The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
(Vol. 18 No. 45)
IN THIS ISSUE...
WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
State Fair is in full swing with the opening weekend. Thank you to everyone with responsibilities for the State Fair in how you are carrying those out in the interest of the State Fair and all the participants and public. Kansas State University made a huge splash on Sunday with it being Kansas State University Day at the State Fair, and with all the students, faculty and administration who gave their time and energies to be there for the day. Some of you might be thinking it's no big deal because we are already there, but for those who came for the first time and interacted with the public through their respective College booths or entertained on Lake Talbot stage, it was great having all of you present for the day! Feedback from fair goers has been very positive! Thanks so much! Judging from the turnout for the pep rallies, a huge percentage of people at the fair are great K-State supporters!
Seventeen new Extension agents are in town this week receiving a very important component of their first year training in program development. As I emphasize, programming is the only real reason for Extension. We can answer questions from the public, but without a focused educational program, purpose and support for Extension will diminish. I hope as colleagues and mentors, each of you will help our new agents understand how to create a focus and a strong educational program that makes a difference in their communities. As Bill Snyder has been quoted in "Leadership Lessons from Bill Snyder". Shoop and Scott, 1999:
"Many people are not sure what they are working toward. They get up each day and work hard, but don't seem to be getting anywhere. Accordingly, they may become discouraged and stop working hard."
And he later goes on to say:
"Clarifying your goals and making a plan are important, but ultimately meaningless unless you are willing to focus on your plan and put in the tremendous effort and hard work necessary for success."
Hope you are all operating from a well focused plan, and have a great week! --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu
PASSWORD CHANGE DEADLINE IS SEPTEMBER 12
It's time once again to update your K-State eID password. This must be done between August 1 and September 12, 2012. You can change your eID password by visiting the K-State eID page and logging in with your current eID and password. Once you have logged in, click the "Change your eID password" link to change your password.
We highly recommend making your passwords longer than the 10 character minimum. One way to do this is to use a pass phrase, or several words put together or separated with spaces or other symbols. Those words must not be identifiable in the dictionary, but the phrase itself can be remembered much better than a short, complicated password. For more information on the password requirements, see the eID password FAQ page.
While on the eID site, you will also be prompted to update your password reset options. We encourage you to keep that information current, especially the alternate email address, since that can be used to reset your password if needed. You can also sign up for K-State Alerts on the eID site to receive emergency email and text message notifications as needed.
Once you have changed your password, make sure you IMMEDIATELY update it in any software or devices that receive your K-State email. If you do not get it changed quickly, you may get locked out of your email for a while. If you have multiple devices, we recommend turning them all off before you change your password and turning them on one by one afterward and updating the password as you go.
Finally, if you have a laptop or mobile device that you use on the "KSU Wireless" network on campus, you will have to update your password there as well. Simply visit the K-State Wireless page and follow the steps there to update your settings.
For more information and in-depth instructions, please see this post on our KSRE Support blog.
If you have any problems getting your password changed or have any questions at all, please feel free to contact us at 785-532-6270 or ksresupport@ksu.edu. For help with eID password issues, you may also contact the K-State IT Helpdesk at 785-532-7722 or 800-865-6143. --Russ Feldhausen russfeld@ksu.edu
INSECT ZOO CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY
Kansas State University's Insect Zoo will celebrate its 10-year anniversary from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, September 15, as part of the university's Family Day activities.
The Insect Zoo, housed in the Glenn H. Beck Dairy Barn at the K-State Gardens, 1500 Denison Avenue, is part of the Department of Entomology. Anniversary celebration activities will offer fun and learning opportunities for the whole family. Visitors can meet Willie the Wildcat, participate in butterfly releases, and sample insect cuisine, among other activities.
