1. PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT: a developmental, interactive process by which representative leaders and organizations work with Extension agents and specialists to study local situations; identify major issues, problems and opportunities; establish long-range and annual program plans and implement education and action to help people reach their goals.
2. PARADIGM: a model, pattern or way of thinking about a conceptual system; involves the rules, concepts and values inherent in understanding how something is viewed or perceived.
3. PROGRAM: series of coordinated educational activities designed for well defined audiences to reach a realistic goal and using a combination of appropriate methods/techniques.
4. PROGRAM AREA: broad disciplinary area in Cooperative Extension System - agriculture, community development, 4-H and youth, home economics, and natural resources.
5. PROGRAMMING BASES:
DISCIPLINARY - identification with a subject matter or specialized concern of an identified clientele/audience, generally confined to certain method of program delivery; originates within the Extension organization. Disciplinary efforts involve one or more individuals within the same discipline.
CROSS-DISCIPLINARY - efforts refer to any activity involving two or more disciplines, regardless of the level of integration.
MULTIDISCIPLINARY - involvement of individuals from two or more different disciplines working together on a common problem but with limited interaction and synthesis; activities are individually planned, implemented and evaluated.
INTERDISCIPLINARY - involvement of individuals from different disciplines working collaboratively as a team with significant interaction during the entire program process. Synthesis, new/unique concept of the problem and discovered results/solution are keynotes.
6. BASE PROGRAM: established or on-going program, usually broad in scope, having diffuse and varied problems, several specific goals, various educational activities and subject matters to reach several different clientele segments.
7. PROJECT: short-term intensive action effort, usually with direct contact and group methods, designed to meet a specific goal.
8. SYSTEMS APPROACH: detailed, holistic and integrated study of all the components which make up a system, their interrelationships and relations between the system and its environment; the focus is on the "whole" in viewing a system as a set of interrelated parts.
9. ISSUE: a matter of wide public concern arising out of complex human problems; may be emerging, current, or declining, depending on the breadth of public perception and stage in the life cycle of the issue.
10. PROBLEM: an identified, perceived need; any condition or specific situation for which the people, after careful study, determine that action or change is needed to bring about improvement.
11. INITIATIVE (Issue-based program): Extension's planned response to a critical issue, characterized by identifying human problems in their own context (outside the Extension organization), without prior regard to a certain subject matter, audience or method of program delivery. An initiative emphasizes simultaneous handling of interrelated problems, interdisciplinary subject matter, team activity and multiple audiences.
12. INTEGRATED MAJOR PROGRAM AREA CURRICULUM ("IMPAC"): an in-depth or intensive educational effort with clearly defined goal based on problems and learning needs of a target audience, intended to result in their understanding and use of information. An "IMPAC" program is assumed to be based on a high priority issue, involving interdisciplinary programming to address complex problems within an issue.
13. EDUCATIONAL METHOD: the systematic mode or approach used to reach people; methods are group, individual, mass media or indirect.
14. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY: a single educational effort or event designed to move the program toward attainment of its goal.
15. LEARNING: the process of acquiring knowledge, skills and/or attitudes involving new ways of thinking or doing things.
16. TARGET AUDIENCE: an identifiable homogeneous population or population segment (having similar characteristics or common need) designed to receive priority attention in an educational program. Target audiences may be identified by economic or personal need, level of knowledge, occupation, age or life stage, place of residence, or other pertinent variable.
17. TEACHING: the process of arranging situations so that learners, by their own actions, become changed in behavior (knowledge, skill, attitude).
18. COUNTY PROGRAM PLAN (Annual Plan of Work): document specifying areas of local concern, annual goals, planned time, teaching points, methods and persons responsible for implementing defined activities for a program year; serves as performance appraisal contract for county faculty.
19. LONG-RANGE EXTENSION PROGRAM: the planning process conducted every 4-5 years to generate current issues and set general program priorities for Extension programming at the county level. Issues are aggregated to form the statewide strategic plan.
