This report concludes with recommendations to use the data provided by this study to develop collaborative efforts to strengthen Extension professional development training that encourages effective resource management. The Extension Foundation is recommended as an organization to facilitate national discussions leading to the development of framework for courses and curriculum that can be tailored to multiple audiences. This will facilitate sharing of resources, providing not only strengthened professional development training across all Land-grants at the national level, but also can support the development of an Extension certificate program that may be attractive to current and prospective Extension professionals. Recommendations for further study related to survey findings and use of this instrument for future needs assessment are also provided.
INTRODUCTION
The Extension Foundation invited Extension to participate in a survey to identify professional development needs for Extension professionals at 1862, 1890, and 1994 Land-grant universities in the US and US territories. Every few years, the Extension Foundation conducts a system-wide needs assessment to understand daily needs, career support, technology, and professional development needs of Extension professionals with the results provided to the Extension Foundation and other organizations across Extension. Prior to this 2023 Needs Assessment, the prior survey was conducted in 2019 and led by Dr. Courtney Owens from Kentucky State University. Since 2019, there have been many events, including adapting to virtual programming as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, that may have changed or evolved the needs of Extension professionals. The Extension Foundation selected Dr. Karen Vines, Assistant Professor and VCE Continuing Professional Education Specialist, to serve as the Needs Assessment Fellow from March 2023 through project completion. Dr. Vines worked with support from Extension Foundation staff members, Aaron Weibe (lead), Ashley Griffin (Interim COO), Molly Immendorf, and Karl Bradley as well as a Virginia Tech graduate student, Lisa McCormick. This project team provided input into the assessment along with utilizing Extension Foundation tools and resources for development and dissemination.
METHODOLOGY
An initial meeting was held on March 14 with Dr. Vines and team members. At this time, we reviewed the objectives for the project and developed a research approach intended to involve others within the Extension organization to develop a survey with content that would yield meaningful results. In addition, we wanted to have an adequate number of responses with representation in our responses that crossed all Land-grant university types of the Extension system. In order to achieve this, we developed an interview protocol (Appendix A) that was used to interview selected individuals from 1890, 1994, and 1862 regions to identify challenges being faced by Extension organizations, training being provided by their organizations, and training needed by their organizations. We also asked for their support in promoting the survey to their organizations. Interviews were conducted March 29 to April 25, 2023. Organizations were randomly selected from the different institutional types and the project team identified individuals at those organizations as potential contacts. A total of sixteen interviews were conducted. Titles of individuals participating in the interviews represented included Assistant Agent; Assistant Director, Extension Family and Community Wellness; Assistant Specialist, School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness, Associate Dean, Extension and Agricultural Programs; Associate Dean for Extension; Associate Director for Program Management and Federal Relations; Associate Director, Programs; Associate Professor, Leadership; Department Head and Assistant Director, Extension; Director/Associate Administrator; Extension Administrator; Extension/Community Education Coordinator; Extension Professor; Extension Program and Staff Development Specialist; Family and Consumer Science State Staff; and Learning and Talent Development Specialist.
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