Exploration of Urban Extension County Offices: Identifying Patterns of Success Using a Modified Delphi and Case Study
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Copyright by Warren Jack Kerrigan, Jr. 2005 ABSTRACT The Cooperative Extension Service was established in 1914 when the United States of America was a predominantly agrarian society. America’s population according to the 2000 U.S. Census data is 79 percent urban. Extension’s urban county offices provided educational programs to address the needs and issues of contemporary urban life. The practices of urban county offices are becoming increasingly important to the future of the Cooperative Extension Service system. The purpose of this study was to identify current practices and project the patterns of success in urban Extension for the next two to five years (2007 – 2010) A case study and a Modified Delphi technique, descriptive research designs, were used for this exploratory study. The case study site was purposefully selected based on its reputation as an exemplary urban office. The staff of this office was interviewed about office operations and programming, programs were observed, and marketing materials and educational documents were analyzed to provide input into the statements used in the Modified Delphi survey instrument. The case study provided a baseline of current practice. A purposeful sample of Extension professionals and experts across the United States was selected to serve as the panel of experts in three rounds of the Modified Delphi. The study was conducted utilizing a web-based survey instrument, ii which allowed prompt responses to statements and rapid analysis of the data. The case study participants were interviewed in a focus group for reactions to the statements used in the Modified Delphi, providing the practitioners’ perspective in reaction to the Delphi panel’s recommendations. The study identified 80 patterns of success for urban county Extension programs. Items identified achieved both a consensus rating of 80 percent agreement within two adjacent response categories on the six-point Likert-type scale in the Modified Delphi and the agreement of the case study participants. The result is a series of recommendations referred to as patterns of success. These patterns of success were identified for Internal Operations (staffing and funding), External Operations (accountability, marketing, and partnerships/external relationships), and Programming (target population, program planning, adult and youth programming, teaching and outreach methods, and program evaluation). iii Dedicated to my partner, Bill Milau, who made possible the time to complete this research and the encouragement to persevere. I also dedicate this to my parents, Ramona and Warren Kerrigan without whose love, support and encouragement I would not have continued to pursue my education. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank my advisor, Jo Jones, for her friendship, support, encouragement and wisdom. Her commitment to work into her retirement to see me through the process deserves very special thanks. She served as a mentor and an inspiration for the best qualities in scholarship and Extension outreach and administration. I thank those who served on my committee, Peter Demerath and Barbara G. Ludwig, who kept me focused on solid research methodology and challenged me to ever-deeper analysis. Peter has been one of the finest educators with whom I have had the privilege to study. Barbara guided me into my doctoral studies and the Delphi method. Her confidence in me is greatly appreciated. Special thanks go to Thomas Michael Archer for his guidance in using the web- based data collection system. He was a patient guide through the process. Special appreciation goes to both the educators of the Penn State Cooperative Extension office in Allegheny County and to the Delphi panel of experts. All of these people gave freely of their time, knowledge and wisdom. The Extension educators in Allegheny shared their programming openly, welcoming me to observe them and providing detailed interviews. Their efforts in Extension education are examples of the highest Extension professionalism. v VITA 1970 Biology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA 1971 Botany, Miami University, Oxford, OH Present Assistant Professor, County Extension Director, Cuyahoga County, from Cleveland Heights, OH, Ohio State University Extension August 2000 August 2000 Assistant Professor, Horticulture, Cuyahoga County, from Cleveland Heights, OH, Ohio State University Extension April 1995 April 1995 Instructor, Horticulture, Cuyahoga County from Cleveland Heights, OH, Ohio State University Extension December 1987 December 1987 Editor and Director of Education, from Cleveland, OH, The Garden Center of Greater Cleveland June 1986 June 1986 Instructor, Horticulture, Cuyahoga County from Cleveland, OH, Ohio State University