LONG-RANGE EXTENSION PROGRAM [LREP]: document prepared by agents and members of county Extension Program Councils that identifies issues, background information, long-range objectives and evaluation indicators that are priorities for Extension education over a designated multi-year period.
20. STRATEGIC PLANNING: systematic approach toward managing change, involving recognition and clarification of mission, environmental scan, identification and selection of issues, goal development, plan implementation, and monitoring of results.
21. LONG-RANGE OBJECTIVE: statement of an educational intent of several years' duration in which audience, behavior change expected and problem area are specified.
22. ANNUAL GOAL: statement of an educational intent for one year, in which audience, desired behavior change and problem area are specified. Annual goals should be set as increments leading toward accomplishment of long-range objectives/goals that the county's Extension Program Council and/or program committee select for emphasis in a given year.
23. EVALUATION: appraisal or judgment of the value or worth of something; a process of assessing the quality of an educational program, including plans, methods and outcomes or impact; involves collecting, analyzing and interpreting information on the need for, implementation of, and effectiveness and/or efficiency of Extension educational programs designed to solve complex human problems.
24. EVALUATION PLAN: a strategy developed during program design that identifies: type of evaluation information needed; for whom it is needed; when, from whom and how information will be collected and reported.
25. INDICATOR [Desired Outcome]: sign or pointer, explicit measure used to express an intended program result; verifiable evidence of the educational program accomplishment.
26. CASE STUDY: in-depth, comprehensive situation analysis to understand the nature of problems, alternative solutions and consequences, with application to other settings.
27. TEACHING OBJECTIVE: statement of knowledge, skill or attitude (behavior) expected of participants at the conclusion of an educational activity or learning experience. Audience, behavior change, and problem area are identified.
28. TEACHING PLAN: outline or agenda of instructions for an educational activity in which teaching objectives, teaching points, methods and techniques, references and evaluation procedures are specified.
29. TEACHING POINTS: listing of detailed subject matter elements or parts to be taught in order to attain the skill, knowledge or attitude stated in the teaching objective.
30. TEAMWORK [TEAM APPROACH]: group of individuals working toward a common vision, sharing responsibilities and developing into a single integrated whole.
TECHNIQUE: the form or experience used to present the material to be learned. See items 31.-63.
DEVICE: mechanical item or resource used to aid learning. See items 64-67.
GROUP METHOD: a technique that provides learning experiences for persons together in one place or interacting together. Techniques 31.-52. are for presenting information or involving individuals in learning experiences. Techniques 53.-56. are primarily for idea generation, planning and evaluation.
INDIVIDUAL METHOD: one-to-one direct or indirect contact between learner and educator. See techniques 57.-59.
MASS MEDIA METHOD: information presented indirectly through print, broadcast or other technical media. See 60.-61. and page 61.
INDIRECT METHOD: learning or information transmission that occurs outside of planned group techniques (such as through displays in mall, exhibits at fairgrounds; self-initiated learning). See 62.-63.
32. CAMP: outdoor recreational activity where educational activity is also a part.
33. CONFERENCE: meeting series designed around a theme or issue, usually having a keynote session and subsessions on related topics.
34. DISCUSSION: small group of people led by a moderator expresses ideas, exchanges information or otherwise explores a topic to learn more about the subject, reach a decision or solution, or achieve acceptance.
35. FIELD DAY: group meeting conducted on a single site (farm, ranch, business, experiment station) to observe and discuss improved practices, equipment or facilities.
36. FORUM: panel or discussion, with a moderator, by which one or more proponents of opposing sides of a controversial topic present their views.
37. INFORMATION DAY: planned group activity designed to interpret Extension programs to key leaders or the public.
38. INSTITUTE: one or more meetings with qualified speakers, in which participants receive general information on topics in the same program area. (An institute does not provide the depth of training of a short course.)
39. LECTURE: a qualified person presents a prepared talk or discourse on a topic, usually without interaction from the audience.
