Learning Task #4 What Are My Co-workers Seeking? Prepared by Vince Crary May 16, 1999

I conducted a survey at the Northwest District Conference on April 15, 1999, in Crookston, MN. The survey, entitled "Extension Educator Professional Development Survey", was filled out by twenty-one Minnesota Extension Educators. The survey was designed to find out my co-workers thoughts about our professional development.

Here are the questions the survey asked and a summary of the answers received:

1. With specializations, Extension Educator professional development has changed. Do you like the present system? Yes 14 No 4

2. What would you suggest to improve your specialization's professional development program?

7 Information on organic production 7 Make it more comprehensive 7 Integrated 7 Multi-level training opportunities 7 More direct involvement of campus specialists 7 Information on other related subject areas 7 Still need to be generalists 7 Need core competencies 7 Less general and more specific planning 7 More in-house, hands-on training 7 Continue to dialogue with membership on what their needs are to successfully do their job 7 Hold sessions regionally versus state-wide 7 Staff development is more statewide and not shown to be true research based. We need more contact with the folks on campus. 7 Specialization should be more hands-on, less emphasis on research, more emphasis on practical materials 7 More opportunities to cross-specializations 7 More interaction between specializations 7 Need to be more specialized

3. Do you read any professional journals to keep up to date in your specialization? Yes 15 No 5 Which professional journals do you read? 7 Agronomy Journal 7 Journal of Extension 7 Crop Production Journal 7 CCA Journal 7 Journal of Animal Science 7 Choices 7 Horticulture 7 Journal of Ag Economics 7 Top Producer Magazine 7 Journal of Leadership Studies 7 "The Center" 7 Books on marketing, beef, dairy, forages 7 Youth Today 7 Child Development Journal 7 Soil Science Society of America 7 4-H News and Views 7 Horticultural Science 7 Horticultural Technology 7 Journal of Dairy Science 7 Horticultural Society 7 Arboriculture 7 NDSU and U of M Research 7 Internet Land Grant Sources

4. Do you feel that a better understanding of the ways in which people learn would help you design better educational programs? Yes 15 No 5

5. Do you feel the resources Extension has allocated to specializations for training are being spent wisely? Yes 13 No 5

7 Very much so in Leadership Citizenship Education, major focus and dollars go to two staff development training sessions each year 7 Not sure how dollars are spent or allocated 7 Depends on the specialization 7 How about more training out state?

6. What other professional development resources can you suggest that may benefit other Extension Educators?

7 Cross Specialization training 7 Mentoring resources 7 Master Gardener training for everyone 7 Attend National meetings 7 Better awareness of out of state or non-extension opportunities 7 National commodity group opportunities 7 Need to remember question # 4 when we have training 7 Money for National association meetings, satellite downlink of National meetings and/or other conference keynote speakers and programs 7 Dealing with motivating and increasing attendance / recruitment for activities and workshops 7 Sharing of information across specializations 7 Partnership with private industry to stay competitive 7 More networking with agencies with U of M support: county agencies, schools, chambers of commerce, city government, etc. 7 Internet, money for professional meetings, writing workshops 7 I take professional programs outside of extension. I want information outside our organization.

7. Please list your specialization.

7 Crop Systems - 7 7 Environment/Natural Resources- 1 7 Livestock - 3 7 Horticulture - 2 7 Farm Business Management - 1 7 Leadership/ Citizenship Education - 1 7 Farm Business Management/ Livestock -1 7 Child/Youth Development - 2 7 Community Resources -1 7 Crop Systems/ Horticulture -1 7 Family Financial Management - 1

The results of the survey were a bit surprising to me. I would not have thought that 77% like the present system of the specializations being responsible for most professional development. This is even more confusing to me by the number of suggestions for improving their specializations' Professional Development Program. Further study would appear to be needed.

I was impressed with the number of educators that use Professional Journals. A good project may be to put together a resource information piece on the Journals available and how to get these Journals.

Question # 4 points out a need for all educators to understand the ways people learn, with 75% saying yes, that understanding would help them design better educational programs. Seventy-two per cent feel the resources Extension has allocated to specializations for training are being spent wisely. I was surprised at this, as I have heard complaints; maybe a better-phrased question was needed.

Question # 6 produced a lot of good responses. To me, these responses show not all professional development needs are being met. I feel these responses indicate a need for review and information specializations should look at.

After reading the chapter on surveys in "The Complimentary Methods", I can see how this survey could have been improved. The questions were too ambiguous, and I feel the results show this. I collected information but did not get a clear picture of what my co-workers were thinking.

From what this survey shows, I feel a more complete survey of educators would be warranted. Are specializations meeting professional development needs? I feel further study is needed.

-- Anonymous, May 16, 1999

Answers

What do you think about combining surveys with other methods? If you are gathering information for a video product/project how will you best collect the information you need? I don't know the answer...this is all newly-to-be-charted ground.

-- Anonymous, May 21, 1999