Collaborative learning Internet courses provide a means of disseminating information to limited acreage producers. Three multi-disciplinary subject curriculums were assimilated into an e-learning platform. Incorporating student online discussion completed the collaborative learning process. With development complete and classes currently being offered, a model is established for Extension programs nationwide

Bennett, Blake K

Johnson, Jason L

Parker, Rebecca

English

Clemson University: TigerPrints

The Journal of Extension Volume 47 Number 6 Article 11 12-1-2009 Educating Limited Acreage Producers Using Web-Based Technology Blake K. Bennett Texas AgriLife Extension, b-bennett@tamu.edu Jason L. Johnson Texas AgriLife Extension, jljohnson@ag.tamu.edu Rebecca Parker Texas AgriLife Extension, rhparker@ag.tamu.edu This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. Recommended Citation Bennett, B. K., Johnson, J. L., & Parker, R. (2009). Educating Limited Acreage Producers Using Web-Based Technology. The Journal of Extension, 47(6), Article 11. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/joe/vol47/iss6/11 This Ideas at Work is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Journal of Extension by an authorized editor of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact kokeefe@clemson.edu. December 2009Volume 47 Number 6Article Number 6IAW2Return to Current IssueExpanding 4-H HorizonsAlexa LammGraduate StudentUniversity of FloridaGainesville, Floridaalamm@ufl.eduDoug HartRegional DirectorOregon State UniversityBend, Oregondoug.hart@oregonstate.eduConnie Cecil4-H Youth Development SpecialistColorado State UniversityFort Collins, Coloradoconnie.cecil@colostate.eduJim WilsonArea 4-H Youth Extension EducatorUniversity of IdahoCoeur d' Alene, Idahojwilson@uidaho.eduBrett KaysenAssistant Professor, Animal ScienceColorado State UniversityFort Collins, Coloradobrett.kaysen@colostate.eduAbstract: What does a 4-H volunteer do when a child asks to start a project he or she doesn't know anythingabout? The Expanding 4-H Horizons Swine Leaders' Guide offers information and ready-to-go activities thatcan be used by anyone in a club or clinic setting. A team of western regional Extension professionals havecreated and piloted a user-friendly tool that can be utilized by 4-H leaders and state/county Extension staff.With this curriculum, adults will be able to conduct highly effective activities that emphasize project skills,life skill learning, the experiential learning model and 4-H SET.Expanding 4-H Horizons 12/18/09 06:48:511/4IntroductionVolunteers are essential to the success of Extension programming (Steele, 1994). With current organizationalclimates, where professionals are asked to do more with less, the contribution of volunteers within the 4-Hprogram is continuing to become more and more vital (Sinasky & Bruce, 2007). Volunteer leaders tend to getinvolved in 4-H because they have knowledge to offer and a passion for helping youth.For example, a leader may have an interest in, and general knowledge about, the beef project. The next year,one of the youth in his or her club wants to enroll in the swine project, and the leader allows it but does nothave the knowledge to assist the member. Without clear guidance from an adult with a general understandingof the project, the member does not get the help he or she needs. The member, their parents, and the leaderbecome frustrated, and the 4-H year ends without anyone feeling satisfied.A new leaders' curriculum, Expanding 4-H Horizons Swine Leaders' Guide has been developed for livestockleaders and piloted by a western regional team of Extension professionals in an attempt to circumvent issuesrelated to disappointing experiences (Lamm, Cecil, Kaysen, Wilson, & Hart, 2007).MethodsSo often, youth, adults and parents have the best intentions when signing up for new projects; however,without proper guidance, the projects have the potential of ending in disaster. In a volunteer satisfactionstudy done by Penn State University in 2007, volunteers identified that, as a whole, educators do not findways to change the status quo, find ways to improve the Extension organization, or look for ways to createlearning opportunities (Sinasky & Bruce, 2007). The goal of the Expanding 4-H Horizons Swine Leaders'curriculum is to offer research-based information and activities that will assist in turning disappointingsituations into successes (Lamm et al., 2007). As an end result, the guide enhances the adult and youthexperience with 4-H, while increasing member and volunteer retention.A leader who has no prior experience with the subject matter chosen can open the guide, gain knowledge,and then conduct club meetings or clinics by choosing one of the ready-to-go activities that focus on projectand life skill