Kiffnie Holt, director of the Insect Zoo, was featured on the front page of the Arts and Leisure section of the Sunday, September 10, Manhattan Mercury. --John Ruberson, Entomology Department Head ruberson@ksu.edu
UPDATES ON K-STATE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ANNUAL CONFERENCE
- The schedule and session descriptions are now posted on the website.
- Registration for the conference is now active. Registration deadline is October 5.
- September 15 is the deadline for the hotel blocks at Holiday Inn at the Campus and Fairfield Inn by Marriott. Be sure to mention K-State Research and Extension Annual Conference when registering.
- The committee is still accepting proposals for posters and displays for the 5-6:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 16, poster session in the Main Ballroom of the K-State Student Union.
- Technology experts are offering “Laptop Pit Stop” during the conference.
- Free blood pressure checks Tuesday, October 16, from 4 to 6 p.m.
- The Women of K-State breakfast is Wednesday, October 17, at 7 a.m. The meal is free to registered participants.
- The K-State Research and Extension awards luncheon is Wednesday, October 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The meal is free to registered participants.
- The conference offers multiple professional development opportunities with 21 breakout sessions and a turfgrass research session, Turf and the Environment, scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, October 17.
- Photographer Dan Donnert will be taking portraits Wednesday, October 17, from 3 to 5 p.m.
- Pat Bosco, K-State’s vice president for student life, will be the Inspirational Breakfast speaker at 7:15 a.m. on Thursday, October 18. --J.D. McNutt, committee chair jdmcnutt@ksu.edu
STRATEGIC MARKETING WORKSHOP AND FARM TOUR SET FOR SEPTEMBER 21
A Strategic Marketing Workshop and Farm Tour for Livestock Producers will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 21, beginning at American Legion Post 76, 506 Washington Street, Concordia. The workshop will provide livestock producers with information to incorporate new marketing strategies, such as direct and niche marketing, into existing operations to help increase profit margins, manage risk in tough times, and expand customer base. The workshop will also provide an opportunity for producers and buyers to connect and explore opportunities to work together to bring local meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products to consumers in Kansas and beyond.
Speakers will share knowledge and experience on topics such as business planning and enterprise analysis, creating a successful “brand” and identifying the best market for products, and regulations pertaining to direct marketing livestock products. Speakers include livestock producers who are successfully utilizing strategic marketing techniques to increase revenue, representatives from the Kansas Department of Agriculture who will answer questions about marketing and regulations, and representatives from Kansas State Research and Extension who will share helpful information for farmers and ranchers.
A tour of Lazy S Farms will provide a close-up look at how one farm has incorporated direct and niche marketing into their operation. Larry and Madonna Sorell breed and raise six varieties of heritage livestock on their farm outside of Glasco, KS.
The cost of the workshop and farm tour is $35, and includes a BBQ lunch, a morning snack, and an ice cream social at the end of the farm tour. Register by mail or online through the Kansas Rural Center at http://www.kansasruralcenter.org/. Registration deadline is September 14.
Confirmed speakers include Andi Dale, Dale Family Farms, Protection, KS - Grass-finished beef and pastured poultry; Noah Goddard, Goddard Farms, Lecompton, KS - Pure-bred Nubian dairy goats, Grade A Dairy; Norm Oeding, Janzen Family Farms, Newton, KS - 100% grass-fed beef and certified organic grains; Debbie Bearden, Taste T Farm, Iola, KS - Eggs and produce; Kevin and Cherie Schenker, Schenker Family Farms, McCune, KS - Animal Welfare Approved, certified Naturally Grown beef, lamb, poultry, and pork; Tonia Rupe, Lucky Star Farms, Eureka, KS - All natural, 100% grass-fed beef; Liz Boyle, Professor/Extension Specialist, Animal Sciences and Industry, KSU; Julie Ehler, Meat and Poultry Inspection, Kansas Department of Agriculture; and George Blush, Dairy Inspection, Kansas Department of Agriculture.
