An analysis of the food safety educational processes in the Cooperative Extension System of the North Central Region of the United States

Literature suggests that food safety is a serious concern all over the world, and lack of it has huge health and economic implications to different stakeholders. The situation in the U.S. is also no different with most of the American public not much knowledgeable about agriculture and food safety. Therefore, food safety education assumes importance. There are many food safety education providers in the U.S. with the Cooperative Extension System (CES) of the land-grant institutions being the most reliable one. The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceptions and extent of use of food safety educational processes by extension educators in the CES of the North Central Region of the United States. Extension educators\u27: (1) perceptions toward food safety and various components related to food safety educational processes, (2) their inservice need for the identified educational processes, and (3) the extent to which they were using the identified teaching methods and tools in their food safety educational programs were analyzed in order to accomplish the purpose of the study. Data were collected by using an expert panel-reviewed and reliability-tested electronic questionnaire from extension educators in the program areas of Family and Consumer Sciences and Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the County Extension Directors (CEDs). A disproportionate stratified random sample of 64 extension educators from each of the 12 states of NCR was drawn, amounting to a sample size of 768. The findings were based on the 325 usable questionnaires out of the 416 that were returned. It was found that a typical extension educator (as operationally defined) was a middle-aged female with substantial years of work experience and held a master\u27s degree. Extension educators had neutral perceptions about food safety, and were in need of inservice education on all five identified food safety inservice educational processes. Further, extension educators perceived most of the educational processes to be important and the identified teaching methods and tools to be effective for conducting food safety educational programs. It was further found that extension educators were using discussions and brochures to the greatest extent compared to the other teaching methods and tools, respectively, in their food safety educational programs. One-way ANOVA analysis indicated that the findings overall were consistent among the extension educators of the NCR implying that they could be generalized to the entire population. Hence, a food safety education delivery model was developed for extension educators of the NCR that has implications for both inservice education of extension educators and delivery of information to clients. The model was predominantly based on the findings from this study and a review of the literature

An analysis of the food safety educational processes in the Cooperative Extension System of the North Central Region of the United States

Literature suggests that food safety is a serious concern all over the world, and lack of it has huge health and economic implications to different stakeholders. The situation in the U.S. is also no different with most of the American public not much knowledgeable about agriculture and food safety. Therefore, food safety education assumes importance. There are many food safety education providers in the U.S. with the Cooperative Extension System (CES) of the land-grant institutions being the most reliable one. The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceptions and extent of use of food safety educational processes by extension educators in the CES of the North Central Region of the United States. Extension educators': (1) perceptions toward food safety and various components related to food safety educational processes, (2) their inservice need for the identified educational processes, and (3) the extent to which they were using the identified teaching methods and tools in their food safety educational programs were analyzed in order to accomplish the purpose of the study. Data were collected by using an expert panel-reviewed and reliability-tested electronic questionnaire from extension educators in the program areas of Family and Consumer Sciences and Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the County Extension Directors (CEDs). A disproportionate stratified random sample of 64 extension educators from each of the 12 states of NCR was drawn, amounting to a sample size of 768. The findings were based on the 325 usable questionnaires out of the 416 that were returned. It was found that a typical extension educator (as operationally defined) was a middle-aged female with substantial years of work experience and held a master's degree. Extension educators had neutral perceptions about food safety, and were in need of inservice education on all five identified food safety inservice educational processes. Further, extension educators perceived most of the educational processes to be important and the identified teaching methods and tools to be effective for conducting food safety educational programs. It was further found that extension educators were using discussions and brochures to the greatest extent compared to the other teaching methods and tools, respectively, in their food safety educational programs. One-way ANOVA analysis indicated that the findings overall were consistent among the extension educators of the NCR implying that they could be generalized to the entire population. Hence, a food safety education delivery model was developed for extension educators of the NCR that has implications for both inservice education of extension educators and delivery of information to clients. The model was predominantly based on the findings from this study and a review of the literature.</p

Teaching Methods and Tools Used In Food Safety Extension Education Programs in the North Central Region of the United States

