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Cost-Effectiveness Model For Youth Efnep Programs: What Do We Measure And How Do We Do It?, Elena Serrano, Mary Mcferren, Michael Lambur, Michael Ellerbock, Kathy Hosig, Nancy K. Franz, Marilyn Townsend, Susan Baker, Peter Muennig, George Davis Jul 2011

Cost-Effectiveness Model For Youth Efnep Programs: What Do We Measure And How Do We Do It?, Elena Serrano, Mary Mcferren, Michael Lambur, Michael Ellerbock, Kathy Hosig, Nancy K. Franz, Marilyn Townsend, Susan Baker, Peter Muennig, George Davis

Nancy K. Franz

The Youth Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is one of the United States Department of Agriculture's hallmark nutrition education programs for limited-resource youth. The objective of this study was to gather opinions from experts in EFNEP and related content areas to identify costs, effects (impacts), and related instruments to develop a cost-effectiveness model (instrument) for youth EFNEP, which does not exist. A cost-effectiveness model determines the economic or financial cost of producing an impact. The findings highlight several challenges in identifying inputs through consensus and provide a roadmap for the creation of a model that can be adopted …


A Summary Of Agricultural Air Quality Perceptions In Virginia, Jactone Arogo-Ogejo, Nancy K. Franz Dr., Kurt Stephenson Jan 2010

A Summary Of Agricultural Air Quality Perceptions In Virginia, Jactone Arogo-Ogejo, Nancy K. Franz Dr., Kurt Stephenson

Nancy K. Franz

As part of our project “Integrating Education and Development of a Biodegradable Litter Amendment to Mitigate Ammonia Emissions from Poultry House” funded by the National Institute for Food and Agriculture, research project (#2009-55112-05214), we conducted four listening sessions on agricultural air quality with 44 agricultural agency representatives, farmers, and Extension agents/specialists, across Virginia. The purpose of the listening sessions was to gather information from the community (stakeholders) about their perceptions, concerns, what they would like to know, and who should be educated about agricultural air quality. We made a short presentation to introduce the subject and then solicited stakeholder reaction. …


Catalyzing Transformation: Conditions In Extension Educational Environments That Promote Change, Nancy K. Fran, Barry A. Garst, Sarah Baughman, Chris Smith, Brian Peters Aug 2009

Catalyzing Transformation: Conditions In Extension Educational Environments That Promote Change, Nancy K. Fran, Barry A. Garst, Sarah Baughman, Chris Smith, Brian Peters

Nancy K. Franz

Extension faculty and administrators have suggested Cooperative Extension's goal and niche is transformative education—to bring about deep change in individuals, families, and communities. However even though transformative learning appears to be a desirable approach to Extension education, few scholars and practitioners have examined the conditions in Extension learning environments that promote transformation. In fact, Extension agents and faculty ask what they can do to increase the likelihood their work will result in transformation. The research reported here explored conditions that catalyze transformation in two Extension educational contexts: 1) Cornell Cooperative Extension agent/specialist work teams and 2) Virginia 4-H Camps.


Cooperative Extension: A Complex Organization, Nancy K. Franz, Lisa Townson Dec 2008

Cooperative Extension: A Complex Organization, Nancy K. Franz, Lisa Townson

Nancy K. Franz

The authors provide an overview of the Cooperative Extension System and its program evaluation challenges. Part of the historic land-grant system, Extension exists in all states and territories of the United States and is funded through federal, state, and local (usually county) appropriations, as well as competitive grants and other sources. Complex funding, staffing, and accountability structures combined with widely varying programs and delivery methods make program development and evaluation challenging for Extension. Although each state’s Extension service operates autonomously, they all share a need to communicate program impacts and public value, which has become the main driver for program …


Adult Education Theories: Informing Cooperative Extension's Transformation, Nancy K. Franz Dr. Feb 2007

Adult Education Theories: Informing Cooperative Extension's Transformation, Nancy K. Franz Dr.

Nancy K. Franz

As the largest adult education institution in America, Cooperative Extension should ground organizational operations in adult education theory. This connection with theory is especially important as Extension systems work towards organizational transformation to create more participatory and democratic learning. Adult education theories of transformative learning and critical reflection from a critical theory perspective are especially pertinent to inform this type of transformation. This requires that Extension create opportunities for learners to experience disorienting dilemmas, critically reflect on their assumptions, and facilitate how to learn not just what to learn.


Leading Organizational Change: A Comparison Of County And Campus Views Of Extension Engagement, Nancy K. Franz, Randall S. Peterson, Amber L. Dailey Jun 2002

Leading Organizational Change: A Comparison Of County And Campus Views Of Extension Engagement, Nancy K. Franz, Randall S. Peterson, Amber L. Dailey

Nancy K. Franz

Feeling pressure from stakeholders, Cornell Cooperative Extension has responded using the Kellogg Commission report on the Future of State and Land-Grant Universities as a blueprint for organizational change. Results of interviews revealed both similarities and differences in county and state staff views of engagement. The most significant difference is that county staff view their jobs as the critical link between community needs and university resources, while campus staff view them as implementers of programs. This finding suggests a need to engage all staff in a mutual dialogue of roles and expectation if change based on Extension engagement is to be …


Extension Workers As Orchestrators Of Civic Renewal Through Civic Professionalism, Nancy K. Franz Dec 2000

Extension Workers As Orchestrators Of Civic Renewal Through Civic Professionalism, Nancy K. Franz

Nancy K. Franz

I have a passion and a bias. I am passionate about the important role of the Cooperative Extension System (CES) in civic renewal. My bias is that extension workers (also known as agents or educators) are the key to civic renewal throughout the United States. No other institution has the same ability to reach all of America with education and organizing efforts. With extension workers in every county in the nation, this group of professionals and their work cut across age, race, ethnicity, religion, geography and many other demographic characteristics. Extension has a long history of being active in civic …