““From Making a Living From Making a Living to Making a Difference”to Making a Difference”

Transformational Education Transformational Education and Leadership in the NDSU and Leadership in the NDSU

Extension SystemExtension System

Thank you to Margaret Thank you to Margaret Bethel, Director of Bethel, Director of

Michigan State Michigan State University Extension University Extension

Service, for her insights, Service, for her insights, resources and expertise resources and expertise

on transformational on transformational education.education.

The NDSU Extension The NDSU Extension Service purpose is to Service purpose is to

create learning create learning partnerships that help partnerships that help

adults and youth adults and youth enhance their lives and enhance their lives and

communities.communities.

Lynette’s take on the Lynette’s take on the mission…mission…

The NDSU Extension Service The NDSU Extension Service purpose is to create purpose is to create

learning partnerships that learning partnerships that help adults and youth help adults and youth

enhance enhance transformtransform their their lives and communities.lives and communities.

““Outreach education relies Outreach education relies on the existence of a body on the existence of a body of knowledge which is not of knowledge which is not

only transferred to an only transferred to an individual, but is individual, but is instrumental in instrumental in

transformingtransforming the the individual. In other words, individual. In other words,

the individual has to the individual has to actively receive the actively receive the

knowledge and know how to knowledge and know how to use it.”use it.”

Building Capacity: From Transferring to Transforming, Building Capacity: From Transferring to Transforming, University of Wisconsin ExtensionUniversity of Wisconsin Extension

With the dramatic With the dramatic changes in the ways changes in the ways people live and use people live and use information, NDSU information, NDSU

Extension must be ready Extension must be ready to to transformtransform the way it the way it

delivers educational delivers educational programs to its clientele.programs to its clientele.

How can we help engage How can we help engage individuals and individuals and

communities in change communities in change and transformation and transformation through our work?through our work?

We must begin by We must begin by understanding a understanding a

community’s response to community’s response to change – this is tied to change – this is tied to its ability to manage its its ability to manage its

CAPITAL.CAPITAL.

Thriving places have strong Thriving places have strong capital.capital.

•HumanHuman•FinancialFinancial•NaturalNatural•SocialSocial

•PoliticalPolitical•Built Built •CulturalCultural

What does human capital look What does human capital look like?like?

Healthy communities start with strong families.

What does financial capital What does financial capital look like?look like?

Viable business and a thriving economy.

What does natural capital look What does natural capital look like?like?

Nothing is sustainable without a healthy environment.

What does social capital What does social capital look like?look like?

The trust, connections and engagement needed in a community

What does political capital What does political capital look like?look like?

Includes organizations, connections, voice and power.

What does built capital What does built capital look like?look like?

Supporting foundation that facilitates human activity

What does cultural capital What does cultural capital look like?look like?

Understanding of cultural and community heritage

Transformation is Transformation is about…about…

• Affecting changeAffecting change• Creating more leadersCreating more leaders• Giving people simple tools they can apply with Giving people simple tools they can apply with

success to make a differencesuccess to make a difference• Developing business and social entrepreneursDeveloping business and social entrepreneurs• Providing “new recipes” not just “more Providing “new recipes” not just “more

cooking” cooking”

David Bornstein, Author, How to Change the World – Social Entrepreneurs David Bornstein, Author, How to Change the World – Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideasand the Power of New Ideas

What is transformational What is transformational learning?learning?

The continuous process of knowledge The continuous process of knowledge discovery, integration, application discovery, integration, application and reflection. The goal is not to and reflection. The goal is not to accumulate more knowledge but to accumulate more knowledge but to expand the capacity to produce the expand the capacity to produce the desired results by applying desired results by applying knowledge.knowledge.

Margaret Bethel, 2003. Michigan State University Cooperative Margaret Bethel, 2003. Michigan State University Cooperative Extension DirectorExtension Director

CONTENT

RELATIONSHIP

Scholarship of DiscoveryIntegrationApplication

low

high

InformationInformation

FacilitationFacilitation Transformational Transformational EducationEducation

Content Content TransmissionTransmission

high

PR

OC

ES

S

Educational ProcessesEducational Processes

Creating more leaders as Creating more leaders as your legacy is great. your legacy is great.

Give people simple tools Give people simple tools that they can apply with that they can apply with

success to make a success to make a difference!! difference!!

TRANSFORMATIONALTRANSFORMATIONAL

Activity 1 - How have you Activity 1 - How have you been spending your been spending your programming time?programming time?

• Generate a quick list of programs & Generate a quick list of programs & activities – major and minor for the activities – major and minor for the past 6 months. What educational past 6 months. What educational programs and focused block of programs and focused block of information have you been involved information have you been involved with or delivering?with or delivering?

