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Getting the Most out of Master Gardener Training

Horticulture & Turfgrass

Sara Rutherford
Associate Extension Agent
Virginia Tech
Emporia

Abstract

Rutherford, S.(1), Vines, K.(2), Archibald, T.(3), Fox, L.(4), Close, D.(5)
(1) Associate Extension Agent, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Emporia, VA 23847
(2) Assistant Professor, Agriculture Leadership & Community Education, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
(3) Associate Professor, Agriculture Leadership & Community Education, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
(4) Research Associate, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Hampton Roads AREC, Virginia Beach, VA 23455
(5) Consumer Horticulture Specialist and Master Gardener Program Director, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA 24061

Currently, there is not a state-wide evaluation survey tool for master gardener training programs in Virginia. Therefore, there is a need to understand what evaluation survey tools are being used for master gardener training in order to develop a state-wide evaluation tool and improve evaluation capacity building among coordinators. The purpose of this presentation is to demonstrate the need to increase evaluation capacity building among master gardener coordinators, such as extension agents/educators or volunteer coordinators, giving them the skills they need to utilize evaluation data to make improvements, report impacts and convey those impacts to stakeholders and grantors, both locally and state-wide. Data collected during the research project “Evaluating the Evaluation of Master Gardener Volunteer Training in Virginia” indicates survey tools used to evaluate master gardener training are mainly used for making training improvements. For example, the majority of survey questions collected for the project pertained to training program inputs when compared to the Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener (VCEMG) program logic model. Fewer survey questions dealt with the short, medium and long-term outcomes of the VCEMG program logic model. Results and recommendations from this project will help the Virginia Master Gardener program develop an evaluation survey tool that will give master gardener training programs the information they need to make improvements, report impacts and convey those impacts to stakeholders and grantors, both locally and state-wide. A case will also be made during the presentation to improve the evaluation skills of master gardener coordinators, contributing to evaluation capacity building within the VCEMG program and other master gardener programs around the country. The presentation will be organized through PowerPoint with discussion prompts to engage the audience, allowing participants to learn from each other and figure out how to get the most out of master gardener training. 

Authors: Thomas Archibald, Sara Rutherford, Karen Vines, David Close, Laurie Fox
  1. Thomas Archibald Associate Professor, Virginia Tech, Virginia, 24061
  2. Sara Rutherford Associate Extension Agent, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia, 23847
  3. Karen Vines Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech, Virginia, 24061
  4. David Close Consumer Horticulture Specialist & Master Gardener Program Director, Virginia Tech, Virginia, 24061
  5. Laurie Fox Research Associate, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia, 23455