Promoting Effectiveness of Extension Program Evaluations Through Understanding the Accuracy of Outcomes Self-Reported Measures

Stream: Education and Learning

Saturday, October 26, 2024

8:45 AM - 9:00 AM PST

Location: E147-148

./Abstract Information: Extension professionals rely heavily on self-reported measures to capture outcomes of Extension programs while assuming that self-reported outcomes represent the actual knowledge or behavior of an individual. We conducted an evaluation study to understand the degree of accuracy of self-reported measures across three Extension systems in the U.S. using two family and consumer sciences (FCS) programs and the master gardener program. The FCS programs provide nutrition-related education to participants which improves their nutrition knowledge and promotes food-related behavior and practices changes, while the master gardener program trains volunteers to provide science-based information on sustainable horticulture and environmental stewardship. We identified indicators to capture information about knowledge and selected behavior/practices and developed instruments that integrated actual assessments of knowledge and behavior change with already existing self-reported measures of perceived knowledge and behavior changes. To determine the level of accuracy of self-reported measures, in this presentation, we will share the findings related to the relationship between actual measurements and perceived measurements of knowledge and behavior across three programs.

Author(s)

AK

Anil Kumar Chaudhary, PhD

Associate Professor of Agricultural and Extension Education
The Pennsylvania State University, United States

Presenter(s)

JD

John Diaz, PhD

Associate Professor Extension Specialist
University of Florida, United States

Author(s)

JD

John Diaz, PhD

Associate Professor Extension Specialist
University of Florida, United States

Presenter(s)

KJ

K. S. U. (Jay) Jayaratne, PhD

Professor and State Leader for Extension Evaluation Agricultural and Human Sciences
North Carolina State University, United States

Author(s)

KJ

K. S. U. (Jay) Jayaratne, PhD

Professor and State Leader for Extension Evaluation Agricultural and Human Sciences
North Carolina State University, United States

Presenter(s)

AK

Anil Kumar Chaudhary, PhD

Associate Professor of Agricultural and Extension Education
The Pennsylvania State University, United States