e-Extension

1

• e-Extension
• Elizabeth L. Andress, Ph.D.
• Extension Specialist
• The University of Georgia
• Athens, GA
• May 18, 2004

2
e-Extension

• e-Extension is a system plan for infrastructure
  and for cooperation.
• Technology and audiences are changing.
• Many are potential partners.

3

• Given that Extensions mission is the provision
  of education and information.
• Given that more than half of todays customers
  and more than 90 of tomorrows customers prefer
  to have 24/7/365 access to that information via
  the Internet.

4
e-Extension
5
Questions the Project has

• Who will use it? Who are our customers?
• Is this particular kind of system necessary?
• Arent others already doing e-Extension?
• If customers expect us to have an e-Extension
  system, how do we fund it?
• What about revenue generation?
• How will e-Extension impact my state/institution?
• Who is in charge? Who owns e-Extension?
• What are the risks and potential benefits?

6
How might it be used?

• Staff development
• 63 of adults use Internet (August 2003).
• White 64
• English speaking Hispanic 62
• African American 51
• 47 growth from 2000 to 2003, but rate is
  slowing.
• 31 of users have broadband access.

7
Internet use, cont.

• By region, ranges from 48 to 68
• Over age 65 22
• Ages 50 to 64 55
• Ages 30 to 49 73
• Ages 18 to 29 83
• Increasing reliance on Internet in everyday life
  higher expectations about how it can be used

8
Internet use, cont.

• Greatest predictor of Internet use is income,
  then educational level.
• From 2000 to 2003, those seeking health
  information online grew 59.
• Those seeking religious info grew 94.
• Those using government sites grew 56.
• Those doing research or training grew 45.
• Those purchasing online grew 63.

9
Internet use, cont.

• Two-thirds of low income Internet users (CA) seek
  health information.
• 80 of users expect to find reliable information
  online (news, e-commerce, health and government).
• A majority of users now go online first for
  government services or programs, twice the rate
  of those who use the telephone.
• 47 say that if a store has online information
  they are more likely to go to that store.

10

• Based on the September 2001 U.S. Census Bureaus
  Current Population Survey

11
Extension Coordination

• Hoping for new breadth of user interface.
• Developer interaction or local-state-national
  integration needed.
• Example collaborative space and tools for
  faculty and staff.

12
Extension Coordination, cont.

• e-Extension can actually provide capability to
  states with "old" equipment that they currently
  do not have.
• e-Extension is designed to accommodate all ranges
  of connectivity.  Naturally, multi-media rich
  applications will not work well across slower
  connections.

13
Base to Build On

• Complementary efforts FAQs (examples)
• AnswerLink CSU, others
• Food Safety Answers ISU

14
Arent others already doing e-Extension?
Competitors? Partners?

• CYFERnet
• e-AnswersOnline
• EDEN
• States/groups of states

15
e-Extension

• Change in culture - cooperation

16

• States, state legislatures nor Congress will see
  cash savings.
• Will help cope with current staff shortages.
• Doing e-Extension cooperatively savings.
• gt efficiency
• lt redundancy
• Better customer service

17
Revenue generation?

• Corporate sponsorships
• Grants and contracts
• CSREES
• Other agencies
• Fees

18
How to make it work?

• Build awareness and interest get the word out.
• Incentives for institutions ?
• Incentives for faculty ?
• Incentives for local/county faculty ?

19
Risks and potential benefits

• Risks
• Could fail -- funding
• Potential Benefits
• Funding as a system
• World class program no competitors
• Mission
• Intellectual capacity
• Trusted
• Local retail outlets

20
http//e-ExtensionProject.info
e-Extension