Editor's Page

Commentary

Mobile Learning and the Visual Web, Oh My! Nutrition Education in the 21st Century
Schuster, Ellen
Technology is rapidly changing how our program participants learn in school and for their personal improvement. Extension educators who deliver nutrition program will want to be aware of the technology trends that are driving these changes. Blended learning, mobile learning, the visual Web, and the gamification of health are approaches to consider using in programming in the near future to meet learners' expectations.

Research In Brief

Extension's Online Presence: Are Land-Grant Universities Promoting the Tripartite Mission?
Arnold, Shannon; Hill, Alexandra; Bailey, Nikki; Meyers, Courtney

Will eXtension Survive? Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Employees' Perceptions of Adopter Attributes of eXtension
Xu, Xianyan; Kelsey, Kathleen D.

Social Media in Diabetes Education: A Viable Option?
Cooper, Julie; Cox, Jill N.; Corbin, Marilyn A.

Electronic Commerce Adoption in the Hardwood Industry
Arano, Kathryn G.; Spong, Ben

Perceptions of the Training Needs of the Newest Members of the Extension Family
Bruce, Jacklyn A.; Anderson, Jessica

Profiling H-2A Program Participants in Tobacco Farming: Implications for Extension
Starnes, Jane H.; Feleke, Shiferaw T.; Schaffer, Harwood D.; Tiller, Kelly J.

Agricultural Energy Information Needs of Cooperative Extension Agricultural Agents and Their Clientele
Kluchinski, Daniel

Technical Feasibility of Small-Scale Oilseed and On-Farm Biodiesel Production: A Vermont Case Study
Stebbins-Wheelock, Emily J.; Parsons, Robert; Wang, Qingbin; Darby, Heather; Grubinger, Vernon

Poultry Farmers' Willingness to Participate in Energy Audits
Jensen, Kimberly L.;, Roberts, Roland K.; English, Burton C.

Impact of a Dairy Beef Quality Assurance Extension Program on Producer Cull Cow Management Practices and Meat Quality Knowledge
Imler, A. M.; Carr, C. C.; Hersom, M. J.; Johnson, D. D.; Thrift, T. A.

Ideas at Work

The Search for Extension: 7 Steps to Help People Find Research-Based Information on the Internet
Hill, Paul; Rader, Heidi B.; Hino, Jeff

"Apps"—An Innovative Way to Share Extension Knowledge
Dvorak, Joseph S.; Franke-Dvorak, Tanya C.; Price, Randy R.

Using Digital Classrooms to Conduct 4-H Club Meetings
West, Patricia; Fuhrman, Nicholas E.; Morgan, A. Christian; Duncan, Dennis W.

Eat, Grow, Lead 4-H: An Innovative Approach to Deliver Campus-Based Field Experiences to Pre-Entry Extension Educators
Weeks, Penny Pennington; Weeks, William G.

South Carolina's Model for Initiating Hispanic 4-H Clubs
Lippert, Robert; Rembert, Kellye

Enhancing Both Cooperative Extension and National Environmental Education Resources
Monroe, Martha C.

Improving Alaskan Aviation Safety with Turf Runways
Brown, Stephen C.

Tools of the Trade

Tools for Creating Mobile Applications for Extension
Drill, Sabrina L.

A Smartphone Application for Landscape Plants: A Case Study and Guide to Developing a Decision-Making Application
Hansen, Gail; Purcell, Scott

Viticulture Education via Blogging
Stafne, Eric T.

Going the Distance Part 1: Three Keys to Successfully Delivering an Extension Course at a Distance
Rader, Heidi B.

E-Newsletters: A Simple Way to Integrate Technology with Extension Programming
Erickson, Luke; Hansen, Lyle

Using On-Line Bulletin Boards to Gather Preliminary Information
Kelley, Kathleen; Govindasamy, Ramu; Hyde, Jeffrey

Increasing Response Rates to Web-Based Surveys
Monroe, Martha C.; Adams, Damian C.

Mixed-Mode Surveys: A Strategy to Reduce Costs and Enhance Response Rates
Tobin, Daniel; Thomson, Joan; Radhakrishna, Rama; LaBorde, Luke

Capital Budgeting for Hay Storage Decisions
Dillivan, K.D.

Overview of the GEMS Model of Volunteer Administration (Generate, Educate, Mobilize and Sustain)
Culp, Ken, III

Features

Extension's Evolving Alignment of Programs Serving Families and Youth: Organizational Change and Its Implications
Braverman, Marc T.; Franz, Nancy K.; Rennekamp, Roger A.
Extension is experiencing a trend toward closer alignment of its programs serving families and youth, notably Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Youth Development. Projects are more multidisciplinary and comprehensive than in the past, and, in many states, FCS and 4-HYD are also becoming more administratively integrated. Several reasons for this shift are recent developments in social science intervention theory, Extension budget reductions, and land-grant universities' long-term organizational strategies. We discuss implications for Extension faculty and the need to track and understand the restructuring process. Overall, the emphasis on collaboration and comprehensiveness provide opportunities for more effective Extension programming.

