1999 ANNUAL REPORT

Extension Education Evaluation Topical Interest Group
of the
American Evaluation Association

Richard L Poling, 1999 Chair

The Extension Education Evaluation Topical Interest Group (EEE-TLG) of the American Evaluation Association celebrated its fourteenth year in 1999. The TIG conducted a number of activities for its members related to membership, communication, professional development and leadership.

Membership: The availability of an updated AEA membership list was helpful in developing an updated list of EEE-TIG members. Through the use of the AEA list and previous EEE-TIG membership lists, a revised TIG membership list has been developed. The list has been divided into the four TIG districts for easier use by regional representatives in communicating with members, and potential members, in their districts.  Individuals on both the AEA list and the previous EEE-TIG lists were contacted and asked if they wished to remain on the list and receive information about TIG activities. Currently there are 139 individuals on the EEE-TIG membership list. Efforts will continue in the coming year to identify and recruit new members and request information updates from current members. An up-to-date and accurate membership list is vital to communicating with members about TIG activities and opportunities.

Communications: The EEE-TIG has continued to improve communications with its members. Utilizing the revised membership list, the TIG leadership has been able to create an electronic mail distribution list to send out TIG information. The use of e-mail to deliver TIG newsletters and Board minutes and handle TIG administrative business has reduced the cost of operating the TIG to a minimum. In 1999, three TIG newsletters, the TIG call for AEA Conference proposals, a position announcement, a request for information from TIG members for a study by a TIG member and information about the annual TIG social/dinner at the Orlando conference were distributed to members electronically. Arrangements for TIG Board meetings and distribution of Board minutes were also handled electronically. Perhaps the most efficient use of electronic mail was in the updating of the TIG membership list.

The EEE-TIG also continues to provide information about the 110 on the Internet via the EEE-TIG homepage at: http://danr.ucop.edu/eee-aea/. The website originated in 1997 at the University of Massachusetts under the guidance of TIG Board member Trish Manfredi. In 1999,the location and maintenance of the 110 website shifted to the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources under the direction of Milton Fujii, 1999 EEE-TIG Western Region Representative.

Another major communication service provided by the USDA-CSREES land-grant system, with the assistance of the EEE-TIG, is the Extension Evaluation Forum “exteval” listserve. The listserv provides opportunities for discussion of current issues and the distribution of information to extension education evaluators around the world.

Professional Development:  Each year, the EEE-TIG provides its members an opportunity to share their evaluation research, experiences and expertise through participation in TIG-sponsored sessions at the AEA Conference. The EEE-TIG sends out its own call for proposals as well as accepting proposals that come from the general AEA call for proposals. In 1999, the EEE-TIG received 21 proposals (14 papers, 2 roundtables, 2 posters, 1 panel session, 1 creative format proposal and 1 skill building session).   Of the 14 paper proposals received, 7 were accepted as proposed, 4 were recommended as posters and 3 were rejected. At the 1999 AEA Conference in Orlando, the TIG is the sponsor of 5 sessions and has participants in two of the roundtable sessions and one of the poster sessions, in addition to the annual TIG business meeting session.

The EEE-TIG annually recognizes the efforts of those in the field of extension education evaluation through its awards program. Individuals and teams are recognized each year by their peers for their excellence in conducting evaluations, training others or providing leadership to the profession. Administrators are also often recognized for their support of evaluation efforts. In 1999, the following awards were presented Excellence in Program Evaluation - (Team): Michael Lambur, Radhika Rajgopal, Edwin Lewis, Ruby Cox and Michael Ellerbrock, Virginia Tech; Excellence in Evaluation Training - (Individuals): Satish Verma, Louisiana State University and Roger Rennekamp, University of Kentucky; and Outstanding Leadership and Service to the Evaluation Profession - John Richardson, North Carolina State University.

Each year at the EEE-TIG business meeting, we have invited a guest speaker to talk with the group about a topic that is a current issue for a majority of those involved in the evaluation of extension educational programs. In 1999, Martha Wellman, of the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability of the Florida legislature, spoke to the group on performance-based budgeting and accountability.

Leadership: Leadership for the EEE-TIG is provided by a Board of Directors made up of a Chair, Chair-Elect, Past-Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, and a regional representative from each of the four regions that make up the EEE-TIG organizational structure. The Chair appoints a membership chair and liaison with USDA-CSREES. The Board met four times this past year to conduct the business of the TIG. Board members for 1999 were: Chair - Rich Poling, Chair-Elect (and Program Chair) - Mike Duttweiler, Past-Chair - Richard Rohs, Secretary-Treasurer - Susan Laughlin; and Regional Representatives - Claude Bennett (Northeast), Charlie Clark (North Central), Milton Fujii (Western) and Glenn Israel (Southern). Michael Newman served as Membership Chair and George Mayeske served as CSREES Liaison.

The EEE-TIG is an active and enjoyable group of professionals. It has been my pleasure to have served as chair of this TIG in 1999. 1 will always be grateful to those who, both this year and in the past, have helped make the EEE-TIG one of the best in the AEA! Thank you and best wishes!

Respectfully submitted,

Richard L. Poling
1999 EEE-TIG Chair