Extension Outcomes

Evaluation Project

1^st Quarterly Report

September 2000 – December 2000

During the first quarter of the Enhancing and Supporting Positive Outcomes project, University of Missouri - Kansas City Institute for Human Development (UMKC-IHD) personnel established a working relationship with University Outreach and Extension Division (U/OE) regional directors and staff. Together they have laid the groundwork for meeting the primary project goal, objectives and outcomes of this project (see Appendix A for sample letters of appreciation).

Personnel and Regions

UMKC-IHD	U/OE Region	Regional Director	Counties in Region
Dr. Carl Calkins	North East	Nancy Flood	Adair, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Linn, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Pike, Ralls, Putnam, Randolph, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan (16 Counties)
Dr. Carl Calkins	North West	Glen Easter	Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Worth (15 Counties)
Dr. Chris Rinck	Central	Rick Clark	Audrain, Benton, Boone, Callaway, Carroll, Chariton, Cole, Cooper, Howard, Montieau, Morgan, Osage, Pettis, Saline (14 Counties)
Dr. Chris Rinck	West Central	Albert Black	Bates, Cass, Clay, Henry, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Platt, Ray, St. Clair, Vernon, (11 Counties)
Dr. Carl Calkins	East Central	Bud Reber	Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Montgomery, St. Charles, St. Francois, St. Louis, St. Genevieve, Warren, Washington (10 Counties)
Vim Horn	South West	Beverly Coberly	Barry, Barton, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Greene, Hichory, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Polk, Stone, Taney, Webster (16 Counties)
Mike McCarthy	South Central	Pat Snodgrass	Camden, Crawford, Dent, Douglas, Gasconade, Howell, LaClede, Maries, Miller, Oregon, Ozark, Phelps, Pulaski, Shannon, Texas, Wright (16 Counties)
Mike McCarthy	South East	Janet Kline	Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Pemiscot, Mississippi, New Madrid, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Scoddard, Wayne, (16 Counties)

August 8, 2000

Outreach & Extension Video Staff Meeting

Dr. Chris Rinck and Dr. Carl Calkins from the University of Missouri - Kansas City Institute for Human Development (UMKC-IHD) held a video conference with all the University Outreach and Extension Division (U/OE) regional directors, and presented an overview of:

§ Project Goal ,

§ Project Objectives, and

§ Project Outcomes.

PROJECT GOAL

The goal of Enhancing and Supporting Positive Outcomes is to provide evaluation resources and support to the University Outreach and Extension Division.

OBJECTIVE ONE

Identify the evaluation needs of the faculty and staff through an extension survey process

Activity 1: Do a mail survey

§ A preliminary instrument was developed to survey the evaluation needs of the staff and faculty of the University Outreach and Extension Division (U/OE). The survey was designed to assess the current level of evaluation skill and knowledge and identify content areas and types of learning styles that will be most conducive to facilitating acquisition of these skills and knowledge.

§ A pilot survey was conducted in the Central and South Central Regions.

§ The results of the pilot test were detailed in a report titled “Piloting of an Evaluation Needs Assessment Survey” prepared by Christine Rinck, Ph.D. (see Appendix B).

§ The survey instrument was revised based on the pilot test and a finalized version has been developed (see Appendix C).

§ UMKC-IHD has talked with the U/OE Division Regional Directors to develop a distribution plan and prepare for distribution of the survey.

§ The survey has been placed on the UMKC-IHD web page and the U/OE Regional Directors have been contacted with information on downloading the instrument.

Activity 2: In-depth phone interview with regional directors

Activity 3: Conduct a focus group

Activity 4: Examination of current reporting requirements, types of information being gathered, and how data is used

§ A review of all written materials pertaining to Extension reporting requirements and practices, has begun and is in its finishing stages.

OBJECTIVE TWO

Provide training to U/OE faculty and staff on evaluation issues.

Activity 1: Conduct a basic evaluation workshop

§ A Basic evaluation workshop was developed.

§ The Basic evaluation workshop was conducted with:

1. Regional agronomists at their PDE at Tan-Tar-A conference

2. U/OE South West Regional Staff

§ A one-hour presentation on evaluation was conducted for the U/OE Central Region staff.