• List the big headings in your plan of List the big headings in your plan of work or what you have committed to work or what you have committed to focus on.focus on.

Why is it up to Extension Why is it up to Extension to do this work?to do this work?

Think about the context in Think about the context in your communitiesyour communities

• This is our nicheThis is our niche• We are part of those community We are part of those community

capitals and have access to people capitals and have access to people and resourcesand resources

• We are part of the experience and We are part of the experience and part of the solutionpart of the solution

• We will be affected by the outcome We will be affected by the outcome communities receivecommunities receive

Extension is the Extension is the Lighthouse!Lighthouse!

““Universities have an important Universities have an important obligation to people far beyond the obligation to people far beyond the borders of our campuses. We are borders of our campuses. We are stewards of knowledge that can serve stewards of knowledge that can serve as an important beacon, but only if that as an important beacon, but only if that knowledge is dispersed and shared knowledge is dispersed and shared freely with everyone who seeks it.”freely with everyone who seeks it.”

Kevin Reilly, 2003. Chancellor, UW-Extension at the Outreach Kevin Reilly, 2003. Chancellor, UW-Extension at the Outreach Scholarship ConferenceScholarship Conference

Look familiar?Look familiar?

Activity 2Activity 2

Re-write one of your Re-write one of your “activities” so it becomes “activities” so it becomes transformational. Work transformational. Work

with a partner to develop with a partner to develop a simple plan for this a simple plan for this

change. change.

Questions to ask about your Questions to ask about your programs – are they programs – are they transformational?transformational?

•Is this information helping Is this information helping people solve problems?people solve problems?

•Is this information a Is this information a catalyst for catalyst for individual/community individual/community change?change?

Activity 3Activity 3

Action SandwichAction Sandwich

As a group, we will make a single As a group, we will make a single sandwich with the best sandwich with the best ingredients. Decide upon a ingredients. Decide upon a single program area that could single program area that could re-worked to the re-worked to the transformational level. transformational level.

Making the Sandwich…Making the Sandwich…

• Card 1 – Hope – What is your “hope” for the Card 1 – Hope – What is your “hope” for the program you want to change?program you want to change?

• Card 2 – Fear- What is your worst fear?Card 2 – Fear- What is your worst fear?• Card 3 – Passion – What moves you deeply about Card 3 – Passion – What moves you deeply about

the situation?the situation?• Card 4 – Role – How do you see yourself here?Card 4 – Role – How do you see yourself here?• Card 5 – Time – How long will this take?Card 5 – Time – How long will this take?• Card 6 –Money – Do you need this and how much?Card 6 –Money – Do you need this and how much?• Card 7 – Fact – One thing that is true about the Card 7 – Fact – One thing that is true about the

situationsituation• Card 8 – Reality – What is your version of a Card 8 – Reality – What is your version of a

realistic goal statement?realistic goal statement?

Transformational Transformational EducatorsEducators

““Transformational education in the Transformational education in the community is about building leaders for community is about building leaders for that community around issue content. that community around issue content. Mastering content knowledge and Mastering content knowledge and building group leadership capacity occur building group leadership capacity occur simultaneously.”simultaneously.”

Margaret Bethel, 2003. Margaret Bethel, 2003.

Michigan State University CooperativeMichigan State University Cooperative

Extension Service DirectorExtension Service Director

Activity 5: Activity 5:

What do you need from What do you need from the NDSU Extension the NDSU Extension

organization to help you organization to help you do your work at the do your work at the

transformational level?transformational level?

SuggestionsSuggestions

• Program Program development development assistanceassistance

• Evaluation/TenureEvaluation/Tenure• Additional Additional

professional professional development development opportunitiesopportunities

• Diversity Diversity EducationEducation

• Educational Educational technologiestechnologies

• Bigger budgetsBigger budgets• Communication Communication

and marketing and marketing assistanceassistance

• Reporting and Reporting and evaluation evaluation assistanceassistance

• OtherOther

““Social entrepreneurs Social entrepreneurs are not content just to are not content just to

give a fish or teach how give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest to fish. They will not rest

until they have until they have revolutionized the fishing revolutionized the fishing

industry.”industry.”

Bill Drayton, CEO and FounderBill Drayton, CEO and Founder Ashoka Foundation Ashoka Foundation

Transforming OthersTransforming Others

• See the ordinary as extraordinarySee the ordinary as extraordinary• Be creativeBe creative• Find the right lensFind the right lens• Find the right focusFind the right focus• Put things in perspectivePut things in perspective

Dewitt Jones, National GeographicDewitt Jones, National Geographic