3
Transformational Education:
Advancing the
UW Extension Mission
Margaret A. Bethel
Director, MSU Extension
March 2, 2004
Mission & Vision Statements
MISSION
UW-Extension extends the knowledge and
resources of the University of Wisconsin to people
where they live and work.
VISION
Wisconsin’s educational network for engaging
people and their communities in positive change.
change.
Remember when ……?
Consider the History of
Encyclopedia Britannica
•
•
•
•
•
•
Oldest English Language Encyclopedia
15 editions in 225 years
Record sales in 1989 : $627 million
Sold 117,000 copies @ $1300 each in 1990
Profitable in 19 of previous 20 years
Heavily invested in specific sales approach
Then along comes . . .
Consider the History of
Encyclopedia Britannica
•
•
•
•
•
•
Emergence of CD Rom Encyclopedia
CD adds graphics, sound and video
CD is cheap to manufacture and store
Britannica had losses of 4.6 mil in 1992 and
$15 mil in 1993
Management looks for a buyer in the $400 –
500 mil range
In 1995, CEO Peter Norton retires
(Source: Blown to Bits, Evans & Wurster)
Knowledge Model
University
Knowledge
Discovery
Application
Integration
Impact
Betterment of the Community
Preservation
Mission Vision Statements
MISSION
UW-Extension extends the knowledge and
resources of the University of Wisconsin to people
where they live and work.
VISION
Wisconsin’s educational network for engaging
people and their communities in positive
change.
The Engaged University
Engagement is the partnership of university
knowledge and resources with those of the public and
private sectors; to enrich scholarship and research, to
enhance curriculum, teaching and learning, to
prepare educated, engaged citizens, to strengthen
democratic values and civic responsibility, to address
critical societal issues, and to contribute to the public
good.
good
Committee for Institutional Partnership – Big Ten Partnership, Nov. 2003
An Educated Community / World
•
What benchmarks can be established to define
the land-grant university’s impact and results
of it’s community-based mission and presence?
•
What defines an educated community?
•
How does one create an educated community?
So how have I been spending my
program time?
• Generate a quick list of programs –
major and minor for the last 6 mos. – list
education programs and focused blocks
of information that you have been
involved in delivering.
• List the big headings in your plan of
work … what you have committed to
focusing on.
Educational Processes
Scholarship of
Discovery, Integration,
Application of
Knowledge
PROCESS
high
Facilitation
Transformational
Education
Information
Content
Transmission
low
RELATIONSHIP
high
CONTENT
Adapted from Merrill Ewart
Model, Process and Content
Transformational Learning:
A continuous process of
knowledge discovery,
integration, application and
______
reflection. The goal is not
to
_____________________________
accumulate more knowledge but to
_______________________________________
expand of the capacity to produce the
________________
desired results by applying knowledge.
M. Bethel, 2003
Transformational Learning
Process:
Problem Articulation
Concept Formation
Gathering Resources
Experimentation/Testing
Problem Solving
COMMUNICATION!!
Interlaced with
facilitation and
introduction of
knowledge
Community Leadership Development
“Leading” to Community Change
Transformational Education Process
Strong
bonds
between and
among
learners.
Refine the
questions,
develop the
process,
which is
iterative in
nature.
Human
Resources
Learning
Resources
Shared Future
Actualized Vision
Leadership
Facilitation
Resources
Questions &
Experimentation
SCHOLARSHIP IN EXTENSION
Learn a
little, build
a little, test
a little.
Develop
new
questions.
Incremental
victories
and payoffs.
