Presentation for eXtension CoP Workshop, June 2011. Covers the process of launching a community of practice blog, and some of the insight we have gained in doing so....
1. A C
New
Opportunities
Challenges
B
Discoveries
Karen Jeannette, eXtension CoP Support
Consumer Horticulture Content Coordinator
@kjeannette, karen.jeannette@extension.org
2. • Rick Durham, University of Kentucky
• Monica David, University of Illinois
• Lynette Spicer, eXtension, ISU Master
Gardener
• Terri James, University of Nebraska Lincoln
• Jennifer Bousselot, Iowa State Extension
• Ivelin Denev, eXtension Content Staff
• Daniel Nall, eXtension Engineering
• eXtension Staff
4. http://www.extension.org/pages/Consumer_Horticulture_National_Committee
Providing a national focus and contact point for the
nation-wide Extension Master Gardener program
Providing leadership for eXtension
Consumer Horticulture CoP and it’s sub-areas
http://www.extension.org/horticulture
http://www.extension.org/mastergardener
9. County
Coordinators
(>50 - ?) Extension
Master Gardeners (~94,000)
State
Coordinators
(~50)
10. Plan A
Train state Have bloggers/
coordinators to use encourage comments
blog
bloggers
Plan “What really happened” Social media
team/listserve
Train state New state &
coordinators to county Offer
use blog coordinators ‘coordinator
listserve discussions’ Blog training,
webconferences round 2
Re-announce Nat’l blog coordinators
effort at National & some MGs
Coordinators Conference
21. Bloggers
Plan “What really happened” Social media ?
team/listserve
Train state New state &
coordinators to county Offer
use blog coordinators ‘coordinator
listserve discussions’ Blog training,
webconferences round 2
National EMG coordinators
Coordinators & some MGs
Conference
22. Social Comfort
* People
* Tools
*Subject Matter
Slide and concepts from Thomas Vanderwal
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanderwal/2379573773/
26. Bloggers
?
Plan “What really happened” Social media
team/listserve
New state
coordinators/ Offer
county ‘coordinator
coordinators discussions’ Blog training
listserve webconferences for
Train state Build Awareness ll
System Wide
coordinators to coordinators
use blog & some MGs
27.
28.
29. • Passwords
• Signing up/registration
• Time – (trade off with offering value)
• Inclusive email lists
• Blogging knowledge
• Networking knowledge
• Permissions, buy-in
37. Internet is a mass of niches
- Jeff Jarvis, What Would Google Do
38.
39.
40.
41. Badge inspiration courtesy of
U Florida EMG Program
Link badge to:
• http://blogs.extension.org/mastergardener/
• http://www.extension.org/mastergardener
42.
43. 1. Extension.org/about.extension.org (987/400)
2. Iowa EMG (414)
3. MN EMG (311)
4. Florida EMG (228)
5. Wisconsin EMG (225)
6. Franklin County, PA EMG (214)
7. Illinois Extension (132)
8. North Alabama EMGs (115)
9. North Carolina EMGs (92)
10. Texas EMGs (89) Source: Google Analytics
47. Tracking Success with Google
Analytics and Bit.ly links
Low-cost online courses, modules
Diagnostics links/decision aids
organic gardening, sustainable gardening
Factoids for niche groups
Where to find an Ext. Master Gardener?
48.
49.
50.
51.
52. • Blog
– Make more personal
– Engage more bloggers in blog track teams
– Guest bloggers
– More coordinating of posts -“How do you
get people to volunteer?” Ask them.
• Social media team - collaborative & small
group meeting –> Next
53. • Posts on continuing ed with MGs and green
industry a hit
– Explore Webinar series
– Partner module development
• Curation – what applies to national,
understanding as an EMG
• See interest in Twitter chats
• Sponsorship potential: Opportunity for smaller,
but could be more fruitful and direct?
55. 1. Define
2. Define
3. Define
4. Define
5. Road ahead: Discovery and engagement are linked
– (What we will do in the future will be in response to core
values, and how well we can engage the Extension Master
Gardener community in the process, as they will be involved
in discovering the road ahead.)
56. Listen, identify and then lower barrier for participation
(Is it password sign-up issues, social comfort/adoption
barriers, other collaborative barriers?)
People participate out of passion, interest, need for their
own learning
(Help them envision how this could happen)
Foster core community development
(Communicate vision/ goals to core then work closely
(phone calls, small group meetings) and help them
shape and communicate them to others)
57. Create simple ways to sustain relationships w/non-core
members (listserves, webinar updates for potential
contributors)
Develop ‘trust’/credibility (So others will want to continue
to be involved)