Tagged With "Serious games"
Blog Post
GLOBAL LEADER
Do you consider yourself a leader? Comfortable calling yourself a leader? Why not? Think maybe someday you'll be worthy? If leadership is simply influence then we're all leading in our own way every day. Our actions spread like ripples in the water. Here's the effect they can have... In our lifetimes (about 30,000 days or 80 years), we'll have the chance to know about 1,000 people. If those 1,000 people each know 1,000 then we're up to 1,000,000. If those 1,000,000 people each know 1,000...
Blog Post
Farm Biosecurity Education Goes Virtual with Discovery Learning Series
A new virtual learning experience is helping youth in agriculture discover biosecurity, the preventative measures that protect farm animals from the spread of infectious diseases. The Healthy Farms Healthy Agriculture (HFHA) Project’s Biosecurity Learning Module Series is for students in grades 6 to 12, FFA and 4-H participants, college students studying animal science, and other agriculturally related youth groups.
Blog Post
High Performing Culture?
You don't have to look very hard these days to stumble on an article, video or interview about workplace culture. Here are a couple lists from Charlie Kim's company NextJump where employees (among many things) won't be fired ...they'll be coached . How are things going where you are? Top 12 Signals of LOW vs HIGH performing cultures LOW SIGNALS 1. Entitlement 2. Victim Mindset (everything is impossible, why bother?) 3. Death by 1,000 paper cuts (little things go wrong all the time) 4. No...
Blog Post
ICYMI: The New Nutrition Facts Label: What’s Changed and What’s Been Updated
Last week, we hosted three wonderful folks from the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). They took us “behind the label” to share background on the changes and provide an in-depth tour of the updated Nutrition Facts label. CFSAN staff also shared educational materials and resources on the updated Nutrition Facts label for both health professionals and consumers. If you didn't get a chance to catch this presentation - the recording is available here ! By popular demand,...
Comment
Re: ICYMI: 63 Extension Professionals joined the Connect Extension Chat on Gamifying Food Labels
Resources Shared During the Chat: UConn EFNEP Fat Game: https://bit.ly/EFNEP_FatGame Healthy Lifestyle Resources (Baylor): https://www.bcm.edu/healthcare...-lifestyle-resources Water Calculator: https://www.watercalculator.org/ National Geographic Food Education: https://www.nationalgeographic...tion/food-education/ FDA Whyville Snack Shack Games: https://www.fda.gov/food/nutri...le-snack-shack-games H5P Virtual Tour: https://h5p.org/virtual-tour-360 H5P Interactive Content:...
Blog Post
ICYMI: 63 Extension Professionals joined the Connect Extension Chat on Gamifying Food Labels
Our team at University of Connecticut (UConn) Extension is developing a game to help consumers understand food labels. The Connect Extension chat included questions about food labels and gamification in Extension programs. You can access the chat archive at: https://connect.extension.org/chat-event/connect-extension-virtual-chat-gamifying-food-labels . Chat participants agreed that there is confusion with labels and terms among the consumer audiences. They don't know what is healthy and what...
Blog Post
Interest in Understanding Ecosystem Service Values by Conservation Professionals in the Northeastern US
A multi-state survey was implemented in December 2018 to assess the information needs of natural resource conservation professionals regarding the value of land conservation in their community. Findings reveal that most respondents do not have the information needed to incorporate ecosystem service values into planning and decision-making. There is opportunity for extension services to deliver economic information and training that can advance the management of conserved lands. Read the full...
Blog Post
Human Behavior & the Spread of Livestock Diseases
By Scott Merrill and Eric Clark, University of Vermont The Social Ecological Gaming and Simulation (SEGS) Lab is a multidisciplinary research lab designed to examine pressing problems in the interacting domains of natural ecology and human society. We work on problems ranging from water quality and energy, to looking at how Covid-19 related social distancing behavior changes in different environments – from the grocery store to the park. We also are engaged in trying to understand the...
Blog Post
New Connect Extension Podcast Episodes
The Extension Foundation has had the pleasure of hosting a number of outstanding individuals across Cooperative Extension for our Connect Extension podcast. The Connect Extension Podcast is available in most places podcasts are available. Here is a listing of some of our more recent episodes: Episode 16: Navigating the Grocey Store Aisle: Understanding Food Marketing Labels In this episode, we connect with Stacey Stearns from the University of Connecticut Extension on a project she is...
