Chapter 3: How can Extension and other professionals apply research and theories and incorporate existing resources into programming?
O V E R V I EW
Once professionals understand the why and what of educational programming, they must determine the how. In this case, it means determining how to use the research findings and theories to design, deliver, and assess the degree to which outcomes are achieved. When an area of programming is new, professionals may not be aware of tools they can use. In developing a risk and resilience program for the farming population, educators will likely ask “How can we build resilience?” The answer lies, in part, in these four components of building resilience: (1) learning to live with change and uncertainty; (2) nurturing diversity in its various forms; (3) combining different types of knowledge and learning; and (4) creating opportunity for self-organization and cross-scale linkages (Panpakdee & Limnirankul, 2018). These components can be incorporated into programming that features adaption and ways of socially interacting across time and space to reduce vulnerability to risk. In early 2019, a research team from the North Central Region searched online for programs and educational materials addressing farmer mental health (Inwood et al., 2019). The region was the focus of the investigation due to tariffs, trade wars, and flooding in 2019 becoming a crisis for farms, families, and communities. The study’s goal was to catalogue programs, so Extension can better respond to the crisis and to identify potential programming. Researchers found that the majority of the materials and education were self-help-focused — not created to address systems change. As we reviewed and identified assessment tools and educational program resources, we also found that many tools are individually focused. This guide provides materials and the rationale for going beyond a focus on individuals to the family, farm, community, and beyond.
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