What Can eXtension Do For You As an Extension Professional?

Elaine Long BaileyCalvert County Extension Educator

Kristen M. WilsonRegional Extension Horse Specialist

Introduction

• How do you find information?– Most people ‘Google’– Most people don’t look past the first page of ‘hits’

• How do you know your information source is:– Unbiased?– *Science-based?– Up-to-date?

What is eXtension?

• An Internet platform developed by Extension professionals, for Extension professionals and clientele

• Information on a multitude of subjects with Communities of Practice

Community of Practice

• Group of experts • Targeted to a given topic/area/concern• Gathering of people with information to share• People who determine the best way to

provide science-based information to citizens or clientele to address various concerns

Who are the members of the CoP’s?

• Extension Professionals• Researchers• Veterinarians• University teaching and

other personnel equipped to take information to the clientele

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/06/us/06vets.html?fta=y

Communities of Practice• Agriculture Law• Bee Health• Beef Cattle• Better Kid Care America• Companion Animals• Consumer Horticulture• Corn and Soybean Production• Cotton• Dairy• Diversity Across Higher Education• Drinking Water Issues• Entrepreneurs and Their Communities• Extension Disaster Education Network• Extension Wildfire Information Network• Families, Food & Fitness• Family Caregiving• Financial Crisis Issues• Financial Security For All• Food Safety• Freshwater Aquaculture

• Goat Industry• Home Energy• HorseQuest• Imported Fire Ants• Just In Time Parenting• Land Use Planning• Livestock & Poultry Environmental Learning

Centers• Map@Syst• Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network• Pesticide Environmental Stewardship• Pork Information• Rangelands• Sustainable Ag Energy• Sustainable Marine Fisheries• Urban Integrated Pest Management• Wildlife Damage Management• Wood Energy• Youth SET for Life• eOrganic

How does eXtension work?

• Communities of Practice (CoP) work together to provide the ‘best of the best’ information

• All based in research and science• Personalized to the state of residence

http://www.extension.org/

Entering the Public Site

Personalization

How can it help me?

• Information on a variety of subjects at your fingertips• Current issues addressed• Up-to-date reports on issues• Resource for answering client questions• 4-H Club Educational Programs• 24-hour availability from any Internet connection• Real time action on important issues

Example: HorseQuest

• More than 50 experts across the country– Professional extension staff• Extension Horse Specialists• County Faculty & Staff Members

– Teaching & Research Faculty– Veterinarians

• All material posted peer reviewed• Website: http://www.extension.org/horses

HorseQuest Includes . . .

• Frequently Asked Questions

• Ask an Expert• Informational

Articles• Instructional Videos

• Glossary of Terms• Calendar of Events• Online Web Casts• Certificate Courses• Learning Lessons

HorseQuest Topics• Breeds• Diseases • Ethics• Exercise and Performance• Facilities• Feeding Management• Feeds

• Health • Hoof Care• Management• Nutrition• Reproduction & Breeding• Selection and Use• Training and Behavior

HorseQuest FAQ’s• Frequently asked questions• Database of over 700 questions– More than 95 % of visitors find answer in database

• Ask a question• Referred to specialist for direct answer for

your specific need• Peer reviewed before addition to database

Small Meat Processors FAQ Example

Searching for Info

The Answer

Ask an Expert

Direct Answers

Helping Your Local Clientele

• eXtension Widget• On County or Region

web page• Enables local citizens to

access eXtension• http://calvert.umd.edu/

• Designate someone from that office to wrangle the questions

• Frequently answers via eXtension

• Reference resources in eXtension in answer

Informational Articles

New Twists to Current Technologies

Information Specific to Youth

Learning Lessons

• Self-studies for clientele• At your own pace• Effectiveness– Users believe their knowledge increases– They are ‘Very Likely’ to recommend to others

• Horse Adult Leader Training and Educational Resource (HALTER)

Another Learning Lesson Example

Webinars (Archived & Transcripted)

Instructional Videos

• Large range of topics– Safety– Showing– Training & Behavior– Selection & Use– Knot Tying

http://www.extension.org/pages/Knot_Tying:_Timber_Hitch_Knot

Positive Youth Development Forum

Take Home Message

• Excellent online learning opportunities• Reliable, up-to-date resource • Current issues and concerns addressed• User-friendly• Conduit to circulate your work (Fact Sheets,

Articles, etc.)• Professional scholarship

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Questions?

Thank you!

• Elaine Long Bailey• Calvert County 4-H Educator• P. O. Box 486• Prince Frederick, MD 20678• 410-535-3662• elbailey@umd.edu• http://www.calvert.umd.edu