Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
Evaluating Communication Efforts
in Extension
Q. Settle, E. North, M. Brubaker, & L. Downey
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
Overview• The Situation• Our Stories• Options• Discussion
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
THE SITUATION
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
Need for Evaluation• Administrators
Public funding declining Need to justify all programs Need to ensure recognition of agency value
• Communicators Make the programs better Ensure meeting goals Demonstrate value
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
The Problem• Conducting good, thorough
evaluation is difficult• Communications professionals don’t
always have evaluation experience• Evaluation professionals don’t
always have experience evaluating communications
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
Our Goal• Front-to-back evaluation of
Extension communications Inputs Outputs Outcomes
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
Planning
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
Production
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
Finished Product
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
Distribution
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
OUR STORIES
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
Farmweek
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
Southern Gardening
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
The Food Factor
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
MediaFarmweek
TV (MPB & RFDTV)Southern Gardening
TV, Radio, & NewspaperThe Food Factor
TV
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
Social Media• All supplemented by social media
efforts Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
History: Farmweek
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
History: Southern Gardening
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
History: The Food Factor
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
Production PersonnelFarmweek
Broadcast crewSouthern Gardening
Ext. Specialist and video, radio, social media, & print teams
Food Factor Ext. Agent & print news, social media, &
video team
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
EvaluationFarmweek
Full-scale study by 3rd partySouthern Gardening
Brief evaluationThe Food Factor
None completed (process is beginning now)
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
Lessons Learned So Far• Evaluation can be scary.• Meaningful evaluation is hard! Even
when it’s expensive.• You often have more of an audience
than you expect.• Evaluation can yield important
guidance for improvement—which is what it’s supposed to do!
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
OPTIONS TO CONSIDER
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
FundingIdeal• Ample funding
available to fund evaluation of every communications project
Reality• Public-sector budgets
increasingly scrutinized and crunched
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
The Fix• Grant projects
Outreach component of large grants• Alternative funding lines
Undergraduate Research Scholars Program
• Make the most of each project About $3K for access to nationally
representative sample
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
PersonnelIdeal• Communications team• Evaluators with time to
dedicate to project• Topic Specialists who
communicate clearly
Reality• Communications team• Evaluators stretched
thin• Academics speaking
research-ese
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
The Fix• Outside-the-box evaluators
Education, non-ag comm faculty, etc.• Undergraduate & Graduate
students Thesis, classes, etc.
• Do your own research And have specialists verify the material
• Look for overlapping interests with researchers
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
PrioritiesIdeal• Everyone has the same
goals for the communications and evaluation process
Reality• Everyone’s priorities
are different
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
The Fix• Learn to live with having different
priorities• Personnel
Untenured faculty need projects Students need experience
• Project Showing impact keeps project funded
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
ScopeIdeal• Every Project gets a
full-scale study Representative survey Multiple focus groups Test materials for
knowledge gain, link to Extension brand, etc.
Reality• 3rd party researchers
& faculty members are too expensive to fund enough of their time to study all communications projects
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
The Fix• Undergraduate and graduate
student research projects Easier for them to justify time for the
full evaluation of one specific project• Using an evaluation template
Less time and money per project
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
Sample & PopulationIdeal• Easy access to current
audience• Random Digit Dialing
(or alternative) to reach broader samples
Reality• LOL
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
The Fix• Opt-in options through
communications• Extension events• Earlier recommendations on
funding and collaboration
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
SpeedIdeal• Quick turnaround
Reality• Reaching audience
can take time, especially for Extension programs
• Faculty cannot always move quickly (IRB)
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
The Fix• Plan ahead• Start evaluation process from the
get-go
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
WHAT ARE YOUR STORIES?Discussion
Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.
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