Author: Terry Meisenbach

The eXtension i-Three Issue Corps cultivates innovative thinking to apply strategies that deliver greater measurable impact in Cooperative Extension programs.  The 2016 i-Three Issue Corps includes 126 Extension professionals from 33 institutions working on 69 projects. An important element of the i-Three Issue Corps strategy is building connections: between Corps members, with collaborators and constituents in local and broader communities, and with experts across the Cooperative Extension System. The Corps design-a-thon at NeXC2016 in San Antonio will offer a rich environment for making connections and developing innovative strategies to increase the visible and measurable impact of the Corps projects in climate and food systems.

The design-a-thon experience begins on Wednesday March 23 with three dynamic group activities that will inform, energize, and build “esprit de Corps.” The day starts with a workshop by keynote speaker and author John Stepper on Working Out Loud…making work visible so it might help others. Renee Pardello, University of Minnesota, will broaden Corps members’ thinking and perspective through a lively introduction to Global Dynamics and Cultural Knowledge. Then on Wednesday afternoon design thinking expert Paul Pangaro hosts a “Design Studio” in which he will model and guide the Corps through several exercises to sharpen their design thinking which is a vital process for innovation.

On Thursday, more than 30 experts from 18 institutions and private industry will interact with Corps members during the day-long “design-a-thon” experience. Experts in climate, food systems, social media marketing, communication & storytelling, evaluation, community engagement, global dynamics & cultural knowledge, innovation, funding strategies, working out loud, and design will visit with Corps members at conversation stations located around the room. Their interactions will help to spark innovative thinking that can be applied to existing Corps projects to increase measurable and visible impact.

By the end of Thursday, every Corps project will have at least one new and innovative design component or strategy ready to implement between April and August. The group then moves to a reception venue where their project plans will be shared in conversations with other conference attendees.

The design-a-thon is just one part of the i-Three Issue Corps’ work. Prior to the conference, Corps members have been progressing through a “boot camp” experience that includes: consultation with eXtension staff and key informants, weekly meetups with other Corps members, interaction in the chat platform Slack, project management in Basecamp, a Moodle course in Impact Statement Reporting, and work on evaluation plans.  Leaving Texas, Corps members will be taking their projects to the next level working toward completion. You will be able to follow the progress of the Corps via their stories shared in blog posts at https://www.extension.org/blog/. The Corps’ work will be shared broadly with Extension directors and administrators at their national meeting in September.

The eXtension Foundation, a part of the Cooperative Extension System, is seeking an outstanding individual to serve as Chief Financial Officer on a part-time (.5 FTE) appointment. Because eXtension operates as a virtual organization, the person in this position can work from anywhere in the United States.  This individual will lead, oversee, or implement personally all aspects of the financial operations of the eXtension Foundation, a 501(c)3 Foundation supporting Extension professionals nationwide.

A detailed position description can be found here.

Deadline for applications is Friday, November 13, 2015.

Qualified applicants should submit the following documents in PDF Format via email to Michelle Giddens at michellegiddens@extension.org

• Cover letter outlining professional work experience as well as experience using the following applications: Google Drive Tool Suite, video conferencing applications, and cloud-based software
• Resume or CV, with salary history
• 3 Professional References

Cover letter may be addressed to:

Dr. Christine Geith, CEO
eXtension Foundation
183 S. W. Davidson Drive, Suite
Centreville, AL  35042

Photo credit: Got Credit

The NEW eXtension is seeking 200 individuals to co-invent the future.  We’re calling this group our i-Three Issue Corps!

eXtension is looking for individuals who have plans of work including either Climate or Food Systems.  Nominations can be for individuals or teams. The nomination deadline is November 6, 2015

How do you or someone you know become a part of this movement to work differently in Cooperative Extension?  How can you join us to experiment with new tools, model new behaviors all with the goal of working effectively to make a measurable impact?

Does this sound like something you or someone you know would find exciting or interesting?  Is some aspect of Climate or Food Systems in your plan of work?

Our nomination process asks you to answer 9 quick questions and write one short answer to describe the talents, skills, interest, and passion for either climate or food systems work you or someone you know has.

