Suchergebnisse

The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics and motivational factors of effective Extension advisory leaders. This Delphi study was conducted with a selected group of County Extension Directors and a group of Extension State Advisory Leaders. The study identified 10 characteristics that distinguish an effective Extension advisory leader. Some of these characteristics are explicit and easy to observe, while others are implicit and difficult to directly observe. Therefore, it is practical to use directly observable characteristics of effective advisory leaders when selecting volunteers. Once potential volunteers are spotted in the community, implicit characteristics of effective advisory leaders should be used to further screen them before they are selected. The study also identified the eight most important factors motivating individuals to volunteer as effective advisory leaders. Understanding these motivational factors is helpful for creating an environment for attracting and retaining effective volunteers. Understanding their motivation for volunteer work and creating an environment for them to meet the motivating factors for volunteering will lead to volunteer satisfaction and retention. The findings of this study can be used to build strong Extension advisory councils.

In this era of globalization, competency is an issue of concern to any field of professionals and their clients. Competency is an integrated set of skills, knowledge, and attitudes that allow one to effectively carry out the activities of a given work to the standards expected in the employment context. The purpose of this descriptive survey study was to determine the current proficiency level of North Carolina Cooperative Extension agents' competencies and the other competencies they need to develop to be successful in Cooperative Extension. Findings indicate that the current proficiency level of competency for Extension agents in North Carolina Cooperative Extension varies from moderate to high in all 42 items listed in the survey. Multiple regression analysis confirmed that Extension agents' years of Extension experience and age were major determinants of their overall proficiency level. Extension agents' proficiency levels did not vary with gender, level of education, professional association affiliation, job position, or area of job responsibility. The research revealed that emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, flexibility for adapting to changing environments, and ability to manage resources were the most significant other competencies needed for Extension agents to be successful in current context.

This study describes professional development for
Extension educators and curricula expectations for those preparing for Extension careers
– as perceived by members of the American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE)
and Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP). We relate and differentiate
findings from two surveys with open-ended questions. Regarding professional development,
JCEP respondents identified program planning and evaluation, but AAAE respondents
prioritized research methods. JCEP respondents prioritized practical experiences in
Extension Education college courses, and AAAE members reported some practical Extension
experiences in the college curriculum. College faculty may apply the results for
impactful academic, professional development, and research programs.

The social movement focused on re-localizing food systems is oriented toward recreating relationships between producers, consumers, and other community stakeholders. Sustaining community efforts to build local food systems requires preparation of county Extension educators to understand how food supply chains function as systems, facilitate community partnerships, and create equitable access to locally produced food. This paper shares how North Carolina Cooperative Extension designed, delivered, and evaluated a local foods in-service training on these three topics, as well as shares lessons learned through the process. The implications of this study are helpful for Extension educators planning, delivering, and evaluating in-service training programs that support development of local food systems.

Purpose.To ascertain the effectiveness of a behavior-change weight management program offered to teachers and state employees in North Carolina (NC).Design.Fifteen-week weight management program with premeasures and postmeasures.Setting.State agencies and public K-12 schools in five NC counties.Subjects.A total of 2574 NC state employees enrolled in 141 classes.Intervention.Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less (ESMMWL) is a 15-week weight management program delivered by trained instructors. Lessons inform, empower, and motivate participants to live mindfully as they make choices about eating and physical activity.Measures.Height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure, confidence in ability to eat healthy and be physically active, changes in eating, and physical activity behaviors.Analysis.Descriptive statistics, t-tests, χ2tests, and analyses of variance.Results.Data are reported for 1341 participants in ESMMWL who completed the program, submitted an evaluation, and had not participated in the program in the past; 89% were female and mean age was 48.8 years. Average BMI and waist circumference decreased significantly. Confidence in eating healthfully and being physically active increased significantly. The percentage of participants with a BMI < 30 kg/m2increased from 40% to 45% and those with a normal blood pressure increased from 23% to 32.5%. Participants reported being more mindful of what and how much they ate (92%), being more mindful of how much daily physical activity they got (88%), and eating fewer calories (87.3%).Conclusion.This project demonstrated the feasibility of implementing a behavior change–based weight management program at the worksite to achieve positive outcomes related to weight, blood pressure, healthy eating, and physical activity behaviors. Programs such as this have the potential to provide health care cost savings.