2019 NAEPSDP Conference

NOTE: The poster session will be from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. The poster presenters will be at their posters in person from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM.

Training of newly hired educators is critical to offering high-quality programs by Purdue Extension. In this presentation, we share the structure, coordination, and evaluation of a hybrid approach to training; demonstrate lessons learned in five years of implementation based on activities, implementation issues, and evaluation data; and share how the program has evolved based on our experiences and findings.

Since 2015, Purdue Extension has developed and implemented a hybrid approach to training new educators in program planning. The six-month program combines face-to-face training, bi-weekly online learning modules, and online discussions among educators and the leadership team, via Blackboard (a web-based server software for virtual learning management). The training is organized into 12 online modules using Planning Programs for Adult Learners (Caffarella & Daffron, 2013). The program is ongoing, with a new cohort of educators formed every three months. Program leaders, assistant program leaders, district directors, and county extension directors interact with the cohorts during face-to-face, on-campus sessions to launch the training and via Blackboard online discussions.

Program evaluation was initiated to determine the effectiveness of the online approach, level of comfort using the technology, sense of connection with others while participating, effect of online engagement on knowledge gained, and educator application of knowledge gained to their job. Evaluation activities included three surveys for educators: 1) a formative survey about comfort with the technology and training approach at two months, 2) a summative survey about knowledge and connection with other educators in the cohort at six months, and 3) a follow-up survey about application of learning and adoption of practices three months after program completion. Also, two surveys, completed in March and September annually by the leadership team, are implemented to capture their comfort with technology and engagement in the online discussions and activities.
Additionally, analytics about educator activation in Blackboard are gathered on the number of posts made in the online discussion and the number of hours online. Finally, two assignments completed by educators, a logic model and a survey, are assessed using a 3-point rubric.

Since 2016, there have been 66 educators in 12 training cohorts, and 10 leadership team members active in the cohort training. Educators reported: 1) being engaged in reading the training materials, completing module questions and assignments, posting responses to discussion questions, and viewing training videos/recorded presentations, 2) positive interactions with the technology, including being able to post discussion question responses, and respond to posts from other educators, and 3) that they felt the training modules helped them understand their role as an educator and the process of program planning. Educator online activities included a total of 1,830 posts, with an average of 28 posts per educator. Average online time across cohorts ranged from 9 to 26 hours per educator. Assessment of educator assignments showed educators had better rubric scores on their evaluation survey compared to their logic model assignments.

The leadership team was comfortable using the technology to locate, view and respond to the online discussions. They found this training via Blackboard to be effective for educators to learn new information/content, understand the role of an educator, and learn how to do program planning. The leadership team reported their engagement as reading educator posts to discussion questions for the modules assigned, posting supportive comments to the educators, and posting constructive advice to the educators.

Participants will learn about a hybrid approach to program planning training for new educators.