Extension Outcomes

Evaluation Project

Quarterly Progress Report January 2002

University Outcomes Evaluation Project

Quarterly

Progress Report

January 2002

Produced by the University of Missouri – Kansas City Institute for Human Development.

2220 Holmes Street · Kansas City, MO 64108 · (816) 235-1770

Appreciation to Dr. Walt Boulden for preparing report

Extension Outcomes

Evaluation Project

Quarterly Report

During the months of October 1 through December 30, 2001, the Enhancing and Supporting Positive Outcomes project, University of Missouri - Kansas City Institute for Human Development (UMKC-IHD) personnel continued its working relationship with University Outreach and Extension Division (U/OE) regional directors and staff. Together they continued to build on groundwork laid earlier in the project for meeting the primary project goal, objectives and outcomes of this project. Due to differing needs and levels of knowledge, the regions continue to be at different stages of meeting various objectives and outcomes of this project.

Much of the work undertaken during this period was focused on preparing to support the situational analysis/logic model/named program focus of UO/E. This redirection of effort was in response to a meeting held August 10^th and additional direction received through Dr. Murray Hardesty and Dr. Pat Sobrero. Most of this work is highlighted under objective 5.

Personnel and Regions

UMKC-IHD	U/OE Region	Regional Director	Counties in Region
Dr. Carl Calkins	North East	Soneeta Grogan	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	Mark Stillwell	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)
Vim Horn	South Central	Wayne Moore	Camden, Crawford, Dent, Douglas, Gasconade, Howell, LaClede, Maries, Miller, Oregon, Ozark, Phelps, Pulaski, Shannon, Texas, Wright (16 Counties)
Vim Horn	South East	Janet Kline	Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Pemiscot, Mississippi, New Madrid, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Scoddard, Wayne, (16 Counties)

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

§ Completed prior to this quarter.

OBJECTIVE TWO

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

• October 4, Dr. Calkins and Ms. Ellerbusch met with Cassie Venters, with Small Business Development in Columbia, to discuss program evaluation for the Small Business Program. On November 27, they met again to discuss ways to evaluate the effectiveness of their current training. Dr. Calkins suggested pre-screening of clients to determine their level of need and targeting training and technical assistance according to those needs. He also suggested formatting their materials into a Competency Based Training (CBT) format to better assess outcomes of training and TA. Dr. Calkins contacted a CBT consultant, who will train project team members within the Small Business Development Staff in Competency Based Training on March 6, 2002, with follow-up technical assistance scheduled in April.

• December 3 &4, Vim Horn and Dr. Boulden presented the final two day component of the Situational Analysis and the Logic Model Workshop (PIE) for new UOE field staff in Columbia.

• December 4, Vim Horn provided an overview and facilitated a discussion of the program logic model with the commercial agriculture work groups.

• West Central Region: Dr. Rinck and Roslyn Burney from UMKC-IHD provided training for personnel from the Kansas City Housing Authority regarding the InfoLine Project. They also distributed informational literature concerning the Health Ambassadors and provided project timelines.

OBJECTIVE THREE

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

§ Northeast Region – On October 8, Dr. Calkins and Ms. Ellerbusch met with the regional specialists working on the Retirement Planning program to finalize plans to pilot the program to a small group of participants. Ms. Ellerbusch worked with the specialists to reformat their training outlines and narratives into a competency based model. On November 26, Dr. Calkins, Ms. Ellerbusch, and the participating specialists, participated in a conference call to review the goals and expected outcomes of each of the training modules and finalized plans for the pilot. The Retirement and Estate Planning training was piloted on December 10 and 11 at the Kirksville TCRC. Eleven participants spent two days participating in the training and providing feedback on the curriculum and presenters through outcome learning measures, trainer evaluation forms, questionnaires, and discussion. IHD and UOE staff reviewed this data following the pilot and began discussions on how to refine and improve the training program. It was agreed that the team would meet soon after the first of the year.