The workshop is funded by a USDA Risk Management Grant and co-sponsored by the Kansas Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Alternative Crops. --Kerri Ebert kebert@ksu.edu
AGENT PERFORMANCE REVIEWS - TIME TO PREPARE
Assessment of agent effectiveness is one of the most important responsibilities of the local board. Assessment is an ongoing process that continues during the program year through board meetings and quarterly impact reports. It culminates in the official performance review process that occurs from October to December in local units across Kansas. Annual performance review documents are due to be entered into the online system by October 1st (or even earlier for some local units with early October performance reviews).
The purpose of the review is to:
1. Provide agents opportunity for self-assessment.
2. Increase job understanding and satisfaction.
3. Recognize areas in which performance consistently meets or exceeds expectations.
4. Establish any areas where development is needed.
5. Provide an opportunity to plan for professional growth by agreement on a professional development plan.
In larger county extension units and in many districts, the board and the area director have delegated the responsibility of evaluating agents' work performance to the local unit director. They will be seeking input from the board and others in completing the agent performance review, utilizing the online agent performance review system, and will establish local deadlines for agent submission and board member input into the online system. In other units, the board and area director will utilize information from the online performance review system to complete the performance review. The area director will establish deadlines for these units.
Steps for agents to enter information into the online process are:
1. Check to make sure your 2011-12 action plans are accurate in the online system: https://online.ksre.ksu.edu
2. Make sure action plan impact reporting is up-to-date and ready for review.
3. Review your 2011-12 professional development plan and complete the 2012-13 professional development plan.
4. Complete the performance review self-assessment in the sections on program planning, professionalism, volunteer and staff development, interpersonal and communication skill, administrative management skill, and other accomplishments.
5. Don't wait until the last minute. Check out the online system to make sure everything is working. Input some information and then save and exit the system. Then go back to check to make sure your inputted information is in the system. You want to avoid last minute panic dealing with any system glitches or missing information when you are up against the deadline. Many agents input information in a word processing program, saving the file to a computer and then cutting and pasting the information into the online system. That way there is a backup for the information.
Boards will be asked to enter comments into the online system about your action plans and impacts in this performance review. Remember to provide evidence of short, medium and long term impacts as well as success stories on each of your action plans. --Jim Lindquist jlindqui@ksu.edu
ASK THE OEIE EVALUATOR: EVALUATING ONE-TIME AND INFORMAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS
When education programs are brief or presented informally, it can
be especially challenging to determine what data to collect and outcomes to
measure in an evaluation. Several innovative methods for collecting data for one-time
and informal program evaluation are highlighted in this installment, as well as
important limitations to consider.
Q: What strategies can be used to evaluate
one-time or informal education events, such as educational exhibits at county
fairs, health fairs, and community festivals?
Measuring program outcomes for exhibits, health fairs, festivals,
and other single instance events can be challenging when the target population
is available for only a short window of time. Methods of collecting evaluation
data from participants in these events can take many forms. For example:- Reviews of archival data can
use guest books or gift shop purchases to determine where participants live and
if target audiences are being reached.
- An interview technique called naïve
notions can be used to identify participants’ initial perceptions of
exhibits prior to the experience and to evaluate their understanding of the
exhibit.
- Post-it surveys obtain
feedback from participants via responses on sticky notes to displayed evaluation
questions.
- The talk aloud is an
interactive interview method used to gather feedback and observe reactions from
participants. This allows the evaluator the ability to prompt discussion to
collect data on project goals.
- Tracking and timing with the aid
of a simple observation form can be used to measure movements and actions, and
serve as evidence of participant engagement in a booth or exhibit.
For informal education programs that involve youth, kiddie focus groups can be used to
obtain feedback directly from the youth. By adapting a typical focus group procedure
to make questions simpler and to clearly explain the purpose and intent of the
evaluation, younger audiences can provide feedback on, for example, the
development of positive relationships, safety and belonging, exploration and
skill building, and meaningful involvement.
