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Opportunities For Competency Support Of Virginia Cooperative Extension Professionals At The Colleague Stage, Karen A. Vines, Ruth E. Wallace, Cynthia Gregg, Neil Clark, Jane Henderson, Lonnie Johnson, Dickson Otieno, Sarah Baughman

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This study focused on the professional development needs of Cooperative Extension agents and specialists with between four and seven years of experience, placing them roughly within the colleague career stage. Data were collected through focus groups and validated through member checking and the use of a modified World Café approach. A research team collaborated, increasing the reliability of the findings through intentional reflection in the development of the findings. Areas of competency strength and weakness vary for agents and specialists, and specific topic areas within competencies vary. While many of the emergent competencies identified in this study fit within the …