Blog Post
Navigating the Grocery Store Aisle and Creating a Food Marketing Game: An Extension Project Update
Navigating the grocery store aisle is challenging for many consumers—especially those who want to buy the most nutritious food. Food manufacturers and distributors cover their boxes, cans, and bottles of processed foods with labels like “organic,” “all natural,” and “no sugar added” to suggest that their food has certain health benefits. But these labels are intended to improve product sales, not necessarily help consumers make healthy food choices. And when food marketing labels seem to...
Blog Post
Culture puzzle
"Culture" has become such a buzz word surrounding the workplace. People expect to see something on the company's website about it. They ask current employees about it. They ask about it in interviews. The fact is, it's a big deal. It might be THE big deal of any organization. What we've learned about it is that it's much more than flexible work hours & bean bag chairs in the breakroom. It's about " the way we do things around here". The way this is answered can be profoundly revealing.
Blog Post
Collaboration & Competition
I’m just Karl... I'm from Branson, Missouri... I’m human... I’m going to make mistakes. Every decision I make will be what’s best for the team. It may not be what’s best for me (or you) but if it’s good for the team then it’s the best choice. At work, at home & in our communities we find ourselves on a "team" of some sort. The experience we have comes in how we approach them. Competition It's a myth that you have to work hard to beat the competition. Competition is the opposite of...
Blog Post
Navigating the Grocery Store Aisle: Use Our Game In Your Extension Program
Navigating the grocery store aisle is challenging for many consumers—especially those who want to buy the most nutritious food and stay within their budget. Food manufacturers and distributors cover their boxed, canned, and bottled foods with labels like “whole grain” and “low-calorie” to suggest that their food has certain health benefits. Among the most misunderstood food marketing labels are “non-GMO,” “natural,” and “organic." The UConn Extension New Technologies in Agricultural...
Blog Post
Unpeeled: The Case Files of Maya McCluen Game is Available for Extension Programs
Navigating the grocery store aisle is challenging for many consumers—especially those who want to buy the most nutritious food and stay within their budget. The University of Connecticut (UConn) Extension New Technologies in Agricultural Extension (NTAE) team developed an interactive learning activity (or game), Unpeeled: The Case Studies of Maya McCluen . Our team sought to clarify food marketing labels and empower consumers to make science-based decisions while shopping. We hosted a...
Blog Post
Thoughts from a former NFL coach
During my short college coaching time, had the pleasure of attending a clinic where some successful coaches shared their X’s & O’s & overall philosophies. Knowing why, how & what gets these guys out of bed in the morning is powerful knowledge. One of the speakers was Marty Schottenheimer; his passion for coaching resonated with all of us. An awesome opportunity to hear from a great NFL coach & man. Here are some of his thoughts... He is perhaps most famous for his pre-game...
Blog Post
Project Accelerator Leads to New Grant and Ongoing Partnership
A new USDA-NIFA funded project will develop cohorts of 4-H youth and create biotechnology video games. The games will convey fun and science-based information about biotechnology such as genetic engineering. They will also build public confidence in the safe use of biotechnology in agriculture and the food system. The project will also provide education to youth on career opportunities. The University of Connecticut (UConn) Extension , together with faculty members of other departments in...
Blog Post
Extension Foundation 2021 End of Year Update
Dear Extension Colleagues, It has been our pleasure to serve the Cooperative Extension System this past year and we are excited for the work ahead in 2022. We wanted to provide an update to all of you about how the Extension Foundation has partnered with Cooperative Extension this past year and our progress towards making a greater impact on local issues. We thank you all for the work you do everyday in your states and communities, and we wish all of you a happy and restful holiday season.
Blog Post
The "Doctor" is in!
Sport provides such fertile ground for life lessons. There is immediate feedback constantly. You made the shot or missed it. You completed the pass or it was incomplete. You won or lost. The scoreboard is just the start to all the statistics. AND... Since we can't participate and evaluate at the same time, there's always a coach. One of my favorite coaches is Glenn "Doc" Rivers in the NBA. In a Netflix series called " The Playbook " he and 4 other amazing coaches give us their take on " A...
Blog Post
Celebrating Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE) Activity 1 Achievements with CDC
ECOP, through an Interagency Agreement with the USDA and CDC, funded the Cooperative Extension System to address Immunization education in rural and medically underserved areas through the EXCITE program through two national projects, Vaccine with Confidence and Pilot Project Adult Immunization Education. The Extension network being a trusted and reliable resource for communities was a key factor in being selected by the CDC as a partner. 72 Land Grant Universities were selected,...
