Extension Education Evaluation Topical Interest Group
of the
American Evaluation Association

Annual Report, November 2002

During 2002, the EEE-TIG Board met in person at the 2001AEA meeting and held three teleconferences. In addition, we created and mailed to our membership two newsletters and multiple communications through our electronic mailing list. All communications and information are posted on our web site at http://danr.ucop.edu/eee-aea/. I’d personally like to thank the 2002 members of the Board for their active participation this year: Nancy Ellen Kiernan, Mary Marczak, Paula Threadgill, Michael Newman, Nancy Gruden-Schuck, Sherry Betts, Roger Rennekamp, Bart Hewitt. Alyson McCann, NE regional representative, resigned in the early fall and we are pleased to announce that Kimberly Norris, Vermont Extension, has accepted to fill out that term.

The goals, activities and accomplishments of the EEE-TIG Board for 2002 include:

Outreach Strategies
Goal: Expand outreach to 1890 and 1994 institutions to recruit minority members to the EEE-TIG

Activities/Accomplishments:

  • The Board initiated a "mini scholarship" in 2002 with $200.00 of $300.00 annual fund from AEA designated to support minority participation in AEA. This opportunity was announced in the newsletter, listserv, at a 1994 workshop in September and through personal contacts. Unfortunately, no applications were received. The Board will review.
  • Minority member nominated to Board position as regional representative.
  • The new membership brochure that was created in 2001 by Michael Newman was mailed to contacts and administrators of 1890 and 1994 institutions.
  • Claude Bennett who served as our contact at CSREES on diversity issues has retired. The Board will consider establishing a new point of contact at CSREES.

    • Hear it from the Board
    Goal: Continue the e-forum, initiated in 2001, in order to increase our sense of community and share resources among EEE-TIG members.

    Activities/accomplishments: The topics in 2002 started out with a focus on capacity building and expanded to reflect a range of practical ideas and tools that members can use in their work. All are posted on our web site at http://danr.ucop.edu/eee-aea/Hear_it_From_the_Board.html

    January 2002 Competence in Extension Education Evaluation – What is it? What does capacity building entail?
    February 2002 Capacity Building and Beyond: Evaluator’s Role in Extension
    March 2002 "Just In Time" Learning: An Alternative Paradigm for Evaluation Capacity Building
    April 2002 Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk
    May 2002 Evaluation Strategies for Public Issues Education and Capacity Building Projects
    June 2002 Building a Need for Evaluation Training
    July 2002 ‘Rounding Up’ Responses to Mailed Questionnaires
    September 2002 Happenings at CSREES
    October 2002 in process

    Extension Evaluation Competencies
    Goal: Consider hosting a one-day pre-session at 2002 AEA

    Activities/accomplishments: A sub-committee met and reviewed the proposal. They recommended that a pre-session not be held given that members are often busy with other activities and obligations during AEA and no one had the time or resources to commit to developing and implementing a successful pre-session. They recommend that the Board look into working with the new CSREES Unit in the future in terms of a possible extension evaluation pre-session.

    Additional activities in 2002. During 2002, under Roger Rennekamp’s leadership, the Board reviewed and revised the document, "Board members roles and responsibilities". Now, Board responsibilities are current and fully described. An additional policy and procedures document is under discussion.

    We are pleased to again sponsor a social and dinner during AEA 2002. This is an opportunity for members to meet and interact informally away from the conference site. Thanks go to Michael Lambur who arranged the restaurant and to Michael Newman who handled all the registrations.

    Our program for AEA 2002 includes 5 demonstrations, 2 multi-paper session; 1 panel session; and 1 skill building session. The Board wishes to recognize our colleagues who are sharing their scholarship with others. Special thanks goes to Mary Marczak, 2002 EEE-TIG Program Chair.

    Respectfully submitted,
    Ellen Taylor-Powell
    EEE-TIG Chair 2002