• Nominations are due November 6, 2015.
• Nominations will be selected for application process November 13, 2015.
• Successful nominees will be asked to submit full applications by December 1, 2015.
• Final selections will be announced December 18, 2015.
• The Corps will work from January 1, 2016 to August 31, 2016.
• From September 1, 2016 to December 1, 2016  we’ll need your help in storytelling and in recruiting the next i-Three Issue Corps.

Our goal is to work “in the flow” on a project/issue related to either Climate or Food Systems during that time.  Through January, February and March we’ll need between 12 and 24 hours total to develop a work plan together.  The strategy and plan you develop will dictate the time commitment but our intent is to make this a part of your work; not an add on.

The individual or team must attend the eXtension i-Three Event (March 22-25, 2016) to complete the design of your project.

To nominate yourself or someone else to the i-Three Issue Corps go to:  https://extensionfoundation.fluidreview.com/.  If you have any questions please contact:  Terry Meisenbach, tmeisenbach@extension.org or 760-641-9354.

Despite increasing demand, finding and buying local food can still be a hassle. When feeding hundreds or thousands of school children, convenience is key. According to eXtension’s Healthy Food Choices in Schools community, due to cost, quantity and transportation, it can prove easier to source out-of-season apples from across the country than to source freshly picked apples from the orchard down the road!

Food hubs that operate on a direct-to-consumer business model can mitigate some of the hassle of sourcing local foods, even for school meal programs. Headwater Food Hub in Rochester, New York provides fresh produce from 35 local farms directly to local businesses including local private and public K-12 school meal programs.

Learn more about this unique program and its possibilities in your community.

For more information about the Healthy Food Choices in Schools Community of Practice contact Katherine Baildon,kmb338@cornell.edu.

Christine Geith PhD began her service to Cooperative Extension as the Chief Executive Officer for the eXtension Foundation on July 1, 2015.

“I’ve already seen the support of our member institutions; the commitment of the eXtension Board; the talent and energy of the eXtension team and the great interest from CES faculty and staff across the country. Together, we can successfully move eXtension forward with the new eXtension Strategic Framework.”, said Geith.

Chris and the eXtension team are moving rapidly to bring this new phase of eXtension to benefit the Foundation’s members.  As a reminder,  three eXtension Fellows for 2015 were named:

• Paul Hill, Utah State University, Makers
• Katie Stofer, University of Florida, Citizen Science
• Jeff Hino, Oregon State University, Internet of Things

The recent call for proposals for Innovation Funds garnered 49 submissions and eXtension  funded nine exciting projects to be completed in 2016:

• Adaptive Learning, Ellen Darnall, Michigan State University
• Spatial Reasoning, Shane Bradt, University of New Hampshire
• Augmented Reality, Heather Wallace & Emily Tipton, University of Tennessee
• Geo-Citizens Design, John Munsell, Virginia Tech
• Virtual Environments/Oculus Rift, Joey Peutz, University of Idaho
• Citizen Science/Mobile App, Heidi Rader, University of Alaska
• NeXT Talks, Chrystal Checketts, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension
• Spark Lab Innovation Center, Mark Light, Ohio State University
• Virtual Communication Camp, Becky Koch & Bob Bertsch, North Dakota State University

“During the next year, we will routinely share the outstanding work of these new ‘innovation partners’ as well as our other learning networks and communities. We are also lifting up and showcasing local innovation in our Community Innovation Quest. We are seeking ideas, programs, and projects that you feel demonstrate doing extension differently in your state. These stories will be collected via video and shared at events throughout the year.  There is much more to come,” she said.

“As we begin this new journey together, I invite you to let me know how we’re doing and especially what more we can do to make your eXtension membership count,” said Geith.

eXtension is seeking innovators within Cooperative Extension and the land grant university system!

What are CES educators, program assistants, specialists, support staff doing that is innovative?  How are their programs or projects making a difference?  We’re looking for local innovators, folks with ‘boots on the ground’ ideas that can be moved to the next level and shared more broadly.

We will work with the director/administrator, innovation team, program leaders, and others to identify innovators.  We’ll come to them and learn first hand just what they’re doing.  We want to know the secrets, the inspirations, the planning (or lack of planning) that makes such innovation take place.

What’s innovative?

• Something new, surprising, and radically useful!
• Something creating new value.
• Something that fills an untapped client need.
• Something new and improved with marketable potential.
• Something that ventures “away from familiar ground into uncharted territory.”
• Something that reaches new audiences.
• Something that uses new technology tools.
• Something that uses existing products and services to reach new markets.