Blog Post
Human Factors
It's December 28, 1978, in New York City. United Airlines Flight 173 has just taken off for Portland, Oregon. Unknown to the passengers, a warning light has come on stealing the Captain's attention. Not long after, the Co-Pilot realizes they won't have enough fuel to reach their intended destination and will need to land at a different airport. With his mind focused on the warning light, the Captain is unable to focus on what is really important. They're going to run out of gas. The plane...
Blog Post
Mass Media: Sustaining Pollinators Publication Reissued
The Mass Media: Sustaining Pollinators fieldbook published by Extension Foundation in 2020 is now available in a flipping book format to be consistent with other publications on the Extension Foundation’s new Publication Bookshelf on Connect Extension. The publication is a result of a three-year collaboration between the National Pesticide Safety Education Center (NPSEC) and a team from Prairie View A&M University in Texas. NPSEC has been supporting pollinator health since 2017,...
Blog Post
New Publication Available from the Extension Foundation, Collaborative Design in Extension: Using a Modified Game Jam to Explore Game-Based Learning
A new publication is available from the Extension Foundation. Collaborative Design in Extension: Using a Modified Game Jam to Explore Game-Based Learning describes the collaborative design process used to develop an interactive mobile app for consumers. The work was done as part of the New Technologies for Ag Extension (NTAE) project Navigating the Grocery Store Aisle: Understanding "Non-GMO" & Other Food Labels . Other funders and supporters of the project are the Extension Foundation,...
Blog Post
Juntos Publication Now Available in Spanish
“El Programa Juntos: La trayectoria de un programa de Extensión al servicio de una comunidad en crecimiento” is available on the Extension Foundation bookshelf in a flipping book format. This publication is a Spanish translation of the Juntos eFieldbook produced in 2021. The Juntos program focuses on educating high school Latinx students and equipping their families with the knowledge, skills, and resources to ensure high school graduation and increase college access and attendance rates. In...
Blog Post
New "Water Saver" publication documents Master Irrigator Program
A new publication - Water Saver: Oklahoma Master Irrigator Program - is available from the Extension Foundation. It documents the Oklahoma State Master Irrigator Program, which is helping Oklahoma farmers respond to the challenges they face due to decreasing water levels (a consequence of climate change.) Inspired by a program developed by the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District, a team of academics at Oklahoma State University created a Master Irrigator program to help farmers...
Blog Post
New Publication: How to Use Digital Dashboards to Improve Program Implementation and Evaluation
How to Use Digital Dashboards to Improve Program Implementation and Evaluation is available on the Extension Foundation’s bookshelf. This case study was written by Amy Patillo, Matthew Pezold, and Karen Funkenbusch from the University of Missouri. It outlines a strategy used by the University of Missouri (MU) Extension to manage and evaluate complex mental and behavioral health initiatives for farmers and rural communities. It highlights the processes and tools used to help a large,...
Blog Post
"Engaged Program Planning for Impact Collaborative Teams" Publication Available on Flipping Books
Engaged Program Planning for Extension Foundation Impact Collaborative Teams has been issued as a flipping book. First published in October 2018, the publication details how to use the Impact Collaborative methodology and roadmap to help Cooperative Extension professionals design innovative and engaging projects, programs, and initiatives. It also provides context and guidance on community engagement and team building using Impact Collaborative practices. The publication was authored by...
Blog Post
Urban Extension Professional Development Guide Reissued as Flipping Book
An Urban Extension Professional Development guide has been reissued as a flipping book by the Extension Foundation. Initially developed as an offering for the 2019 Impact Collaborative, the publication is jam-packed with information and resources curated and reviewed by a national team of experts. Note : Registration for the next Impact Collaborative - which will be held October 4-6th, 2022 - is now open. Information about the all-virtual event can be found here . The publication’s editors...
Blog Post
New publication explores Utah State Extension's remote work program
A new publication - Making Remote Work: Extension program boosts opportunities, salaries in rural Utah - is available from the Extension Foundation. The publication shares the story of Utah State University’s Rural Online Initiative (ROI), a training and certification program launched in 2018 to boost the capacity of program participants to be effective remote workers. Since its launch, more than 300 rural residents have secured employment after completing the Master Remote Work Professional...
Blog Post
ECOP "Opioid Response" Publication Reissued
“Opioid Response” - a curated collection of resources designed to help Extension professionals play a stronger and more strategic role in addressing the opioid crisis - is now available in a flipping book format in the Extension Foundation’s publication library. The resources were curated by the Extension Opioid Crisis Response Workgroup (EOCRW), a task force created by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP). More than three dozen Extension professionals and experts from...
Blog Post
New Report Provides Regional Assessment of Ecosystem Services in Northeast U.S.