Activity 2: Provide advanced topical evaluation workshop.

Activity 3: Evaluation training infusion at Extension Conference.

OBJECTIVE THREE

Assist one major educational program in each of the eight regions throughout the year period from conceptualization to report writing.

Activity 1: Work with Extension Regions to identify a project which meets the identified program development/evaluation criteria.

§ UMKC-IHD personnel have been in contact with University Outreach and Extension Division Regional Directors in the South Central, and South East regions and have started the process to identify preliminary projects that meet program criteria and would be appropriate for this evaluation activity. Follow-up meetings were scheduled.

§ Vim Horn from UMKC-IHD met with U/OE South West Region staff and initiated the process to identify an appropriate project. A follow-up meeting was scheduled.

§ Dr. Chris Rinck from UMKC-IHD met with the West Central Region an evaluation project has been selected.

§ Dr. Carl Calkins and Vim Horn from UMKC-IHD met with U/OE North West Region staff on August 15, 2000, provided an overview of the evaluation project, facilitated a discussion of possible regional priorities for evaluation, and an evaluation project was selected (Farm Families).

§ Dr. Carl Calkins from UMKC-IHD met with U/OE Central Region staff on September 15, 2000 and an evaluation project has been selected (Farm Taxation Information).

§ UMKC-IHD and a group including agronomists from various regions have begun the process of designing a statewide evaluation and have a meeting scheduled for January.

§ Dr. Carl Calkins from UMKC-IHD and Bud Reber, U/OE East Central Regional Director met at the annual Outreach & Extension conference in Columbia on October 23, 2000. They discussed levels of technical assistance that could be provided and intended outcomes of the evaluation program. A strategy was developed to work with regional staff on establishing prioritized activities.

§ Dr. Carl Calkins from UMKC-IHD met with U/OE North East Region staff on October 31, 2000 and two evaluation project were discussed. The first project they approved for evaluation was their “Tilling the Soil” program and curriculum. The second project they decided to design a comprehensive evaluation program for was their Estate Planning project, but in a broader context.

Activity 2: Work with the Eight Extension Regional teams to identify program outcomes.

§ In the U/OE North West Region, a committee was established, a Chair selected (Kristi Michael), and a series of meetings planned to begin the overall evaluation process.

§ A meeting has been scheduled between UMKC-IHD personnel and the U/OE West Central regional director to begin identifying program outcomes.

§ UMKC-IHD personnel met with U/OE North West Region staff on September 15, 2000 and assisted them in identifying program outcomes.

§ In a meeting with between Dr. Carl Calkins from UMKC-IHD and U/OE North East Region staff on October 31, 2000, the group began identifying those groups with an interest in the program (stakeholders) for their “Tilling the Soil” program and curriculum and their Estate Planning project.

Activity 3: Work with the Eight Extension Regional teams to develop a logic model and outcome measures

§ UMKC-IHD personnel met with the U/OE North West Evaluation Task Force on Farm Families on September 19, 2000 and discussed establishing a logic model for evaluation, outcome measures, and the necessary tasks that would need to be completed.

§ UMKC-IHD personnel met with U/OE North West Region staff on October 17, 2000 and assisted them in developing a needs assessment. A preliminary needs assessment survey was designed for their Farm Families 2000 project that could be used in both focus groups and for individual responses (see Appendix D).

§ In a meeting between Dr. Carl Calkins from UMKC-IHD and U/OE North East Region staff on October 31, 2000, the group decided to use a survey tool to identify needs for their “Tilling the Soil” program and curriculum. The group discussed using the same survey topics after each of the ten training sessions and again after completion of the entire program. The use and development of focus groups was also discussed. Strategies for defining needs for the target population for the Estate Planning project were also discussed, including the use of focus groups. Dr. Calkins outlined the “Person Centered Planning Approach to Futures Planning.”

§ On November 9, 2000 Dr. Calkins from UMKC-IHD met with Parmen Green and developed a preliminary needs assessment survey for stakeholders in their Farm Taxation Program (see Appendix E).

Activity 4: Support the Eight Extension Regional teams with implementation and follow-a-long of program and evaluation.

