to a new educator. I found valuable resources from all of the sites and believe that they all had some components that could be used to make an excellent site for new educators. I would be interested in seeing a site in Minnesota that would be comprehensive for new educators that would allow them to do some exploring and training on their own combined with the training received at early career workshop. These sites offer some terrific learning for me as I think about what I would have found valuable as a new educator. Combining this information would be a challenge, but one that I would consider valuable.

During the survey of new educators at the close of the Early Career Workshop, many topics were recommended as needed or important for the next workshop. After discussion with other cohorts in this planning session, some resource people from Minnesota who would be good for those topics include: 7 Conflict Resolution - someone who teaches the Parents Forever program to divorcing couples with children or someone who works with the farm mediation program - to gain examples of conflict resolution during teaching or programming, Employee Assistance Office at the University of Minnesota 7 Evaluation of Programs - Barb Warren, Marilyn Grantham, Diana Martenson, Rod Hamer, Russ Severson, Dick Krueger 7 How to Address New Audiences (both diverse and audiences Extension hasn't reached before) - Juan Moreno Laurel Neufeld-Weaver, Minelle Tralle with Parents Forever program working with family court 7 How to Complete Performance Assessments - Dave Werner, Deb Zak, Larry Tande, Sheila Barbetta, Paige Baker 7 Writing or Speaking with the Media - Jack Sperback, Jenny Obst, Amy Viniard-Weideman 7 Programming Examples - Southwest District and their work with the Department of Natural Resources (Amy Rager), Cluster 16 and their work with teen focus groups (Mary Lager-Hagemeister) 7 Program Development - Extension Program Leaders, Collegiate Program Leaders to explain some aspects of programming

I believe these people would be excellent resources to begin discussions on the topics suggested by new educators as needed information. I would also suggest having educators who have had experience with those topics during their career as being good resources who would bring a new perspective to the discussion as well about the work done. The people listed provide a very technical experience and are valuable resources to question for more help. I couldn't turn in this list without suggesting also that current educators are also possible expert presenters because of the field experience they can contribute.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 1999

Answers

Excellent and thorough synopsis of what you found! Thanks. This quote by you encouraged me, "This was an enlightening process for me as I discovered there are not very many Extension Services that operate in a similar way."

The web sites you mentioned seemed very substantial...I hope to get to look at them too.

I'm also glad you reminded us all that "current educators are possible expert presenters."

-- Anonymous, February 09, 1999