Moving Forward with Founders: Strategies for Change in Volunteer Organizations
Huff, Paula Rogers; Pleskac, Sue
Founder's Syndrome can create barriers to change in Extension programs. As a result, Extension staff have experienced challenges in effecting organizational change where Founders are present. 4-H Youth Development staff in Wisconsin applied a variety of strategies to move forward with 4-H programming, despite the influence of the Founders. Staff development has focused on three strategies with regard to Founders: Staff Awareness and Understanding, Training and Support, and Teaching Tools. A comprehensive educational approach that includes multiple strategies is likely to yield the most benefit to Extension staff dealing with Founder's Syndrome in volunteer organizations.

Global 4-H Network: Laying the Groundwork for Global Extension Opportunities
Major, Jennifer; Miller, Rhonda
A descriptive study examining 4-H programs in Africa, Asia, and Europe was conducted to provide understanding and direction in the establishment of a Global 4-H Network. Information regarding structure, organizational support, funding, and programming areas was gathered. Programs varied greatly by country, and many partnered with other 4-H organizations around the world. Few content areas offered by the surveyed countries aligned with their major agricultural commodities, even though content areas were available in the United States 4-H Program. The Global 4-H Network has the potential to fill these holes and provide additional opportunities to global programs.

Characteristics of Innovations: Lessons Learned From a Statewide Mandatory Implementation of the Animal Health Network
Moore, Lori L.; Murphrey, Theresa Pesl; Degenhart, Shannon H.; Vestal, Tom A.; Loux, Shavahn
The Animal Health Network is designed to connect state veterinarians with Extension partners and local feed retailers to deliver timely, relevant animal disease-related information to non-commercial livestock and poultry owners. The study reported here explored perceptions of key opinion leaders related to the characteristics of the Network as an innovation. Qualitative interviews conducted with13 stakeholders involved in the implementation of the Network revealed that the relative advantage, complexity, and compatibility of the Network were readily apparent to participants, while trialability and observability were not as pervasive. Findings can assist those attempting to diffuse a concept or idea with similar characteristics.

Pilot Study: A Guide to Equine Welfare Assessment
Fabus, Taylor A.; Waite, Karen; Shelle, John; Siegford, Janice; Chapin, Julie
In response to growing interest in equine welfare and the need for 4-H curriculum, a pilot study of equine welfare curriculum was conducted with 4-H clubs (N=15). An overall low response rate of 26.67% was experienced. An online survey was then conducted in order to determine factors affecting involvement. Time constraints for both youth and leaders were among the most commonly cited deterrents to completion. Survey responses also suggested that following a hybrid (of hard copy and online instruction) may increase usability and effectiveness of A Guide to Equine Welfare Assessment.

Steps Toward Creating and Validating an Evidence-Based Couples Curriculum
Goddard, H. Wallace; Marshall, James P.; Olson, Jonathan R.; Dennis, Steven A.
This article describes a four-step process for creating an evidence-based couples curriculum and describes the first steps in applying this process. Specifically, we developed a self-report questionnaire to operationalize a model of healthy relationships. We gathered data from 1,204 married people in a southeastern state and conducted a series of analyses to assess the psychometric properties of the questionnaire and the predictive usefulness of the general model. Results indicated partial support for the reliability and validity of the instrument. In addition, certain aspects of the model were significantly related to positive marital outcomes.

Serving Clientele with Disabilities: An Assessment of Texas FCS Agents' Needs for Implementing Inclusive Programs
Peterson, Rick L.; Grenwelge, Cheryl; Benz, Michael R.; Zhang, Dalun; Resch, J. Aaron; Mireles, Gerardo; Mahadevan, Lakshmi
This article reports on a qualitative study to assess Texas Family Consumer Science (FCS) Extension professionals' experiences working with individuals with disabilities and their perceived skills in promoting and delivering inclusive educational programming for this audience. Study results indicate that overall Extension educators viewed inclusive programming for individuals with disabilities as favorable but also reported a number of barriers to successfully implement inclusive programs. Educators' most pressing needs included: professional development in the area of disability, inclusive educational strategies and support funds for necessary accommodations. Implications for promoting and delivering inclusive educational programming for communities are addressed.

Extension Efforts to Restore Bottomland Oaks Requires Knowledge of Both Trees and Soil
Mercker, David; Blair, Ryan; Tyler, Don; Saxton, Arnold; Smith, Joshua
Bottomland oak restoration projects have been marginally successful because professionals often recommend conventional tree planting procedures that prove problematic in saturated soils. A reliable method of matching oak species to bottomland sites is needed prior to planting. In the study reported here, bottomland oaks were matched to hydric soils based on soil mottling. The findings suggest that as soil drainage improves, species diversity expands. Natural Resource Extension professionals should consider "active" methods of direct technical assistance and field demonstrations and "passive" methods of newsletters, publications, and pamphlets, as delivery methods to educate both landowners and professionals about this subject.