Learning Task #4 - What are my Co-Workers Seeking? Jim Nesseth, M.ED, Extension Co-Hort Learning Task #4, February 3, 2000

What are my Co-Workers Seeking?

Discussions with several Extension Educators concerning professional development opportunities revealed a need for continued technical expertise and an effective method in transforming this expertise to our clients and customers. Without question, Extension programming and roles of Extension Educators are continually changing. Professional competition from agribusiness and private consultants, along with technical competition via internet and other professional services challenges our existence.

How do we position ourselves for survival in the next millennium?

One suggestion was reemphasizing the land grant mission. All co-workers agreed that marketing the University of Minnesota Extension Service as an unbiased research-based resource is still our nitch. This is a unique position no one else has in the educational field.

Educators believed specialization or core competencies are still important. This structure promotes developing professional technical skills and helps build campus and ROC relationships through research-based programming.

Other skills needed for professional development trainings by co-workers included leadership, communication and time management.

The other significant question I asked Extension Educators was their teaching methods and their effectiveness. The responses were somewhat mixed. Traditional teaching methods consisting of traditional lecture settings with questions at the end were the most utilized. Educators felt these methods were effective if they were experts in the subject matter and possessed a passion for the information or issue. It they didn't, many felt they weren't reaching the audience and were searching for other educational methods or structures.

All educators felt building relationships and less "one shot" approaches in terms of program delivery was most important. Providing a setting where there could be a series of meetings like a marketing club or a focus group provided the best educational opportunity.

Extension Educators felt offering our clients or customers a role in program planning, would also help them better understand audience needs and provide a framework where Extension Educators could avoid assumptions they may have about issues and audiences.

When asked about transformative learning techniques, most Extension Educators were only vaguely aware of the terminology. However, most felt they were utilizing some of these methods in their programming especially with one-on-one teaching or involvement in marketing clubs. All Extension Educators were receptive to new teaching methods that were practical and effective.

--James B. Nesseth (jnesseth@extension.umn.edu), February 3, 2000

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2000