Exploring Diversity in
Extension Work
Dr. Chuck Morris
Dr. Nancy Franz
Dr. Barbara Woods
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Please use the chat box to
make comments and pose
questions
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Our Agenda
• Welcome
• Overview of ISU Extension diversity
plan
• Looking at diversity through your own
eyes
• One educator’s experience and views of
diversity
• Q&A
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ISU Extension Diversity Plan
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http://www.extension.iastate.edu/NR/rdonlyres/710A5A22-AD2E4710-A769-9CC1B9332DF5/136278/Diversity_Plan0710.pdf)
Goal 1 – Each Extension program/unit has an active diversity
committee
Goal 2 – Diverse audiences are engaged in the development of
ISU Extension curriculum
Goal 3 – ISUE develops research-based educational programs that
address diversity issues
Goal 4 – ISUE utilizes recruiting and hiring practices designed to
diversify the applicant pool
Goal 5 – ISUE actively engages with the leadership of diverse
audiences. Program areas strive to provide services to
underserved audiences.
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ISUE Diversity Plan Implications
for Specialists
• Be familiar with the ISU Diversity Plan
• Be familiar with the latest county civil rights audit
• Visit with the Regional Director to identify what
the Program Specialist can do to assist with
changes needed in the county to address the
diversity needs of the county
• Have a personal diversity goal aligned with the
ISUE diversity plan
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Looking at Diversity Through
Your
Ownbarriers?
Eyes
Does
it create
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Diversity in the Context of
Extension
• Connection with Iowans as individuals
and groups
• Location of Iowans in urban and rural
areas
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Three Questions
• What Do You See?
• What Can You Do to Change What You
See?
• How Will You Know that You See
Others’ Contributions?
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What Do You See?
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What Do You See?
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Differences in appearance
Differences in communication styles
Differences in behaviors
Differences in values
Differences in economic status
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What Can You Do to Change
What You See?
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What Can You Do to Change
What You See?
• Learn and understand differences between
myths/stereotypes and reality
• Read and discuss ideas about and from others
• Engage in activities that can help you get to
know others in their environments
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What Can You Do to Change
What You See?
• Be intentional in connecting with others
• Experience being the only one
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How Will You Know that You See
Others’ Contributions?
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How Will You Know that You See
Others’ Contributions?
• Seek inclusion of people not in your group
• Ask others about who should be at the table
• Make sure materials and resources reflect
appropriate inclusion
• Reach beyond your traditional sources for
expertise/viewpoints
• Appreciate differences for their value
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Nancy’s Diversity Journey
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Grew up in the Milwaukee area
One of a few women in the US Forest Service
Camp counselor for inner city youth
Native American college room mate
Extension education with the Red Cliff Tribe of
Ojibwa
• Graduate school experiences and studies
• Northeast and Southern Extension cultures
• Personal experiences
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Nancy’s Diversity Views
• Individual cultures to multicultural to
intercultural to culturally responsive to cultural
synergy
• Transformative learning from difference
wrapped in common purpose
• AACU – access and success, education and
scholarship, campus climate and intergroup
relations, institutional infrastructure
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More of Nancy’s Views
• Why we need diversity in Extension education = we
need inclusion to have all ideas from everyone to
help address complex issues
• Our diversity process needs to move beyond
counting how many to results of joint action
• As educational leaders we need to manage
fragmentation, enhance integration, and manage
differentiation
• Client voice is critical in needs assessment, program
design, implementation & evaluation
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RESOURCES
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CULTURAL COMPETENCY: A DASH OF DIVERSITY, A MEDLEY
OF OUTREACH IDEAS
http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/outreach/pdfs/toolkit/2010/State/SNAP_s
tate_Chapter03.pdf
This resource was designed to support the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP). It has concrete examples. The examples and information are
applicable to non-nutrition areas.
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Strengthening Programs to Reach Diverse Audiences: A
Curriculum to Planning and Implementing Extension Programs for
Ethnically Diverse Audiences (access to curriculum)
http://www.joe.org/joe/2004february/tt7.php
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Building Awareness of Culture & Resources
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/familydevelopment/DE8434.
html#present
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RESOURCES
• Test Yourself for Hidden Bias
http://www.tolerance.org/hiddenbias
• Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits,
Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hr022
• Engaging Minority and Culturally Diverse
Audiences
http://www.joe.org/joe/2002december/tt2.php
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RESOURCES
• Can Diversity Extend to Ways of Knowing? Engaging
Cross-Cultural Paradigms
http://www.joe.org/joe/2004april/a7.php
• Evidence-based Practices and Strategies for Working
with Vulnerable Populations (achieved Virtual Summit)
http://www.cyfernet.org/vs2010/
• Engaging Minority and Culturally Diverse Audiences
http://www.joe.org/joe/2002december/tt2.php
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THANK YOU!
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