An integral step in the program development process is identifying the needs of a community. Educ... more An integral step in the program development process is identifying the needs of a community. Educators seeking to develop and deliver an educational program must first be informed of what their audience lacks in order to develop the right curriculum or training. This initial publication in the Conducting the Needs Assessment series provides a brief introduction to the planning, implementation, and prioritization of needs within a community or specific clientele group. This new 4-page publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication was written by Matthew Benge, Amy Harder, and Laura Warner. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc340
Community gardens are pieces of land where groups of people grow and maintain vegetable and flowe... more Community gardens are pieces of land where groups of people grow and maintain vegetable and flower plants. They exist in all types of areas, including neighborhoods, at schools, or on other public or private lands. Community gardens grow food for local consumption or sale and can also be used for teaching gardening and other skills This 7-page fact sheet provides a guide to individuals or groups interested in starting urban community gardens and includes information about how to identify garden sites, build partnerships, engage community members, and develop a project overview. Written by Austen Moore, Amy Harder, and Norma Samuel, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, March 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc139
Sometimes differentiating a group from a team is difficult. Is the group of people that you work ... more Sometimes differentiating a group from a team is difficult. Is the group of people that you work with truly a team? What benefits are there to being a member of a highly functioning team? In Patrick Lencioni’s iconic book on teamwork, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, five elements are outlined as necessary for highly functioning teams. These are trust, ability to successfully engage in conflict, commitment to each other and the team, accountability, and focusing on collective results. This 2-page fact sheet was written by Hannah Carter, Amy Harder, and Kevan Lamm, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, May 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc143
Distance education allows organizations to reach broader audiences, reduce costs per learner, and... more Distance education allows organizations to reach broader audiences, reduce costs per learner, and better serve communities. This 4-page fact sheet discusses how to incorporate the best practices for engaging learners in online distance education programs. Written by Austen Moore and Amy Harder, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, May 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc142
Reusable learning objects are short, self-contained, digital learning activities that can be valu... more Reusable learning objects are short, self-contained, digital learning activities that can be valuable tools for sharing information. This 4-page fact sheet provides a brief synopsis of what reusable learning objects are and how to create them for use in an educational setting. Written by Jessica L. Gouldthorpe, Amy Harder, T. Grady Roberts, and Nicole Stedman, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, April 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc140
In 2018, Hurricane Michael caused extensive damage in the Florida panhandle as a Category 4 hurri... more In 2018, Hurricane Michael caused extensive damage in the Florida panhandle as a Category 4 hurricane. Cooperative Extension has a disaster preparedness and information dissemination role in hurricane response (Medford-Davis & Kapur, 2014; Washburn, 2006). Personal resilience focuses on reducing stress and increasing coping abilities in stressful situations. A basic qualitative research design explored UF/IFAS Extension agents’ hurricane experiences. Results suggested participants experienced some inability to balance personal and professional demands and were mentally and emotionally stressed. Participants felt fatigued and results suggested they experienced high levels of mental and emotional stress. There is scope to improve Extension agents’ personal resilience by: (1) strengthening individual levels of hardy attitudes and hardy strategies; and (2) reducing barriers such as mental and physical stress and performance deficits.
Previous publications in the Conducting the Needs Assessment series outlined why, how, and when E... more Previous publications in the Conducting the Needs Assessment series outlined why, how, and when Extension educators and other service providers should use needs assessments in their programs. The four preceding publications in the series provide Extension educators and other service providers with specific techniques that can be used in needs assessments, and this new 5-page publication provides an overview of using the Delphi technique to conduct a needs assessment. Written by Laura Warner and Amy Harder, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.
This new 3-page publication in the Conducting the Needs Assessment series provides Extension educ... more This new 3-page publication in the Conducting the Needs Assessment series provides Extension educators and other service providers with an introduction to two techniques that can easily be used when seeking information about relationships between causes and needs: fishboning and cause and consequence analysis. Written by Amy Harder and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc352
Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
In order to better understand the lived experiences of change agents in the North Department of H... more In order to better understand the lived experiences of change agents in the North Department of Haiti, a hermeneutical phenomenological study was conducted. Change agents must work against a variety of barriers in order to help influence change within their spheres of influence in rural Haiti. The change agent experience in this study is collaborative, mutually benefitting, deeply cultural, and built out of necessity. Change agents in this study have found that by working together, they are able to fill in the gaps left by unequal distributions of resources within their communities such as tools, money, advisory services, or even basic agricultural knowledge. Despite holes within the agricultural support services in their areas, the change agents have mobilized community members to work together to move their communities forward. Understanding the lived experiences of change agents will help inform ongoing and future agricultural development efforts in the North Department of Haiti.
Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
Decision-making is an essential aspect of farming. The decisions farmers make affect their overal... more Decision-making is an essential aspect of farming. The decisions farmers make affect their overall yield and, ultimately, impact their livelihoods. Understanding the different factors impacting farmer decision-making can provide insight for extension providers to improve the quality of service. In Haiti, the vast majority of farms are smallholder farms averaging less than 1.5 hectares (Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development [MARNDR], 2010). The purpose of this study was to determine the decision-making practices of small-scale farmers in Northern Haiti related to crop production. The following research objectives guided the study: (a) identify the factors associated with crop selection, and (b) identify reasons farmers engage in specific practices for crop production. Results from this study found that small-scale farmers in the North Department reported using the following factors to determine crop selection: financial security, familial traditions, conce...
Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
Agricultural extension in developing countries can be a major source of support for small-scale f... more Agricultural extension in developing countries can be a major source of support for small-scale farmers. In Haiti, the majority of the agricultural population is made up of smallscale farmers. In the past, Haiti’s extension system has suffered from various governmental instabilities in the nation. This study sought to (a) determine the information channels smallscale farmers use in the North Department of Haiti, (b) determine the accessibility of quality information as perceived by small-scale farmers in the North Department of Haiti, and (c) identify the perceived barriers to successful production of small-scale farmers in the North Department of Haiti. Results from this study showed Haitian farmers in the North Department gain their information for farming from a variety of sources. The farmers in this study varied in their perceptions of the accessibility of quality information in the area. While some farmers participated in groups with extension services, most farmers had not pa...
... Characteristics and Motivations on Program Participation Robert Strong Assistant Professor Te... more ... Characteristics and Motivations on Program Participation Robert Strong Assistant Professor Texas A&M University College Station, Texas r-strong@tamu.edu Amy Harder Assistant Professor University of Florida Gainesville, Florida amharder@ufl.edu ...
An integral step in the program development process is identifying the needs of a community. Educ... more An integral step in the program development process is identifying the needs of a community. Educators seeking to develop and deliver an educational program must first be informed of what their audience lacks in order to develop the right curriculum or training. This initial publication in the Conducting the Needs Assessment series provides a brief introduction to the planning, implementation, and prioritization of needs within a community or specific clientele group. This new 4-page publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication was written by Matthew Benge, Amy Harder, and Laura Warner. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc340
Community gardens are pieces of land where groups of people grow and maintain vegetable and flowe... more Community gardens are pieces of land where groups of people grow and maintain vegetable and flower plants. They exist in all types of areas, including neighborhoods, at schools, or on other public or private lands. Community gardens grow food for local consumption or sale and can also be used for teaching gardening and other skills This 7-page fact sheet provides a guide to individuals or groups interested in starting urban community gardens and includes information about how to identify garden sites, build partnerships, engage community members, and develop a project overview. Written by Austen Moore, Amy Harder, and Norma Samuel, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, March 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc139
Sometimes differentiating a group from a team is difficult. Is the group of people that you work ... more Sometimes differentiating a group from a team is difficult. Is the group of people that you work with truly a team? What benefits are there to being a member of a highly functioning team? In Patrick Lencioni’s iconic book on teamwork, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, five elements are outlined as necessary for highly functioning teams. These are trust, ability to successfully engage in conflict, commitment to each other and the team, accountability, and focusing on collective results. This 2-page fact sheet was written by Hannah Carter, Amy Harder, and Kevan Lamm, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, May 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc143
Distance education allows organizations to reach broader audiences, reduce costs per learner, and... more Distance education allows organizations to reach broader audiences, reduce costs per learner, and better serve communities. This 4-page fact sheet discusses how to incorporate the best practices for engaging learners in online distance education programs. Written by Austen Moore and Amy Harder, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, May 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc142
Reusable learning objects are short, self-contained, digital learning activities that can be valu... more Reusable learning objects are short, self-contained, digital learning activities that can be valuable tools for sharing information. This 4-page fact sheet provides a brief synopsis of what reusable learning objects are and how to create them for use in an educational setting. Written by Jessica L. Gouldthorpe, Amy Harder, T. Grady Roberts, and Nicole Stedman, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, April 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc140
In 2018, Hurricane Michael caused extensive damage in the Florida panhandle as a Category 4 hurri... more In 2018, Hurricane Michael caused extensive damage in the Florida panhandle as a Category 4 hurricane. Cooperative Extension has a disaster preparedness and information dissemination role in hurricane response (Medford-Davis & Kapur, 2014; Washburn, 2006). Personal resilience focuses on reducing stress and increasing coping abilities in stressful situations. A basic qualitative research design explored UF/IFAS Extension agents’ hurricane experiences. Results suggested participants experienced some inability to balance personal and professional demands and were mentally and emotionally stressed. Participants felt fatigued and results suggested they experienced high levels of mental and emotional stress. There is scope to improve Extension agents’ personal resilience by: (1) strengthening individual levels of hardy attitudes and hardy strategies; and (2) reducing barriers such as mental and physical stress and performance deficits.