One of the ways to ensure food safety is to educate the public. Of the organizations providing food safety education in the United States (U.S.), the Cooperative Extension System (CES) is one of the most reliable. The effectiveness CES programs depends not only on what is being taught but also on how it is taught. Both a needs-based curriculum and how that curriculum is delivered are equally important. This descriptive cross-sectional study using a disproportional stratified random sample identified the teaching methods and tools being used by food safety extension educators of the CES of North Central Region (NCR). A Likert-type scale administered to extension educators revealed that they were adopting a balanced use of teaching methods and tools, and using learner-centered teaching methods in their programs. However, distance education, case studies and podcasts, which are commonly used in education programs, were not being used extensively. We recommend that food safety extension educators of NCR should increase the use of these two teaching methods and tool while continuing to use the current ones. This study has implications for improving food safety education delivery to clients in the NCR and for designing inservice education for food safety extension educators

Teaching Methods and Tools Used In Food Safety Extension Education Programs in the North Central Region of the United States

One of the ways to ensure food safety is to educate thepublic. Of the organizations providing food safety educationin the United States (U.S.), the Cooperative Extension System(CES) is one of the most reliable. The effectiveness CESprograms depends not only on what is being taught but also onhow it is taught. Both a needs-based curriculum and how thatcurriculum is delivered are equally important. This descriptivecross-sectional study using a disproportional stratified randomsample identified the teaching methods and tools being used byfood safety extension educators of the CES of North CentralRegion (NCR). A Likert-type scale administered to extensioneducators revealed that they were adopting a balanced use ofteaching methods and tools, and using learner-centered teachingmethods in their programs. However, distance education, casestudies and podcasts, which are commonly used in educationprograms, were not being used extensively. We recommend thatfood safety extension educators of NCR should increase the useof these two teaching methods and tool while continuing to usethe current ones. This study has implications for improving foodsafety education delivery to clients in the NCR and for designinginservice education for food safety extension educator

Regionalization of the Iowa State University Extension System: Lessons Learned by Key Administrators

The cyclical economic downturn in the United States has forced many Extension administrators to rethink and adjust services and programming. The Cooperative Extension System (CES), the organization primarily responsible for governmental Extension work in the United States, at Iowa State University responded to this economic downturn by restructuring its organization from county based to a regional model. This paper shares the experiences of key administrators in planning this restructuring process and the lessons learned. This experience and the restructuring processes used have implications for administrators in all organizational settings

Regionalization of the Iowa State University Extension System: Lessons Learned by Key Administrator

The cyclical economic downturn in the United States hasforced many Extension administrators to rethink and adjustservices and programming. The Cooperative Extension System(CES), the organization primarily responsible for governmentalExtension work in the United States, at Iowa State University responded to this economic downturn by restructuring its organizationfrom county based to a regional model. This paper shares the experiences of key administrators in planning this restructuringprocess and the lessons learned. This experience and the restructuringprocesses used have implications for administrators in all organiizational setting

Employee Job Autonomy and Control in a Restructured Extension Organization

This descriptive cross sectional census study identified the perceptions of Extension and Outreach employees of Iowa State University in the United States about job autonomy and control after two years of a major restructuring. Employees perceived autonomy and control over expressing views and ideas about their work and spending time on the job but perceived little influence over budget allocations and shaping organizational strategies. They felt administrators and external funding sources influenced programming. They perceived contributing most to program implementation and marketing. The findings from this study have implications for operations and programming in Extension and other organizational settings

Employee Job Autonomy and Control in a Restructured Extension Organization

This descriptive cross sectional census study identified theperceptions of Extension and Outreach employees of IowaState University in the United States about job autonomy andcontrol after two years of a major restructuring. Employees perceivedautonomy and control over expressing views and ideasabout their work and spending time on the job but perceivedlittle influence over budget allocations and shaping organizationalstrategies. They felt administrators and external funding sourcesinfluenced programming. They perceived contributing most toprogram implementation and marketing. The findings from thisstudy have implications for operations and programming in Extensionand other organizational settings