August 20, 2024
Extension and the Tools of Technology
July 20, 2024, marked 55 years since American astronauts first landed on the moon. It was an amazing scientific achievement – but the fact is, today there is more computer power contained in your individual cell phone than all the computing power on that giant lunar rocket ship.
We have incredible computer power literally at our fingertips. The question is, how will we use it for the benefit of Kansas?
K-State Research and Extension has launched several initiatives to help Kansans utilize technology more effectively. The KSRE Community Vitality team is involved with two related programs: The Remote Online Initiative and the Digital Ambassador Program.
ROI consists of monthly online classes that enable participants to become certified as remote work professionals or remote work team leaders. This curriculum was first developed and offered by Utah State University.
In January 2020, with the encouragement of extension leadership, I enrolled in one of those remote work classes just to explore the subject matter. Six weeks later the pandemic hit, and I had no choice but to work remotely. I have been very grateful for the benefits of the remote work training ever since.
K-State Research and Extension has become an affiliate of Utah State so that we can offer these classes with K-State branding (www.kansasremotework.com). As of July 1, 43 Kansans – including many extension professionals – have successfully completed the ROI classes.
We have also initiated Remote Work Wednesday, a free monthly Zoom call with various speakers to explore the opportunities and challenges of remote and hybrid work.
Of course, there are other ways that technology can be applied for the benefit of our citizens and communities. The Digital Ambassador Program is an initiative developed by the University of Missouri Extension Service to assist people with digital literacy knowledge and skills so as to equip them with the tools they need to compete and thrive in a digitally driven society. We are piloting the program in three local extension units in Kansas: Central Kansas, River Valley, and West Plains.
DAP is a train-the-trainer, volunteer-led effort to address a gap in Kansas related to broadband knowledge and use. The program has been described as “Master Gardeners for technology.” The pilot extension units are in the process of identifying those local volunteers who have an interest in helping their fellow community members better understand technology and use internet-based applications.
The program will also involve 4-H and other youth in the educational process. We want to reach aging, rural, lower socioeconomic status and other under-served populations to help them access needed services such as online education, economic opportunities, everyday tasks and telehealth.
ROI and DAP are two examples of how extension education can use technology to benefit our people, but there are more. Think about advances in health care or digital agriculture. The possibilities are immense.
It’s been a half-century-plus since man landed on the moon. Extension educators are effectively putting advanced technology to work right here on Earth. I encourage you to be proud of your work and keep looking to the future.