Old Learning /
Leadership Models
New Learning /
Leadership Models
Hierarchical
Developmental, Critical Thinking
Expert Model
Dedicated to Outcomes
Helping Systems
Learning and Discovery Processes
Win/Lose
Creating New Futures
Professional Development
Professional and Personal
Development
fjlakjsdfl
ksd
ljflakdjsflkdf
sldfl;asf
sdfasd
sdtggty
hskjdtpwpe[fm kg
kgjlajgal
alkjtwopehv is
lhpsosdfjhprrja
pewj kakngljaroijyoaig
495ujka;lsdkjasjglkjtowiet
lfjhro [pqot
d;ofgjalrjaalrkjtyalrktyj
lasglakhlartlkrtarlkka
dfhksd;rlhj;l ae;lry
klgjaldfkjglafdkh
;aldfkha;ldflhk
Educational Processes
Scholarship of
Discovery,
Integration,
Application of
Knowledge
PROCESS
high
Facilitation
Information
Transformational RELATIONSHIP
Education
Content
Transmission
low
Educate
for
Community
Action
high
CONTENT
Effective
Transformational Educators:
• Be skilled in facilitation.
• Create opportunities and take risks.
• Have access to diverse opportunities for each
•
group member to make contributions
networks of knowledge, research, and human
resources.
Treat learners as equals; group members are
differentiated by individual responsibilities
and types of contributions to the group’s
learning.
So how have I been spending my
program time?
Facilitation
Transformational
Education
Information
Content
Transmission
Extension is highly skilled in understanding
the community context.
Nobody understands community
context better than Extension!
•
•
•
•
•
This is our niche.
We are part of the community and have
immediate access to people and resources.
We are part of the experience, part of the solution
and will be invested /affected by the outcome.
We know the good, the bad and the ugly.
We are the lighthouse !!
Needed skills in assessing the
community context.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identify trigger events, education and leadership
development opportunities
Organize stakeholders and leaders and secure resources
and partnerships
Understand, articulate and bolster local capacity
Provide issue-focus, but not be issue-bound
Honor community heritage, circumstance
Insure involvement of diversity - race, ethnicity, gender,
age, social class, occupation, etc.
We are the lighthouse !!
“Universities have an important
obligation to people far beyond the borders
of our campuses. We are stewards of
knowledge that can serve as an important
beacon, but only if that knowledge is
dispersed and shared freely with everyone
who seeks it.”
Kevin Reilly
Chancellor, UW-Extension
at the Outreach Scholarship conference, 2003
On Transformational Leadership:
“…in the next century we will have to
become much more skilled at creating
leaders. Without enough leaders, the
vision, communication, and
empowerment that are at the heart of
transformation will simply not happen
well enough or fast enough to satisfy
our needs and expectations.”
John Kotter, Leading Change
On Transformational Leadership:
Transformational education in the
community context is about building
leaders for that community around
issue content. Mastering content
knowledge and building group
leadership capacity occur
simultaneously.
Extension as Transformational
Community Leaders:
• Question existing assumptions and values.
• Venture beyond existing blinders and comfort
zone.
• Move from fear of circumstance to courage and
optimism about the changes that can be made.
• Move from conformity to reformation.
Adapted from: “Transformative Learning and Counselor Education”, 2002
Paul T. P. Wong, Ph.D
Extension as Transformational
Community Leaders: (CONT’D)
• Move from making a living to making a
difference.
• Move from self-interest to community / global
concerns.
• Move from competition to cooperation.
• Move from individualism to collective efforts.
Adapted from: “Transformative Learning and Counselor Education”, 2002
Paul T. P. Wong, Ph.D
Educated Person
The landgrant
university has
a special
commitment to
engage its
faculty,
instructional
and research
resources to
the betterment
of the state.
Adapted from MSU
University Outreach
and Engagement
… Strengthen
commitment to
democracy/
diversity
Leadership
& Values
… Strengthen
citizen
participation
and civic
responsibility
to improve
outcomes for
community
members
Civic
Engagement
Skills /
Workplace
Preparation
Global
Knowledge
… Improve
quality of
life, best
practices
and
economic
strength
… Globalize
perspectives
and contacts
Educated Community/World
Additional Thoughts on
Leadership:
•
Some people are born leaders,
but there are not enough of them
to go around.