Extension May 1985 May 1985 Senior Floriculturist from Detroit, MI, Detroit Zoological Part September 1976 June 1976 Market News Reporter from USDA, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Market News Service June 1973 June 1971 Graduate Teaching Assistant from Oxford, OH, Miami University September 1970 vi PUBLICATONS Kerrigan, W.J. & Blackwell, W.H. (1973). The distribution of Ohio Araliaceae. Castanea - The Journal of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Club 38(2). Kerrigan, J. (1993). Targeted newsletters for gardeners. Journal of Extension, 31(3). Stevenson, N.C. & Kerrigan, W.J. (2001). Behavioral study of youth and elders in an intergenerational horticultural program. In Wells, S.E. Horticultural therapy and the older adult population. New York: Haworth Press. Kerrigan, W.J. & Stevenson, N.C. (2001). Behavioral study of youth and elders in an intergenerational horticultural program. Activities, Adaptation & Aging 22(3): 141-153. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Human and Community Resource Development Area of Emphasis: Extension Education Dr. Jo Jones Dr. Nikki Conklin Dr. James Connor Minor Areas: Research Methodology Dr. Peter Demerath vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract………………………………………………………………………ii Dedication……………………………………………………………………iv Acknowledgments……………………………………………………………v Vita…………………………………………………………………………..vi List of Tables………………………………………………………………...xi List of Figures……………………………………………………………….xii Chapters: 1. Introduction…………………………………………………………..1 Background of the problem…………………………………………..1 Problem statement……………………………………………………6 Purpose and objectives of the study………………………………….7 Definition of terms…………………………………………………...9 Limitations of study…………………………………………………11 Importance of study…………………………………………………12 Researchers’ perspective……………………………………………15 2. Review of literature…………………………………………………19 Urban Extension within a historical perspective……………………20 The need for urban Extension……………………………………….24 Funding…………………………………………………..………….27 Evaluation and accountability……………………………………….31 Partnerships………………………………………………………….34 Staffing……………………………………………...……………….36 Expanding diversity of participants………………..………………..38 Programs and program planning…………………..………………...40 Youth development…………………………..……………………...46 Teaching and outreach methods……………..………………………56 viii Technology in Extension outreach……..…………………………….62 Marketing………………………………..…………………………...66 3. Methodology…………………………………………………………70 Selection of case study site and Delphi panel………………………..74 Instrumentation………………………………………………………78 Data collection, case study…………………………….……………..84 Data collection, Delphi……………………………………………….87 Data analysis, case study…………………………………….……….91 Data analysis, Delphi………………………………………………..100 4. Findings….…………………………………………………………..102 Case study…………….……………………………………………..104 Round I………………………………………………………………108 Round II……………………………………………………………..165 Round III…………………………………………………………….209 Emergent issues……………………………………………………...276 5. Conclusions, discussion and implications, and recommendations…..283 Methodology…………………………………………………………284 Conclusions…………………………………………………………..287 Discussion and implications…………………………………………298 Internal operations: staffing………………………………………….299 Internal operations: funding………………………………………….308 External relations: accountability……………………………………316 External operations: marketing………………………………………320 External relations: partnerships and external relationships………….325 Programming: target populations……………………………………332 Programming: program planning……………………………………335 Programming: adult programming…………………………………..340 Programming: youth development / 4-H…………………………….347 Programming: teaching and outreach methods………………………362 Programming: program evaluation…………………………………..367 Emergent issues………………………………………………………370 Recommendations for Extension…………………………………….371 Research methods concerns………………………………………….377 General recommendations……………………………………………379 Recommendations for further research………………………………380 List of references……………………………………………………………..383 Appendix A – Panel of experts for modified Delphi…………………………409 Appendix B – Content and face validity panel……………………………….413 ix Appendix C – Reflexive panel………………………………………………415 Appendix D – Round I questionnaire……………………………………….417 Appendix E – Round II questionnaire………………………………………441 Appendix F – Round III questionnaire………………………………………477 Appendix G – Round I written comments…………………………………..510 Appendix H – Round II written comments………………………………….536 Appendix I – Round III written comments………………………………….562 Appendix J – Correspondence………………………………………………583 x LIST OF TABLES Table Page 4.1 Distribution of Ratings of Significance by Delphi Panel for each item on Round I and statistics of central tendency-frequency, mean, and standard deviation…………………………………………………………….110 4.2 Distribution of Ratings of Significance by Delphi Panel for each item on Round I and statistics of central tendency-frequency,