When evaluating one-time and informal education programs, there
are a few considerations to keep in mind: - Set realistic
expectations: One-time and informal education programs are often short. For
example, the maximum time spent at educational exhibits is approximately 20
minutes. It is not realistic to expect significant learning outcomes from this
short of exposure. Instead, focus on small aspects that lead toward larger
impact when documenting evidence of outcomes.
- Use
nontraditional assessments to match participants’ intentions: The public often
uses exhibits and informal education opportunities for leisurely experiences,
not to be tested. Brief, non-intimidating, and open-ended assessments are
likely to be the most valid.
- Prepare
participants: Give participants a heads up that you will be asking them some
questions about the program or exhibit. With this preparation, participants can
offer more valuable and thoughtful responses.
Overall, when developing methods of data collection for one-time
events and informal education programs, be flexible and responsive to the situation
and to participants.
References and for further information:
Christensen,
L., Nielsen, J. E., Rogers, C. M., & Volkov, B. (2005). Creative data
collection in nonformal settings. New
Directions for Evaluation, 73–79.
Friedman, A.
(Ed.). (2008). Framework for evaluating impacts
of informal science education projects. Available at http://caise.insci.org/uploads/docs/Eval_Framework.pdf
Questions about evaluation? Visit the Extension Evaluation Resources
website
or contact Amy Hilgendorf, aehilgen@k-state.edu, 785-532-5538;
or Mandi Peters, mpeters8@ksu.edu,
785-532-1651, at OEIE. --Amy Hilgendorf
PART 8 FINNEY COUNTY HEALTH/WELL-BEING ASSESSMENT AND SOCIAL CAPITAL STUDY
Last week I talked about varying health conditions in this ethnically and culturally diverse population. Initially, I looked at race and ethnicity as effects on health conditions and divided them into Anglo and non-Anglo. Yes, Hispanic people are White in race, but I categorized them into non-Anglo because the Latino groups in Finney County are not of English, German, Scandinavian, or Russian descent. So, to show how these groups differ from one another, I made two categories: Anglo and non-Anglo.
We are still looking at the health conditions of respondents and their family households. When education is analyzed as an effect on health conditions, diabetes was not affected by education, and overall 24% of respondents listed diabetes as a health condition. Given that 10% of the population was sampled, it can be generalized that one quarter of Finney County’s population may have diabetes. Extension’s nutrition programs that address obesity are critical to fighting Type II diabetes. Since both Anglo and non-Anglo populations are equally affected by diabetes, it is important that we have the information in at least two languages: English and Spanish. Dining with Diabetes is one of our best resources for nutritional education aimed specifically at this disease. The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) certainly goes further by addressing the needs of the family holistically by addressing nutritional needs along with other health and social needs, which I think is the best model for moving low-income families toward self-sufficiency and middle class.
Other conditions not affected by education were heart disease, lung disease, cancer, alcohol/drug dependence, physical disabilities, depression/mental health issues, and visual impairments. These were conditions that affected respondents across educational boundaries.
|
Condition x Education |
< HS |
HS Diploma |
College Degree |
Grad |
|
Hypertension |
30% |
37% |
46% |
52% |
Education had the greatest effect on hypertension and mental retardation/developmental disability, however in opposite directions as far as educational attainment. Overall, 39% of respondents had hypertension. Here is a visual.
As educational attainment increases, hypertension almost doubles. We can joke that it brings new meaning to “terminal degree”, but it really does help us to see that there may be a connection between stress and our health outcomes. One can suppose that more education could equate with more responsibilities, more stress, and perhaps less time to focus on a healthy lifestyle. We can be thinking about Extension programs that promote balances between work and play. More light will be shed on the issue of hypertension when health insurance is analyzed as an effect on conditions. Will there be a connection between having health insurance and the diagnosis of hypertension? Next time we will look at health conditions by income and primary language spoken at home. --Debra Bolton dbolton@ksu.edu
|