How Communicating with Extension Clients Has Changed in 45-years
Teaching & Educational Technologies
Donna Coffin
EXTENSION EDUCATOR
UMaine Extension
DOVER-FOXCROFT
Abstract
There have been a lot of changes in how Extension personnel communicate with their clientele through the years. As a long-time employee, I have had the opportunity to live through these changes. The first agent to work in Piscataquis County in Maine in 1915 used a horse and buggy or a train to visit farmers in the county. He either met with them face to face, communicated by mail or newspaper, or conducted community meetings. It seems we have not dropped any communication method but have added more and more as our clientele utilize new techniques.
It is important to see where we have been with communication methods and understand they will change in the future.
In 1983 I had 200 client consultations that were either in person, by surface mail (80), or by phone. During the pandemic that shot up to 860 consultations in 2020 with over half by email. Last year is was down to 620 consultations. Newsletter distribution went from 1,000 people receiving twelve surface mailed issue in 1982 to 6,477 people from throughout the state of Maine receiving 42 issues of either a general ag, garden, or beef newsletter.
This presentation will focus on the types of communication one extension educator has employed through my 45-year extension career. Starting with making copies with light sensitive paper to color copies; landline phones to smart phones; overhead transparencies to computer generated slide shows; surface mailings to electronic mailings; video made in studios toYouTube to livestreaming programs through Facebook.
Come and share where you think extension communication methods will go.
Authors: Donna Coffin
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Donna Coffin EXTENSION EDUCATOR, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Maine, 04426