A new report - Ecosystem Services in Working Lands Practice and Policy of the U.S. Northeast - has been added to the Extension Foundation’s bookshelf. Authored by Northeast Ecosystems Services Fellows Alicia F. Coleman, PhD, and Mario R. Machado, PhD, the report documents results from an assessment of over 1,300 ecosystem service provisioning programs and policies across the U.S. Northeast (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,...
Blog Post
New Publication Available: Siempre Juntos (Forever Juntos)
Siempre Juntos (Forever Juntos) is available on the Extension Foundation bookshelf in a flipping book format. The Juntos program focuses on educating high school Latinx students and equipping their families with the knowledge, skills, and resources to ensure high school graduation and increase college access and attendance rates. This publication provides an overview of a sustainability guide that the North Carolina State University Juntos team created, and provides tips for creating Juntos...
Blog Post
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Guides Reissued
Two important resources about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) have been reissued by the Extension Foundation in a flipping book format. Both publications define DEI and provide a vast array of information and resources, including links to frameworks, presentations, websites, videos, and more. They are an invaluable resource for Extension professionals seeking to learn more about DEI and how to incorporate best practices in their work. The 1st edition was created by Dr. Shatomi...
Blog Post
Using Digital Technology in Extension Education now available in flipping book format
Using Digital Technology in Extension Education has been reissued as a flipping book. First published in September 2020 as a website, the publication provides timely content that aims to help Cooperative Extension professionals consider the role of technology in their work, and perhaps increase the adoption of technology, particularly social media. The information in the publication provides both food for thought and practical information that will enable readers to apply what they’ve...
Blog Post
A Template for Better Health: New publication details Diabetes Prevention Online Toolkit
The Extension Foundation has added a new title to its library. A Template for Better Health: Diabetes Prevention Program Toolkit was w ritten by Vanessa da Silva, an assistant professor and Extension specialist at the University of Arizona and an NTAE Fellow. The publication details the process undertaken by a national team of Extension experts to create an online hub to encourage and support Extension’s adoption of the CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). The toolkit is a critical part...
Blog Post
"Bridging the GAPS: Approaches to Treating Water On Farms" Curriculum Available as Flipping Book
“Bridging the GAPS: Approaches to Treating Water on Farms” - a curriculum designed to help producers understand and address the regulatory requirements for ag water treatment in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) - has been reissued in a flipping book format by the Extension Foundation. Preventing foodborne illness and protecting public health are critically important to producers. Sanitary irrigation water is also mandated by the USDA; producers are required to monitor, treat, and...
Blog Post
Clearinghouse for Cleaner Water: New publication explores online resource hub project
The Extension Foundation has added a new title to its library. Clearinghouse for Cleaner Water: University of Minnesota Hub was w ritten by Anne Nelson and Anne Sawyer of the University of Minnesota (UMN) Extension. The UMN team is creating the Watershed Engagement Programming (WEP) Hub to support watershed-related outreach and engagement efforts to help address the state’s efforts to improve water quality. The team decided to create the Hub after surveying several dozen soil and water...
Blog Post
ECOP Health Equity Framework Available in Flipping Book Format
Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health Equity and Well-Being has been published as a flipping book by the Extension Foundation. First published in July 2021, the report was produced by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP), Health Innovation Task Force. The Health Innovation Task Force was established in March 2020 by ECOP to "investigate, explore, and provide recommendations in support of extension innovating for system-level change” particularly as it...
Blog Post
Resilient Agriculture: Weather Ready publication available on flipping book
Resilient Agriculture: Weather Ready Farms has been reissued as a flipping book by the Extension Foundation. The publication was created by a team of Extension professionals to help the agricultural industry become more resilient to weather extremes, climate variability, and climate change. Based on the Weather Ready Farms model developed by Nebraska Extension, the publication focuses primarily on field crop farms and producers in the Great Plains and Midwest regions of the United States.
Blog Post
"Join Us on the Path": New publication details online engagement hub project
The Extension Foundation has added a new title to its library. Join Us on the Path: The Engagement Hub was w ritten by Catherine Leach and Pam Doherty of the University of New Hampshire (UNH). The case study details their teams' efforts to develop The Engagement Hub, an innovative, personalized online hub for students, educators, alumni, and community members. The hub aims to create a community of lifelong learners and equip the workforce with knowledge and skills to gain a competitive...