learning. It has been designed to supplement any state's livestock member manuals. As a result,the volunteer will gain knowledge, and the member will receive direct instruction with correct research-basedinformation, enhancing their life skills and promoting 4-H SET goals.The swine-specific information in the manual is based on industry standards and uses current managementpractices as a base of knowledge, applying it to a junior livestock project. While many manuals start with thepurchase of a market livestock project and progress through the fair, this curriculum uses a unique holisticapproach. By utilizing the entire manual, it educates from a supply chain management perspective, coveringtopics from conception to consumption and beyond. A few unique areas addressed include prior projectplanning, marketing and merchandising, and the honor and responsibility of being a protein producer asdescribed below.Prior Project PlanningThe curriculum starts by emphasizing goal setting prior to purchasing livestock. This includes evaluatingspace, facilities, budget, time commitments, human resource availability, and choosing a long- versusshort-term project. Members are encouraged to evaluate the pros and cons of market versus breedingenterprises.Expanding 4-H Horizons 12/18/09 06:48:512/4Marketing and MerchandisingAfter being involved in junior livestock projects for several years, leaders understand that marketing andmerchandising livestock projects are essential to financial success. This curriculum emphasizes the value oflearning and administering these skills at the beginning of the project. By addressing this issue early on,youth gain a skill that is essential to any successful business venture.The Honor and Responsibility of Being a Protein ProducerIn this curriculum, it is emphasized that the end result of a livestock project is a meat product designed forhuman consumption. When selling an animal it is imperative that a leader focus on the importance of thecycle of life in working with youth who carry livestock projects. Through observations, the most difficultpart of raising livestock for youth is letting go of their project at the end of the year. The Expanding 4-HHorizons Swine Leaders' curriculum offers leaders activities that allow for the grieving process to take placenaturally and give youth an opportunity to express themselves in creative ways.SummaryThe Expanding 4-H Horizons Swine Leaders' Guide is the pioneer leaders' livestock guide that has beendeveloped as the beginning of a set of four that will include Beef, Sheep, and Goat projects (Lamm et al.,2007). This series of leaders' guides will be created to serve as a useful tool that can be utilized across avariety of counties and states by supplementing already existing member manuals.The curriculum is designed to empower volunteer leaders by supplying knowledge and interactive activitiesthat should increase their confidence levels when leading livestock projects. The further intent is to enhanceyouth experiences while allowing for volunteer success. Not only are members more successful withprojects, but leaders also are satisfied with end results and want to continue their volunteer experience.Agents can access a complementary copy of the Expanding 4-H Horizons Swine Leaders' Guide curriculumby contacting the Colorado State University 4-H office at <http://www.colorado4h.org/>.ReferencesLamm, A., Cecil, C., Kaysen, B., Wilson, J., & Hart, D. (2007). Expanding 4-H horizons swine leaders'guide. Fort Collins, CO: Colorado State University, Oregon State University and University of IdahoExtension cooperating.Sinasky, M., & Bruce, P. (2007). Volunteers' perceptions of the volunteer management practices of countyextension 4-H educators. Journal of Extension [On-line], 45(3) Article 3TOT5. Available at:http://www.joe.org/joe/2007june/tt5.phpSteele, D. L. (1994). Volunteer leader inventory: Rotary training guide. West Lafayette: IN, PurdueUniversity.Copyright © by Extension Journal, Inc. ISSN 1077-5315. Articles appearing in the Journal become theproperty of the Journal. Single copies of articles may be reproduced in electronic or print form for use ineducational or training activities. Inclusion of articles in other publications, electronic sources, or systematiclarge-scale distribution may be done only with prior electronic or written permission of the Journal EditorialOffice, joe-ed@joe.org.Expanding 4-H Horizons 12/18/09 06:48:513/4If you have difficulties viewing or printing this page, please contact JOE Technical Support.Expanding 4-H Horizons 12/18/09 06:48:514/4

Educating Limited Acreage Producers Using Web-Based Technology

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Educating Limited Acreage Producers Using Web-Based Technology

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