§ In a meeting with U/OE North West Region staff on October 17, 2000, UMKC-IHD personnel started assisting North West Region staff in implementing the evaluation process for two separate ongoing projects. Assignments were made to begin the needs assessment process.

§ On November 16, 2000 Dr. Carl Calkins from UMKC-IHD met with U/OE North East Region staff and discussed the functional evaluation of their Tilling the Soil program. The discussion looked beyond the pre-designed evaluation materials and developed a questionnaire focusing on each of the ten sessions of the curriculum. Further work was continued after the questionnaires were mailed to Dr. Calkins.

§ On November 21, 2000 Dr. Carl Calkins from UMKC-IHD met with the Farm Families 2000 Evaluation Committee from the U/OE North West Region. Responses from focus groups were discussed and after integrating feedback from the focus group participants, the needs assessment survey for the Families 2000 Evaluation program was finalized.

§ UMKC-IHD personnel held a telephone conference with Darla Campbell from the U/OE North East Region to discuss their two projects. Her approach to Tilling the Soil was to team teach the program and use the evaluation questions to assist in determining whether there was an actual match of the program to the needs of the participants. Bob Wells was intending to teach two courses and do the same with the evaluation questions. A preliminary review of information from the Estate Planning focus groups was also discussed and organized. Several outcomes were generated from this discussion. One of which was a differential level of technical assistance and training, depending on the level of need. An assessment device is being developed by UMKC to determine level of need and programming. Additional needs assessment is also being gathered and organized (see Appendix F).

OBJECTIVE FOUR

Provide resources and technical assistance to faculty and staff through Internet tutorials and other resources related to evaluation.

Activity 1: Develop basic written and interactive evaluation training resources.

Activity 2: Develop resource materials addressing specific regional evaluation needs that can be used by other regions.

Activity 3: Create a website to contain resource materials.

§ A website has been created to enable program leaders to ask questions and request information from UMKC-IHD personnel (see Appendix G).

§ On November 9, 2000 Kellie Ellerbusch from UMKC-IHD met with Parmen Green and discussed the development of web pages to highlight the activities of the Central Region’s Farm Taxation Program.

§ Christina Karakoussis from UMKC-IHD met with U/OE North West Regional staff and developed a web page for their Farm Families 2000 Project (see Appendix J).

Activity 4: Provide Region based topical reports and literature reviews.

§ UMKC-IHD personnel provided the U/OE Central Office with assistance in coding data, providing analysis and tables, and Dr. Walt Boulden prepared an evaluation report for a recently completed 4-H Training project (see Appendix H).

§ Dr. Walt Boulden from UMKC-IHD prepared an evaluation report of a “Water Quality Education Project” for the Buchanan County U/OE office in the North West Region (see Appendix I).

Activity 5: Establish an Extension evaluation message board.

§ An internet message board have been created to enable program leaders to ask questions and request information from UMKC-IHD personnel (see Appendix G).

§ The internet message board is being Hosted/Staffed by Dr. Walt Boulden.

§ UMKC-IHD personnel have started a discussion on how to best develop procedures to promote awareness of the internet message board with U/OE regional staff.

Activity 6: Consult with program leaders on evaluation questions.

§ Individual technical assistance strategies were developed with U/OE North West Region Staff regarding using the “Tilling the Soil” curriculum.

Activity 7: Produce a quarterly Extension evaluation newsletter.

Appendix A

Sample Letters of Appreciation

Appendix B

Piloting of an Evaluation Needs Assessment Survey

Appendix C

Extension Outcomes Evaluation Project

Evaluation Needs Assessment Survey

Appendix D

Farm Families 2000

Needs Assessment Survey

Appendix E

Farm Taxation Program

Needs Assessment Survey

Appendix F

Estate Planning Project

NxLevel Curriculum Questions

Appendix G

UMKC-IDH Web Page

with link to:

Outreach & Extension Evaluation Technical Assistance

and

Conference Area

Appendix H

4-H Leadership Development Workshops

Evaluation Report

Appendix I

Water Quality Education In The Classroom

Evaluation Report

Appendix J

UO/E North West Region

Farm Families 2000

Web Site