UF IFAS Program Development & Evaluation Center

Take a look at these upcoming webinars focusing on program development!

Congratulations to our PDEC Director Matt Benge for his outstanding accomplishment in the agricultural and extension education field!

Please share in our congratulations to Dr. Matt Benge from UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication as the 2024 AAAE Distinguished Agricultural Extension Educator.

Webinar Alert!

Register for the Communication Across Worldviews webinar on Friday, February 19th at 12pm ET.

Description: As a society, the way we choose to allocate and manage resources is a reflection of our societal priorities. As result, agriculture and natural resources topics are primed for conflict between groups with different worldviews. This session will break down the dominant worldviews within the United States, examine how those views contribute to conflict, and discuss how ANR professionals can utilize our understanding of worldviews to reduce conflict between groups.

Register:

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Communication across Worldviews. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. As a society, the way we choose to allocate and manage resources is a reflection of our societal priorities. As result, agriculture and natural resources topics are primed for conflict between groups with different worldviews. This session will break down the dominant worldviews within the United St...

Mentor Resource Alert!

If you mentor in Extension, you won't want to miss out on the Extension Mentor's Discussion Guide!

AEC790/WC451: The Extension Mentor’s Discussion and Action Guide University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension outreach is a partnership between state, federal, and county governments to provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public. The University of Florida (UF), together with Florida A&M University (FAMU), administers....

Last week, PDEC members traveled to Salt Lake City, UT for the National Association of Extension Program & Staff Development Professionals' annual conference. UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication's Dr. Matt Benge and Karli Leitheiser shared research insights on Extension professional development and learned from other institutions.

Check out the latest research published by members of PDEC in the Journal of Extension

Exploring the Possibilities of a Standardized Questionnaire for Assessing Residents’ Needs Creating a standardized needs assessment instrument and methodology that can be shared across the Extension system can lead to increased capacity to identify the needs of our clientele. The purpose of our study was to determine if a questionnaire originally created to assess needs in Utah could be u...

Are you interested in learning more about using technology to deliver information and programming? If so, check out the below Podcasting and Electronic Field Trips webinars coming up!

Podcasting to Increase Science Literacy:
In this webinar, we will share our planning, production, and promotion process of a science-based podcast on invasive plants; Working in the Weeds from the UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. Attend this session to learn about 1) how we plan episodes that serve as a form of increasing science literacy, 2) produce these podcast conversations, and 3) promote episodes across our Center’s communication channels to reach our target audience. We will wrap up this session sharing the lessons we have learned and recommendations we have for people who are interested in getting started with podcasting! 45-min presentation, 15-min Q&A. Register at: https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIsfuGvqjkqEtC-pGIUysgSQMZGgQroCHRT #/registration

Electronic Field Trips to Engage Youth in Distance Place-Based Learning:
While we know that in-person learning is best, it’s not always possible and comes with several logistical barriers. Live webcasted electronic field trips (EFT) are cost effective and can vicariously connect youth to STEM and Extension experts working in a variety of locations. In this webinar, learn about Streaming Science’s mobile EFT model, including hardware, software, and production methods. We’ll also present about our latest Streaming Strawberries EFT connecting schools and 4-H to the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center to learn about strawberry research and plant science careers. Register at: https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAlfu-srDgjGdYDcvj6ZWpgJJM85be1lGcR #/registration

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Electronic Field Trips to Engage Youth in Distance Place-Based Learning. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Electronic Field Trips to Engage Youth in Distance Place-Based Learning. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

An important part of mentoring is creating a positive and supportive environment for the mentee. Brush up on your skills in delivering psychosocial support with PDEC's latest blog:

Extension Cares! Psychosocial Support for Extension Mentoring An important, and sometimes overlooked, function of a mentor is providing psychosocial support to your mentee. Psychosocial support means providing your mentee with the social and emotional resources they need to overcome obstacles and challenges. Having a friend on the job helps lighten the burden....

New blog alert! Brush up on your role modeling skills and brainstorm ways to inspire your mentees with this quick read:

Do as I Say AND as I Do: Role Modeling for Extension Mentors Starting Out Mentors are seasoned professionals in their field and have a unique opportunity to serve as role models for new employees. By sharing your expertise, experiences, and guidance, you can shape the next generation of professionals and contribute to the growth and success of the organizatio...

Calling all Extension mentors! Plan out your next meeting with your mentee to include advice on career advancement. Need help getting the ball rolling? Checkout PDEC’s latest mentorship blog:

Career Development Tips for Extension Mentors Mentors wear a lot of “hats” when performing their duties; friend, role model, guide, and more. One of the most important forms of support a mentor can provide is advice on their mentee’s career advancement. New Extension agents will have questions on the structure of Extension, how to develop...

New blog alert! Have you watched PDEC's video series on Qualtrics and Savvy Surveys? Check out our IFAS blog to learn more:

Learn from the Qualtrics and Surveys Video Series Do you find it challenging to create evaluation surveys? Have you tried using Qualtrics and found it overwhelming and not sure where to begin? The UF/IFAS Program Development and Evaluation Center (PDEC) has launched two video series covering survey creation and the use of Qualtrics. The series incl...

PDEC provides professional development support to Extension professionals across the state! In May, PDEC presented needs assessments strategies at the Extension Symposium.