Program Development – Page 6

Encouraging Landscape Water-Conservation Behaviors: Applying Audience Segmentation to Water Conservation Activities in the Landscape—Defining Segments of the Florida Homeowner Audience and Implications for Extension Programming

This is the second publication in a series focusing on encouraging water conservation among Florida residents who use irrigation in their home landscapes. This six-page fact sheet examines one approach to segmenting Florida residents who use irrigation in the home landscape. It also describes how segmentation can be used to encourage water conservation practices. Written by Laura A. Warner, Emmett Martin, Alexa J. Lamm, Joy N. Rumble, and Esen Momol and published by the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc200

Attitudes and Perceptions of Agricultural Water Use in Florida Expressed by the General Public and Local Officials

The use of water has become increasingly contentious because an increased population is sharing a decreasing amount of water. Water remains Florida’s most plentiful natural resource but is at risk as the agriculture industry and Floridians demand more water for a variety of uses. This four-page fact sheet discusses the media’s influence on perceptions of agricultural water use, the measurement of attitudes and perception towards agricultural water use, and ways to educate the general public and local officials on this issue. Written by Courtney T. Owens, Alexa J. Lamm, and Ricky W. Telg, and published by the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc248

Understanding Ag Awareness Programming throughout UF/IFAS Extension: Supporting Citizen Awareness of Food Systems and the Environment

Florida Extension agents around the state are working to increase public agricultural awareness (Ag Awareness). This five-page fact sheet outlines FLorida’s recent Extension efforts in agricultural awareness and highlight future directions to coordinate and strengthen this work, offering ideas for best practices while avoiding unnecessary duplication. Written by Joy N. Rumble, Kathryn A. Stofer, and Libbie Johnson and published by the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc168

Starting a Community Garden

A community garden is a great way to unite a group of people in a common goal. In addition to providing fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruit, community gardens can also increase self-esteem, beautify a neighborhood, and create and opportunity for socializing and improving health. This four-page fact sheet outlines the importance of community gardens and how to develop and manage a community garden. Written by Adrian Hunsberger, Eva C. Worden, and John McLaughlin, and published by the Environmental Horticulture Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep124

How the General Public and Local Officials Prefer to Learn about Agricultural Water Use in Florida

Water is a precious resource that is invaluable to the state of Florida. The amount of water being used daily in the state is estimated at 14.3 million gallons. Part of a series dedicated to describing the preferred ways of learning about agricultural water use in Florida, this study can be used to assist Extension educators and the agricultural industry at large in the development of strategies meant to inform people about the realities of water use. This three-page fact sheet helps Extension educators understand preferred learning mediums so they can provide useful information about agricultural water use. Written by Courtney T. Owens, Alexa J. Lamm, and Ricky W. Telg and published by the Agricultural Education and Communication Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc247

Integrating Critical Thinking into Extension Programming #5: Using Critical Thinking Styles to Enhance Team Work

The final part of the Integrating Critical Thinking in Extension Programming series, this article continues the discussion of how to take into account critical thinking methods and styles when developing Extension programs. Well-formed working groups allow members to work successfully solve problems as a group. This three-page fact sheet explains the importance of critical thinking styles when it comes to team work. Written by Alexa J. Lamm and published by the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc210

Integrating Critical Thinking into Extension Programming #4: Measuring Critical Thinking Styles Using the UFCTI

The fourth installment in the Integrating Critical Thinking into Extension Programming series, this article explains the University of Florida Critical Thinking Inventory (UFCTI), a method of determining a person’s critical thinking style. This three-page fact sheet describes the history and development of the UFCTI, how to interpret the results, and how to use the test to enhance Extension programs. Written by Alexa J. Lamm and published by the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc209

Encouraging Landscape Water-Conservation Behaviors #5: Segmenting the Audience Based on HOA Status

The newest article in the Encouraging Landscape Water-Conservation Behavior series, this six-page fact sheet provides Extension professionals with information on segmenting audiences based on their home owner association status. It provides data that shows how HOA membership potentially affects the barriers that households face when adopting conservation measures and explains how Extension professionals should use this information to enhance programming by strategically planning programs based on the similarities between clients.Written by Laura A. Warner, Alexa J. Lamm, Emmett Martin, Joy N. Rumble, and Esen Momol, and published by the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc246

School Gardens: A Growing Part of Schools

School gardens have been popping up like little pea plants in schools all over Florida. Not only are they an excellent way to get fresh produce into classrooms and cafeterias, but they also provide students with a living classroom where concepts related to science, math, agriculture, and nutrition can be learned and applied. This 4-page fact sheet discusses the benefits of school gardens to children and teachers, different types of school gardens, and points to consider while planning. Written by Kohrine Counts and Karla P. Shelnutt, and published by the UF Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, February 2016.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1463

Conservation Subdivision: Post-construction Phase: Creating Signs to Educate Residents

Installing educational signs is one way to increase awareness and participation in conservation activities. This six-page fact sheet written by Mark Hostetler and published by the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation explains how to create educational signs and install them in residential neighborhoods as a way to inform residents about biodiversity conservation. The fact sheet, one of the UF/IFAS Conservation Subdivision series, explains how to design effective signs, how to manage a series of signs to keep the information fresh, and how to maintain the signs to ensure that residents and visitors to the community continue to benefit and maintain their homes, yards, and neighborhoods sustainably for years to come.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw407