§ West Central Region – Dr. Boulden from UMKC-IHD met with Jean Van Booven-Shook, UOE 4-H Youth Specialist, and had a preliminary discussion concerning the evaluation of the Youth Gardening Project and how it integrates with the larger Master Gardener Program. They reviewed some of the existing evaluation tools and previously collected data. They also discussed identifying specific needs being addressed by the program, program objectives, program outcomes, needed resources, potential grant opportunities, and restructuring the programs evaluation component.

• Dr. Boulden also contacted the Al Black and discussed meeting with members of his staff to begin the process of program evaluation for the Master Gardener’ Program for which IHD could provide technical assistance.

§ Central Region – UMKC-IHD staff worked with UOE Regional staff in reviewing, discussing and revising the evaluation survey for the Tax Management program. Dr. Boulden from UMKC- IHD also worked with Parman Green on the initial analysis of the data from the “Tax Management Survey For Central Missouri Farmers” in preparation for an evaluation report.

§ Southwest and South Central Region – Vim Horn contacted the Regional Directors to continue the process of identifying a specific program and team of specialist for each region that IHD could provide technical assistance to.

OBJECTIVE FOUR

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

Create a website to contain resource materials.

§ The project website has been updated and maintained on a regular basis and includes links to each of the UO/E Region’s websites.

Provide Region based topical reports and literature reviews.

Establish an Extension evaluation message board.

§ The internet message board continues to be hosted/staffed by Dr. Walt Boulden.

OBJECTIVE FIVE

Provide additional evaluation expertise, upon request, with available financial support.

· UMKC-IHD personnel met with program leaders on November 14 to discuss the availability of technical assistance for work teams who would be applying situational analysis considerations and the Logic Model to “named programs.”

· Vim Horn met with Glenn Davis and the Precision Agriculture faculty and staff to discuss how to utilize the program logic model in their planning and outcome reporting for the PAM Program. The importance of incorporating situational analysis information into their program description, the program logic model and their reporting mechanisms was stressed and demonstrated.

· Vim Horn reviewed the Pest Management School outcome information, evaluation instruments and course outline for year 2001 provided by Laura Sweets. Subsequently, he met with Dr. Sweets to discuss the information she had provided and shared some recommendations on how things might be done somewhat differently in order to capture additional outcome data.

· Northwest Region : Dr. Walt Boulden continued to work with Glen Easter on the analysis of the data from the “Exploring Global Resource through Extension Training (EGRET)”program in preparation for an evaluation report.

· UMKC-IHD personnel developed a variety of training materials pertaining to program development, particularly as it relates to situational analysis and program design. (See attached materials)

· Vim Horn and Dr. Walt Boulden met with Dr. Murray Hardesty, and with each other, to outline a format for presenting information on “situational analysis” utilizing an ITV medium. The ITV presentations are scheduled for January 15 and February 19, 2002.

· Vim Horn began participating as a member of the newly formed Council Development Committee. In November the committee met by conference call. In December the committee met for two days. Vim Horn facilitated the meeting.

SUMMARY:

§ During the months of October 1 through December 30, 2002 the Enhancing and Supporting Positive Outcomes project, University of Missouri - Kansas City Institute for Human Development (UMKC-IHD) personnel continued its working relationship with University Outreach and Extension Division (U/OE) regional directors and staff. Together they have built on the groundwork developed earlier in the project for meeting the primary project goal, objectives and outcomes of this project.

§ The different UO/E regions in partnership with UMKC-IHD personnel continue to conduct their individual evaluation projects according to the conditions and needs specific to their regions.

§ UMKC-IHD personnel began working with Program Leaders and UOE faculty and staff, at the county and state levels in applying Situational Analysis and the Logic Model to existing “Named Programs” and County Plans.

§ UMKC-IHD personnel have developed a variety of training materials pertaining to program development, particularly as it relates to situational analysis and program design.

§ Due to differing needs and levels of knowledge, the regions are at different stages of meeting various objectives and outcomes.

§ Some project objectives and outcomes were completed during the previous project quarters.

§ Other objectives and outcomes will naturally carry over into subsequent quarters of the Enhancing and Supporting Positive Outcomes project.

Appendix A. - Attachments