Blog Post
Extension Climate & Extreme Weather Programming: Successes, Challenges & Opportunities Report Available
Extension Climate & Extreme Weather Programming: Successes, Challenges & Opportunities , a report published in 2020, is now available in a flipping book format. This report - produced in response to an Extension Foundation RFP - contains a national inventory of Cooperative Extension programs and practices in climate and extreme weather. The report and included database provide insight into the successes, challenges, and opportunities for programming in this area and offer conclusions...
Blog Post
NEW: National Extension Tourism (NET) Conference Proceedings Available
The Extension Foundation has added a new title to its library that documents a wide array of tourism-related applied research and outreach programs. The National Extension Tourism 2021 Conference Proceedings - published with support from the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development Center (NERCRD) - is now available online. The mission of the National Extension Tourism network (NET) is to integrate research, education, and outreach within Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant to support...
Blog Post
New Publication Helps Cooperative Extension Professionals Engage Communities
A new publication - Engaging Communities Through Issues Forums: A How-To Guide for Onsite and Online Community Engagement - is available from the Extension Foundation. The publication explores the use of issue forums as a community engagement tool in Extension work. Both a process guide and content publication, it is a comprehensive “how-to” designed to help Cooperative Extension professionals successfully develop and implement issues forums in both onsite and online settings. Each section...
Blog Post
NEW: National Extension Tourism network e-zine highlights successes, presents case studies
NEW: National Extension Tourism network e-zine highlights successes, presents case studies The Extension Foundation has added a new title to its library that documents a wide array of tourism-related applied research and outreach programs. The NET Effect: Members of the National Extension Tourism network help raise the bar in sustainable tourism and outdoor recreation is now available online. The 57-page publication contains eight case studies that explore innovative Cooperative Extension...
Blog Post
Safety First!
Each of us strives to fulfill basic needs as humans otherwise we're surviving instead of thriving. When we perceive a situation isn't safe our fight/flight/freeze mode kicks in automatically so we can live through it. It's a great adaptation humans have developed over the millennia. We wouldn't be here without it. The problem comes when we live in this mode more than we feel safe. Cortisol and adrenaline flood our system even when we aren't actually in danger. Prolonged exposure to these...
Blog Post
FREE Roaming Equids and Ecosystem Sustainability Network hosts a free webinar
Dear Extension Foundation Partners, I am writing to share with you a phenomenal opportunity that facilitated psychological safety and crucial conversations about the sustainable management of free-roaming equids at the 2023 Free-roaming Equid Summit held last fall in St. George, Utah. The Summit brought together stakeholders from across the spectrum of human emotions, values, and perceptions about wild horses and burros and their management. Summit participants engaged BLM and USFS line...
Blog Post
New Publication - The Community Seminar Series Playbook: A model for community outreach and student development
Webinars offer a convenient and engaging way for people to learn and connect with others. As a result, they have become a vital part of Extension's offerings. A new playbook makes it easy to organize virtual Extension programs, providing step-by-step instructions on everything from choosing a topic to promoting your event. "The Community Seminar Series Playbook: A model for community outreach and student development" was created by a team from the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute...
Blog Post
UNH Extension seeks State Specialist, Community Conservation
The Extension state specialist in community conservation provides statewide leadership in land conservation and stewardship to sustain the natural resources of New Hampshire. This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position based at the University of New Hampshire’s Durham, N.H., campus. It is a grant-funded, non-tenure track, 100% Extension appointment. The specialist will provide education and technical assistance to communities, land trusts and organizations seeking to conserve and steward...
Blog Post
Helping Military Families Inflation-Proof Their Budget
For over two years, U.S. inflation rates have exceeded their long-term average of about 3%. Like all Americans, military families have experienced a loss of purchasing power as their income cannot buy as much as it did previously. Individuals cannot stop inflation but they can mitigate its impact. Below are six inflation-fighting strategies for Extension professionals to discuss with Service members: Needs Versus Wants Analysis - During inflationary times, it is more important than ever to...
Blog Post
Strategies to “Liven Up” Financial Education Classes
Extension educators are always looking for ways to increase participation and engagement in their financial education classes. Here are a dozen interactive teaching methods to consider: Case Study Analyses, Current Events, Financial Calculator Debriefs, Gallery Walks, Documentary Debriefs, Guest Speakers, and more!
Blog Post
Ten Personal Finance Capstone Review Activities
Every extension educator has been there. You’ve just taught some personal finance content (e.g., investment basics or wise credit use) and you want to make sure that it “stuck.” You are looking for a fun, interactive activity to reinforce what you just covered. Below is a summary of ten interactive activities to review previously taught personal finance content: Educational Games - Tools that are popular with teachers in a K-12 setting can also work well as capstone reviews with adults. For...