•
Leadership cannot be taught, but
it is essential that it is learned.
BUILDING LEADERS WHO CAN PRODUCE CHANGE!
Embracing
Transformational Education
Shared Future
Actualized Vision
Leadership
What are the
organizational
systems changes
necessary to
support more work
at the
transformational
level?
UWEX Professional Development
PROCESS
high
Change
Leaders
Core
Competencies
Technology
Training
AOE / Dept.
Content Related
Professional
Development
low
high
CONTENT
UWEX Ed Technology Systems
PROCESS
high
low
Facilitation
Tools
Transformational
Education
Information
Information
Management
Management
Systems
Research
Based
Programs
CONTENT
high
UWEX Ed Technology Systems
high
PROCESS
Facilitation
low
Tools
Transformational
Education
Tools
Data Teaching Shared Partner State
Work Agencies Nat’l
Bases Information
Tools
Space
Links Research
Information
Management
Forms
Based
Fact Management
Statistics
SystemsDigital Reg. Research
Sheets Demo. Visuals
Reports Programs
Systems
Reports
Local
AOE Newsletters
Bulletins
Internal
Inform.
Programs Media
Info.
Information Management
CONTENTSystem
high
UWEX Educational Technology
high
PROCESS
Facilitation
Transformational
Education
Consultations
Forums
ECODEC
Problem
Interactive
Technology
Groups Committees
Interactive
Solving
On
Demand
Information
Learning
Content
Broad
Management
Transmission
Band
Systems
TV
Prof.
Dev.
low
high
CONTENT
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What kinds of systems changes are
needed to move more programs to a
transformational level at UWEX?
Program Development • Administrative Structures
Personnel / Hiring
• Reporting, Evaluation
Evaluation / Tenure
• Educational Technologies
Professional Dev.
• Budget
Diversity Education
• Communication and
Extension Councils
Staff Coverage Plans
•
Marketing
Other
Self Test for Extension
Transformational Leaders
Transformational leaders
• Articulate a clear, powerful, transformational
agenda.
• Are highly effective at gaining the agreement
and commitment of other people.
• Are teachers who facilitate the learning of others
to implement a larger transformation and shared
vision.
“A Call for Transformational Leadership: Essay and
Leadership Self Assessment”, Gary Stokes
Self Test for Extension
Transformational Leaders (CONT’D)
Transformational leaders
• Create a critical mass of leadership around a
vision by skillfully nurturing the growth and
development of other leaders.
• Learn about themselves and new content as they
carry out their transformational work.
• Have stamina, endurance and fortitude and
realize the journey never truly ends.
“A Call for Transformational Leadership: Essay and
Leadership Self Assessment”, Gary Stokes
So, what is the vision for transformational
education and leadership in Extension?
• All Extension staff members have educational
initiatives represented by programs conducted at
the transformational level.
• All Extension staff members will possess and
utilize a blend of content and facilitation skills
that enhances their ability to be effective
transformational leaders.
So, what is the vision for transformational
education and leadership in Extension?
•
Extension councils are made up of
transformational leaders who emerge from our
program efforts and will develop a vision for
community transformation that drives the content
of strong Extension programs.
•
Our AoEs are learning teams, working at the
transformational level in program development,
discovery, invention and reflection to engage
communities across the state in change and
transformation.
UW Extension Creates Community
Mosaics of Transformational Leaders
Civic
Leaders
Agencies and
Schools
Agricultural
Producers
Youth
Volunteers
Business
Leaders
Families
Bring leadership together in communities around common values.
WE CAN!
Go Out and Be
BRILLIANT!!!
Resources:
•
Building Capacity - Educating for Community Action, No. 6
•
Building Capacity – From Transferring to Transforming, No. 7
•
Building Capacity – Community-Based Environmental Education in Practice,
No. 8
http://www.uwex.edu/erc/envstew.html
When you think, think BIG !!