40. MEETING: gathering of persons in a specified place at a specified time (e.g., committee meeting, staff conference).
41. MEETING SERIES: a sequence of separate group sessions related to a common learning goal.
42. METHOD DEMONSTRATION: visual and verbal explanation, simultaneously showing and telling about a process, fact or idea; illustrated talk.
43. PANEL: several qualified people representing different viewpoints present discussion of a topic, guided by a moderator.
44. QUESTION AND ANSWER: planned interaction between learner and teacher in which content is transmitted in response to questioning.
45. ROLE-PLAY: dramatic skit or socio-drama in which participants act out a realistic situation as if they were the persons involved (e.g., actualization).
46. SEMINAR: study course pursued by a group of advanced learners, with one or more qualified instructors, in which each learner conducts a study assignment or research and results are exchanged through reports and discussion.
47. SHORT COURSE: series of instructional sessions, with qualified instructors, in which participants receive intensive training in scientific principles and subject matter content of a specific program area.
48. SIMULATION [SIMULATION GAME]: a planned attitude-change event, concentrated in time, in which participants are led through real-life experiences to gain a better understanding of process and consequences of their choices.
49. SYMPOSIUM: several qualified persons with a moderator consecutively present prepared talks, each on a different phase of the same topic.
50. TOUR: group meeting conducted at two or more sites (farms, ranches, homes, businesses) to observe and discuss improved practices, facilities and/or equipment.
51. WORKSHOP: one or more training sessions in which participants plan and carry out specific study or work assignments based on subjects being taught. A workshop is usually concluded with a summary-evaluation session.
52. WORK SESSION: technique in which participants perform certain work tasks based on what is being taught.
IDEA GENERATION TECHNIQUES: 53.-56.
53. BRAINSTORMING: creative generation of ideas, in which all ideas are expressed and accepted without being evaluated in the process.
54. DELPHI TECHNIQUE: decisionmaking technique using a panel of expert judges whose opinions are given by mail or telephone in a sequence of steps to obtain consensus.
55. FOCUS GROUP: information gathering technique in which organized group discussions focus on a single theme; the purpose is to gather perceptions, feelings, opinions and thoughts about an issue or theme, not to reach consensus.
56. NOMINAL GROUP: a non-interacting group where participants are in the same place but contribute ideas on paper with limited verbal communication; useful for generation of ideas without judgment as to their worth.
57. CONSULTATION: one-to-one direct contact for consideration of a problem on-site (e.g., home, farm or business visit).
58. DIRECT MAIL SERIES [MAIL-OUT or LETTER SERIES]: written communication sent to a predetermined list of people and containing specific educational information - three or more in series format.
59. INFORMATION LETTER [CIRCULAR LETTER, NEWSLETTER]: a written communication to a predetermined clientele, containing specific educational information; contains more than announcements.
60. SATELLITE CONFERENCE: video-conference meeting designed around a theme or issue, having a keynote session and subsessions on related topics, carried out by means of satellite video equipment with uplinks and downlinks at various sites; presentations may be taped or live broadcasts.
61. TELECONFERENCE: use of telephone and special equipment to amplify voice at two or more meeting locations, using an indirect meeting technique for the purpose of consultation, interchange of views, and presentation of educational information.
62. INDEPENDENT STUDY: self-paced learning by any of several means - reading, correspondence course, mail-out series, consultation and completion of assignment.
63. RESULT DEMONSTRATION: observable example of a recommended practice, intended to show the value of the practice or product and designed to teach others in addition to the person conducting the demonstration; involves substantial period of time, records of results and comparisons. [In Extension programming, this applied research is usually conducted by a producer, homemaker, 4-H member or other person under direct guidance of an Extension educator.]
64. AUDIO-VISUALS: including films, tape recordings, videotapes, filmstrips, cassettes, exhibits, posters.
65. BROADCAST MEDIA: including television, radio (AM, FM, sideband), satellite and videoconference.
66. COMPUTER ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS: microcomputer data storage and processing system, often used for retrieving an information database and for calculating potential outcomes of hypothetical situations.