What’s next?  We want to tell the innovation story!  We want to take that local effort and tell peers, colleagues, and the public all about what’s happening in your communities.  Our visual storytelling will bring your innovator, the innovation, and your institution to the attention of your colleagues and fellow eXtension Foundation members across the country.  It won’t stop at your county office door, your regional office boundaries, your state borders…we want that innovation to go viral.

Help us make that happen!!!!

To recommend YOUR Community Innovation Quest to us by AUGUST 1, 2015, use this form:  http://goo.gl/forms/DvLS8rT1DT.  If you have questions about this process contact Terry Meisenbach (tmeisenbach@extension.org) or Jerry Thomas (jthomas@extension.org).

Be an Ant Detective in Second Life to Be Redesigned

Be an Ant Detective was the first piece of eXtension 3D content in the Second Life virtual world. The very simple maze uses diagrams and a dichotomous key to identify your real world ant and has been a booth at the Virtual State Fair since 2008. This summer the exhibit is getting an upgrade, with sound and visual effects, links to external content, interactive animations, and a little theater for viewing an 8-minute digital animation movie, “RIFA Madness” created by world-famous visual effects artist, Eric Keller. The exhibit opens August 3.

Seventeen Clubs Respond to Call for 4-H Game Testers

Our mid-May call for 4-H teens to serve as testers for the Safety in Agriculture for Youth (SAY) game prototype resulted in applications from 14 well-qualified clubs. Three clubs will be selected for the first round of alpha testing, June 28-July 2. Another three clubs will participate in the second round of alpha testing July 14-16. Following that, all fourteen clubs will be able to schedule closed beta testing sessions in August and September.

Based on their input, the game will be fine-tuned and the final prototype will be placed on the eXtension website in October for any club to visit. The next step will be to seek funding to develop the SAY game in the Unity game engine, for deployment as an Oculus Rift single player game.

LSU Moodle Course Teaching Cooperative Extension Work via Avatar

This month, Dr. Rebecca White of LSU is opening her online course “Cooperative Extension Work” with a week of activities at the Virtual County Extension in Second Life. The distance education students will begin their Second Life Experience with a live orientation in both Adobe Connect and Second Life. In the following three days, they will explore the Morrill regions’ Virtual Learning Environments, and attend a
virtual nutrition class presented in Second Life by Leia Kedem, RD (aka Moderation Maven).

Would you like to incorporate a Second Life experience as part of a Fall 2015 class you will be teaching? Please contact LuAnn Phillips, eXtension’s Virtual Reality specialist at luann.phillips@extension.org.

Three eXtension Fellowships for 2015 will focus on Makers, Citizen Science, and the Internet of Things (IoT). eXtension Fellows come from Premium eXtension Foundation member institutions, spend one year devoted to their fellowship topic, present fellowship work and progress to CES throughout the year via LEARN and the 2016 National eXtension Conference, and develop a user community or learning network around the topic.

The 2015 eXtension Fellows are:

Maker: Paul Hill, Utah State University–Paul is an Extension assistant professor and 4-H agent in Washington County, Utah. His areas of expertise are: youth leadership, STEM education, volunteerism, social media, and small business development. Paul has been active in the maker community and is a member of the eXtension Educational Technology Learning Network. Visit Paul’s eXtension Fellowship page.

Internet of Things: Jeff Hino, Oregon State University–Jeff is the learning technology leader at Oregon State University working in Extension & Experiment Station Communications. He facilitates adoption of new communication and learning technologies and the OSU Ask an Expert initiative. He sees his role as one that empathizes with and encourages people as they begin or continue their relationship with technology. Jeff has an extensive background in instructional design, technology, and media production. He is also a member of the eXtension Educational Technology Learning Network. Visit Jeff’s eXtension Fellowship page.

Citizen Science: Katie Stofer, University of Florida–Katie is a research assistant professor at the University of Florida in the Agricultural Education and Communication department. Her research focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), especially in free-choice or informal education and outreach settings. She’s interested in how the public gathers, makes meaning from, and uses current scientific research findings and how that use relates to their science identities. Visit Katie’s eXtension Fellowship page.

For more information about the eXtension Fellowship contact either Jerry Thomas at jthomas@extension.org or Terry Meisenbach at tmeisenbach@extension.org.