Dr John James - Chat #1
What’s new in extension (and how to use it to further improve the effectiveness of your work)
Tuesday 1 September 2020 at 12 noon AEST
In this interactive session, John will explore
- The modern evolution of extension (past -> future)
- What are we doing differently?
- New ways to design effective extension projects
- Peer-to peer learning
- Co-designing
- Pre-mortems
- The impact of COVID-19 changing the way we approach our work and the importance of new language
- Add to the two-way conversation by sharing your ideas during this interactive session
Dr John James: Past President APEN, long-time member, creator and active participator of the APEN Mentoring Scheme, proud inaugural inductee of Life Membership in 2018. John’s PhD investigated the factors that affect the adoption of Web 2.0 technologies, such as webinars and YouTube videos.
John is a passionate enabler of change and innovation; a dynamic facilitator enabling others to learn and build their extension capacity. As a recognised national and international thought leader in the use of contemporary extension models and approaches, John specialises in using online engagement to enable change and innovation. After working in government for 35 years, John now runs his consultancy business Enablers of Change from Hobart, where he is enjoying helping others to better design and conduct engagement activities.
Dr Jeff Coutts - Chat #2
Evaluating extension – ‘why you should fund my (next) project’
Tuesday 8 September, 2020 at 12noon AEST
In this interactive session, Jeff will explore several questions
- ‘Why should an investor (whether government, Rural Development Corporation or other body) invest in Extension?'
- ‘How do we demonstrate that the investment was a good decision?’
- ‘How can you show that your project – or your role – has been one of the best investments such organisations could make?’
The workshop will also explore
- Different (practical) ways in which extension is evaluated
- What new elements have been added over recent years, such as approaches to ‘co-evaluation’ (better involving the range of stakeholders in an agricultural innovation system)
- What we have learned about evaluating from a ‘distance’ (in the time of social distancing restrictions)
Dr Jeff Coutts: a passionate supporter of APEN from its conception in 1993 when he organised the first International Extension Conference held at the Gold Coast in Queensland when the idea of an Extension Network was raised, he was recognised for his continuing involvement as an inaugural inductee of Life Membership in 2018.
In 2001, Jeff became frustrated at how extension was viewed and valued and so, he left his role as the Director of the Rural Extension Centre at UQ Gatton to start his own consulting company to focus on extension evaluation. Jeff, almost 20 years later, has continued to work in pushing the boundaries of evaluation so that extension can continue to improve and develop, and its value better understood.
Jeff brings together what he has learned about the effective ways to evaluate extension, how to capture learnings and the ways to present impact.
Denise Bewsell - Chat #3
Supporting change – the holy grail of extension
Tuesday 15 September, 2020 at 12noon AEST
In this interactive session, Denise will explore
- Extension as a tool for facilitating change on-farm
- Building support for extension programs, principles for doing this and sharing experiences
- How do you use this tool effectively? The key? – Support for adoption/practice!
- Follow up extension activities and information resources – e.g. mentoring, webinars, on-to-one consulting, accountability through a group of farming peers and coaching …
Denise Bewsell: a long-time member of APEN, six years as the NZ representative on APEN’s Board of Management (“a brilliant place for learning more about the organisation, learning professionally and for feeling like I have a part to play in making sure APEN thrives”), and currently, an associate editor for the APEN Journal (Rural Extension and Innovation Systems Journal), driver of the Extension Brace in the eBulletin, while working in the NZ red meat sector, supporting facilitators and helping spread ideas of effective ways of enabling change.
Denise’s passions include making connections, helping others do the same, the idea of of topping up, not tipping in (courtesy of Lab Wilson Bats Inc) when working in extension, being curious, asking questions and chocolate!.
Jeanette Long - Chat #4
Facilitating tips and tools
Tuesday 22 September, 2020 at 12noon AEST
In this interactive session, Jeanette will explore
- Facilitating learning
- Facilitation processes to ensure a successful outcome
- Facilitation vs facilitating learning
- Planning outcomes
- Closing with impact
Jeanette Long: a Past President of APEN, a practising farmer with husband, Bill, and son, Will, and a strong advocate for up-skilling women through practical, hands-on experiences. Jeanette shares an understanding of decision-making in adoption of new practices. (Check out her Stepping into Leadership Program available at Women Influencing Agribusiness and Regions - PIRSA)
Jeanette’s passions include engaging people and influencing positive change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management. In particular, Jeanette specialises in facilitation and facilitated learning with both farmers and for professionals who work with farmers.