67. PRINT MEDIA: including book, bulletin, fact-sheet, magazine, newsletter, newspaper and the like.
69. EXECUTIVE BOARD: a small body within the Extension Program Council which provides overall leadership and coordination to the Council. Membership, authority and method of appointment are defined in the standing rules. [Urban County Councils refer to BOARD OF ADVISORS.]
70. PROGRAM AREA COMMITTEE, ISSUE COMMITTEE: a standing committee created by the Extension Program Council's executive board to develop educational programs related to a major interest, issue or problem in the county.
71. TASK FORCE: a short-term group assigned to facilitate action to more effectively address a particular issue or part of an issue. A task force may be created within an existing committee or as a separate group.
72. SPECIAL COMMITTEE: a group appointed for a special purpose that exists until the purpose is accomplished or until the committee is dissolved; may include such temporary groups as the nominating committee or task force.
73. STANDING RULES: principles by which the Extension Program Council abides and which are adopted by the membership for its own guidance in organizational behavior. Contents usually include: name, purpose, membership, officers, terms of office, meetings, finances, organizational components, voting body, quorum and amendment procedures.
74. STEERING COMMITTEE: a small group of local leaders who guide in creation or reorganization of a county's Extension Program Council; disbanded usually within 1-2 years as new Council takes shape.
75. STUDY GROUP: a group appointed for the special purpose of analyzing and interpreting information related to critical issues and long-range program development. A study group presents its recommendations to the Extension Program Council which, in turn, uses the information to set program priorities and make other program decisions.
The seven current Extension System base programs are defined by Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP):
1) AGRICULTURAL COMPETITIVENESS AND PROFITABILITY - Educational programs emphasizing systems approaches that maintain and enhance profitability through application of sound crop and animal production practices. Farm business management, marketing, decisionmaking skills and environmental considerations are the focus. Problem-oriented programs transfer latest proven technologies and promote optimum use of resources consistent with environmental and family goals.
2) COMMUNITY RESOURCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - Education targeting development of all community resources and economic viability. Improved business management, commercial and small business development, job creation and local government support are the focus. Programs aim to increase community vitality and aid socieconomic transitions; they include community services and facilities, housing, and human development through leadership and public policy awareness.
3) FAMILY DEVELOPMENT AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - Education helping individuals and families develop the competencies to become healthy, productive, financially secure, environmentally responsible members of society. Education is targeted to management of resources - including money, time, apparel, housing and energy; strengthening individual and family relationships; providing quality care for children; and maximizing independence of the elderly.
4) 4-H AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT - Education building life-long learning skills that develop youth potential and are designed to engage youth in healthy learning experiences increasing self-esteem and problem-solving skills. Programs address stress management, self-protection, parent-teen communication, careers, personal development, outreach and interchange and global understanding, exploration of science, technology and citizenship.
5) LEADERSHIP AND VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT - Education emphasizing life skills, especially leadership. Programs empower participants to improve their self-esteem and life skills and strengthen communities in which they work and live. Volunteers multiply program impacts, expand public policy education and improve community organization and leadership.
6) NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - Education focusing on management, use and sustainability of natural resources with special attention to environmental stewardship and biodiversity. Programs encompass soil, water, air and plant management, aquaculture, conservation and forestry; sustainable use and management of rangelands, wetlands and wildlands; land use planning; and use of information systems.
7) NUTRITION, DIET AND HEALTH - Education providing individuals and families with a knowledge base to make informed decisions about food, nutrition and health. Objectives include helping people achieve and maintain optimum weight and reduce risks of chronic disease; practicing responsible and healthy self-care; giving birth to healthy babies; helping children attain optimum long-term health; minimizing nutritional inadequacies and abuses in foods; and improving consumers' ability to make informed choices related to food safety, quality and composition.