MANAGING Tough Times

Peer Groups and Focus Groups

Chris MondakISU Extension Dairy Field Specialist

NW Iowacmondak@iastate.edu

DISCLAIMER: Not an expert…still learning…work in progress.

MANAGING Tough Times

1998- 2000

MANAGING Tough Times

2002-2011- “Fields plowed”• DairyWomen Peer Group- 4 sessions

yearly• 4-5 Regional Focus Groups yearly; 2-3

sessions in the winter; occasional summer follow-on.

• Young Dairy Producers Peer Group• Decision-making Peer Group - 4-part series

MANAGING Tough Times

Outreach %

Relationship- building &Needs assessment

Quality of Impacts

MANAGING Tough Times

Some Key Principles of Learning(Likely at play in Peer Groups/Focus Groups)

Course Work at ISU - Learning Communities and College Teaching (psychology of learning)

• Learning is relational: interactions &

discussion enhances learning.• Learning happens when people have a

reason to learn.• All learners bring prior knowledge &

experience -- start where they’re at….• Reflection & processing advances learning.

MANAGING Tough Times

Strategic lecture or Powerpoint

Questions and Discussion

Thinking, Talking, Writing

Demonstrations

Hands-on Practice

Computers; Technology

MANAGING Tough Times

Content

SubjectArea

ProcessContent:

How we Learn

May I offer this hypothesis…

MANAGING Tough Times

A personal hunch about effective small group programming:

• The key change is not solely about how the educational program looks on the outside.

• Rather, the key shift is what happens in the educator while preparing and delivering the program.

MANAGING Tough Times

Caveats• Major undertaking -- Planning,

Recruitment, Program Development and Follow-through takes much TIME.

• Funding?

MANAGING Tough Times

Good learning environment

More advanced teaching & in-depth learning

Measurable results happen.

MANAGING Tough Times

The real voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new landscapes but in having

new eyes. Marcel Proust

The End……

…or the Beginning?