Previous publications in the Conducting the Needs Assessment series outlined why, how, and when E... more Previous publications in the Conducting the Needs Assessment series outlined why, how, and when Extension educators and other service providers should use needs assessments in their programs. The four preceding publications in the series provide Extension educators and other service providers with specific techniques that can be used in needs assessments, and this new 5-page publication provides an overview of using the Delphi technique to conduct a needs assessment. Written by Laura Warner and Amy Harder, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.
This new 3-page publication in the Conducting the Needs Assessment series provides Extension educ... more This new 3-page publication in the Conducting the Needs Assessment series provides Extension educators and other service providers with an introduction to two techniques that can easily be used when seeking information about relationships between causes and needs: fishboning and cause and consequence analysis. Written by Amy Harder and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc352
Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
In order to better understand the lived experiences of change agents in the North Department of H... more In order to better understand the lived experiences of change agents in the North Department of Haiti, a hermeneutical phenomenological study was conducted. Change agents must work against a variety of barriers in order to help influence change within their spheres of influence in rural Haiti. The change agent experience in this study is collaborative, mutually benefitting, deeply cultural, and built out of necessity. Change agents in this study have found that by working together, they are able to fill in the gaps left by unequal distributions of resources within their communities such as tools, money, advisory services, or even basic agricultural knowledge. Despite holes within the agricultural support services in their areas, the change agents have mobilized community members to work together to move their communities forward. Understanding the lived experiences of change agents will help inform ongoing and future agricultural development efforts in the North Department of Haiti.
Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
Decision-making is an essential aspect of farming. The decisions farmers make affect their overal... more Decision-making is an essential aspect of farming. The decisions farmers make affect their overall yield and, ultimately, impact their livelihoods. Understanding the different factors impacting farmer decision-making can provide insight for extension providers to improve the quality of service. In Haiti, the vast majority of farms are smallholder farms averaging less than 1.5 hectares (Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development [MARNDR], 2010). The purpose of this study was to determine the decision-making practices of small-scale farmers in Northern Haiti related to crop production. The following research objectives guided the study: (a) identify the factors associated with crop selection, and (b) identify reasons farmers engage in specific practices for crop production. Results from this study found that small-scale farmers in the North Department reported using the following factors to determine crop selection: financial security, familial traditions, conce...
Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
Agricultural extension in developing countries can be a major source of support for small-scale f... more Agricultural extension in developing countries can be a major source of support for small-scale farmers. In Haiti, the majority of the agricultural population is made up of smallscale farmers. In the past, Haiti’s extension system has suffered from various governmental instabilities in the nation. This study sought to (a) determine the information channels smallscale farmers use in the North Department of Haiti, (b) determine the accessibility of quality information as perceived by small-scale farmers in the North Department of Haiti, and (c) identify the perceived barriers to successful production of small-scale farmers in the North Department of Haiti. Results from this study showed Haitian farmers in the North Department gain their information for farming from a variety of sources. The farmers in this study varied in their perceptions of the accessibility of quality information in the area. While some farmers participated in groups with extension services, most farmers had not pa...
... Characteristics and Motivations on Program Participation Robert Strong Assistant Professor Te... more ... Characteristics and Motivations on Program Participation Robert Strong Assistant Professor Texas A&M University College Station, Texas r-strong@tamu.edu Amy Harder Assistant Professor University of Florida Gainesville, Florida amharder@ufl.edu ...
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