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POTENTIAL LOCAL IMPACTS OF UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN COUNTY-BASED
FACULTY AND STAFF PARTICPATION IN THE PARTNERS OF THE AMERICAS
FARMER-TO-FARMER PROGRAM IN NICARAGUA: A DELPHI STUDY
Global Perspectives IIJanuary 19, 2005Aliesha R.
CroweUW-Extension-Rusk County
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Review:GlobalizationInternationalizing ExtensionUW-Extension
International WorkFarmer-to-Farmer ProgramCounty-based faculty and
staff only
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Delphi TechniqueMethodologyExpert Panel selectionRound 1
questionRound 2 questionnaireRound 3 questionnaireThree-round
summary
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ResultsLogic ModelShort-term impactsMedium-term impactsLong-term
impacts
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Logic model
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ResultsShort-term ImpactsDefinedLearning, AwarenessGlobal
perspectives for local clientele/community Global Perspectives for
Agent/Colleagues
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ResultsMedium-term ImpactsDefinedAction taken; behavior, policy,
practice changeProfessional development/personal benefits in terms
of action takenAction of/for clientele
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ResultsLong-term ImpactsDefinedChange in conditionsOperating
Globally
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Short-term Outcomes-ImpactA. Global Perspectives for local
clientele/community
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Create awareness of the difficulties experienced in
Nicaraguathat they are many times worse than what we face and for
the most part we should consider ourselves fortunate (even though
we face marketing, pricing, and regulatory problems of our own).The
description of my project work included observations about resource
limitations and problems encountered by agricultural producers and
the CONAGAN organization. Identifying these resource limitations
and problems are very helpful in local program development. Too
often, we take for granted the many resources we have.
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Individuals learn about the projects, the people of Nicaragua,
the Nicaraguan culture, and the way agriculture is practiced
there.Local committee learns about many of the differences (and
some of the similarities) of how agriculture is practiced in the
two countries.
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I believe many of the people who I address are enlightened about
the conditions in Nicaragua (both good and bad), and that they gain
a better appreciation for what life is like here in Wisconsin.Local
people get a better understanding of agriculture, culture, life in
a third world country.
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Increased cultural awareness
Through local publicity(newspapers, etc) and presentations,
citizens learned of the challenges facing individuals in the
communities where Partners volunteers lived and worked.
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Short-term OutcomesImpact B. Global Perspectives for
Agent/Colleagues
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Participation helps the agent gain a new understanding and
appreciation of people living in developing countries.Participation
helps the agent to appreciate some of the struggles our countrys
original agriculturalists faced when settling the land in this
country.Colleagues in Extension learn a lot about people living in
developing countries from listening to participant agent
experiences.
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Participation reminds the agent of the importance of economic
development--maintaining/improving local infrastructure and
leadership.Provides agent with a life experience to bring to work
and community.
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Medium-Term Impacts A. Professional development/personal benefit
in terms of action taken
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The work with both the university faculty, the partner agency
and the producers helped me develop patience and sensitivity toward
working with others.Overall, and most importantly, the work built
my confidence in a variety of waysin a relatively short period, I
used critical listening skills, identified issues, problems and
resources and thought through and put together an
appropriate/effective response.
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Working on these projects has helped me to think of new ways to
solve practical problems that farmers in our area face when capital
or infrastructure are lacking.I have much better appreciation now
for the fragility of our local landscape and the necessity for
being good stewards of our environmental and agricultural
resources.The experience I had interacting with and teaching
farmers in Nicaragua required a great deal of flexibility and
imagination at times, and have helped me improve my teaching
abilities here at home.
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My participation made me a more effective teacher and
facilitator in content areas such as strategic planning, needs
assessment, facilitation of open discussions. Teaching experience
that can be used locally.
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Ability to compare adult learning styles and non-traditional
ways of teaching.It was also a great way to recharge my
batteriesbring new creativity and energy to local programming.
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Medium-term Impacts B. Action of/for clientele
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Impacts were listed on original surveys, but the panel did not
indicate any were likely or very likely.???????
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Long Term Outcomes-Impact Operating Globally
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Participation may result in local groups/individuals getting
involved in exchange or programs that could help communities in
Nicaragua.
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Potential Long Term ImpactsThe questions to ask:Do they exist?In
this program?In other programs?How do we measure them?How do we
communicate them to stakeholders?
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Recommendations1. Future studies should determine if cultural
differences within the county of assignment affect the impact of
international work.2. Assessment of local impact of international
work should occur at the local level in order to articulate
potential benefits.3. In developing an internationalized extension
program the objectives/goals and expected benefits should be
clearly articulated to participants and stakeholders.4. Future
research should include other UW-Extension international extension
work.5. Future research should include other UW-Extension faculty
and staff that are not county-based.
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ReferencesTaylor-Powell, E., Steele, S., & Douglah, M.
(1996). Planning a program evaluation. Retrieved April 2002, from
University of Wisconsin-Extension-Cooperative Extension, Program
Development and Evaluation Unit Web site:
http://www1.uwex.edu/ces/pubs/pdf/G3658_1.PDFCrowe, A. (2004)
Masters Thesis. POTENTIAL LOCAL IMPACTS OF UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
COUNTY-BASED FACULTY AND STAFF PARTICPATION IN THE PARTNERS OF THE
AMERICAS FARMER-TO-FARMER PROGRAM IN NICARAGUA: A DELPHI STUDY.