Principles and Practices to Secure and Hold Interest

Securing and holding student interest is a major challenge for teachers. Once the curriculum is set, then teachers must decide how to teach the content, particularly how to build lasting interest in the content being taught. Students learn more and retain what they have learned longer when they are interested in the content, see its usefulness, and are motivated to learn and apply what they have learned. This three-page fact sheet discusses what makes a topic or lecture interesting for students and ways to improve teaching methods to keep students engaged and interested in the subject matter. Written by R. Kirby Barrick and Andrew C. Thoron, and published by the Agricultural Education and Communication Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc242

Principles of Teaching and Learning

Effective teaching involves careful consideration and planning. There are several different principles that can be used to guide teachers in planning their lessons. This two-page fact sheet provides information on how to organize and structure subject matter, motivate students, effectively use reward and reinforcement, and other techniques for instruction. Written by R. Kirby Barrick and Andrew C. Thoron, and published by the Agricultural Education and Communication Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc243

Teaching Behavior and Student Achievement

Master Gardeners teaching and working with youth in a garden
Student achievement can clearly be enhanced through effective teaching behaviors, but what kinds of teacher behaviors lead to higher achievement among learners? This six-page fact sheet describes five different teacher behaviors that can lead to higher student achievement. These behaviors are clarity, variability, Enthusiasm, task oriented and/or businesslike behavior, and student opportunity to learn criterion material. Written by R. Kirby Barrick and Andrew C. Thoron, and published by the Agricultural Education and Communication Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc244

Writing Instructional Objectives

Elaine Turner at the chalkboard.
Good teaching begins with well-written instructional objectives. Instructional objectives identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students will possess upon successfully learning the material. This four-page fact sheet outlines the three types of objectives (cognitive, psychomotor, and affective) as well as the different components of objectives (condition, performance, criterion). A well-written instructional objective will lead to clear teaching and ultimately, student success. Written by R. Kirby Barrick and Andrew C. Thoron, and published by the Agricultural Education and Communication Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc245

Making Decisions Using Force Field Analysis

Should I adopt water conservation practices? Should I start a community garden? Should I stop using fertilizer on my lawn? These kinds of complex decisions are often difficult because many factors are at play, each with different degrees of importance. Conducting a force field analysis is a simple technique that can help an individual or groups more effectively make decisions and also more holistically consider key factors. Force field analysis allows you to make decisions based on the idea that a point of equilibrium exists within any system. Any proposed change causes a shift in this equilibrium. This four-page fact sheet describes how to conduct a force field analysis, provides a relevant example, and suggests possible applications. Written by Seth Heinert and Sebastian Galindo-Gonzalez, and published by the Agricultural Education and Communication Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc224

The Savvy Survey #6d: Constructing Indices for a Questionnaire

One of The Savvy Survey Series, this article will help Extension agents understand indexes and how to use them when evaluating an educational program. This six-page fact sheet provides an overview of constructing indices for a questionnaire. Specifically, it will discuss why composite measures like index numbers are important, what the index number means, the difference between indexes and scales, steps for the construction of indexes, and recommendations for use by Extension educators. Written by Anil Kumar Chaudhary and Glenn D. Israel, and published by the Agricultural Education and Communication Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pd069

The Savvy Survey #18: Group-Administered Surveys

Group-administered surveys are a great way to collect information from participants about the outcomes of an event or program. These kinds of surveys are best used for documenting short-term outcomes and can make use of an audience response system. This four-page fact sheet details how to develop a group-administered questionnaire, how to use an audience response system, and how to prepare and implement the survey. Written by Glenn D. Israel and Jessica L. Gouldthorpe, and published by the Agricultural Education and Communication Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pd082

Guidelines for Writing Quality Impact Statements for Workload and Marketing

There’s nothing like a great story to catch people’s attention. Extension faculty can use storytelling techniques to develop strong impact statements that communicate the results of their programming. This three-page fact sheet dissects the different elements of an impact story, explains how to connect a story to the large impact of the program, and provides an example of a success story with impact statement. Written by Amy Harder and Ruth Borger, and published by the Agricultural Education and Communication Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc241

The Savvy Survey #10: In-Person-Administered Surveys

In-person-administered surveys are a type of face-to-face interview that collects mainly quantitative data from a number of individuals and can be useful for collecting information from low-literacy audiences or obtaining very detailed information from agricultural producers or business owners about needs or program outcomes. A part of the Savvy Survey Series, this seven-page fact sheet presents the construction, development, and implementation of in-person surveys as well as how to prepare an introductory script, train interviewers, and manage the survey process. Written by Glenn D. Israel and Jessica L. Gouldthorpe, and published by the Agricultural Education and Communication Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pd074

Sampling the Evidence of Extension Program Impact

In order to evaluate their programs, Extension offices have to gather evidence about program outcomes and impacts. The first step of this process is to determine the appropriate amount of data needed, or the correct sample size. Using a sample can help Extension professionals save time, money, and labor because fewer people must be interviewed or surveyed; thus the complete set of data can be collected quickly. This nine-page fact sheet provides an overview of sampling procedures, beginning with how to determine the research problem, define the population, and decide whether to sample and going on to explain the different types of samples and how they are used. Written by Glenn D. Israel, and published by the Agricultural Education and Communication Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pd005