Michigan State University Extension
Issue Identification Information - II792004
10/01/94
(PLEASE NOTE: the following are from training materials produced by the National Family Community Leadership project. It provides good background material, and some provide materials you may want to use with staff or advisory groups.)
Within the past few years, politicians have made effective use of town meetings and hearings to collect data for decision- making. This same idea might be a stepping stone for more effectively assessing the needs within a community or county.
Identification of problems confronting families is one of the most important phases of the program development process. Problems are the foci for developing programs that the county will eventually extend to the entire population. So that Extension staff and advisory groups have a broader base for eventual program decisions, you might consider sponsoring a hearing.
Purposes of Community Hearing
1. Stimulate ideas and provide supporting evidence of
problems within a community.
2. Collect data regarding needs of the community.
3. Identify community problems as perceived by other agencies and organizations as well as the target clientele.
4. Gain experience in summarizing and analyzing information so that concrete recommendations might be made.
Who Participates
1. Listening Panel
The Advisory Group becomes a listening panel and does just this-listen to information shared by the invited participants. The listening panel further: -raises questions so comments can be clarified -searches out reasons and questions some of the "why's" so underlying issues might be identified -clarifies concerns -summarizes information presented by people and says, "so what does this mean?"
2. Presenters
A variety of people from the community are invited to share problems as they perceive them to exist. Presenters might include:
-families (i.e., young, limited resources, minority, seniors, single parent)
-members of groups (i.e., youth, church, school, citizen)
-Agency representatives (i.e.- ASCS, SCS, DSS, Health Department Chamber of Commerce, Department of Natural Resources)
-professionals (i.e., ministers, doctors, teachers, foresters)
-youth
-rural and urban residents
-farm families
-elected officials (i.e., county commissioners,
township supervisors, legislators)
_general public
-representatives of business and industry
Contribution of Presenters
Presenters probably will need approximately 15-20
minutes to share information. Prepare a list of
questions that will assist the person making the
presentation. This will provide continuity between
presenters and assist in summarizing information.
Presenters might address the following issues:
-changes and trends in the needs of families with the
community
-programs offered by agencies and/or organizations
-participants in specific programs
-priority needs as viewed by the specific agency,
organization or individual
-special needs of clientele not met by agency and/or
organization
Background Information for Advisory Group
So that the Advisory Group might be somewhat prepared
for their role, share:
-situation statements and questions prepared by
Extension specialists
-demographic data of the county
general profile (composition of population by
residence, age, sex, education, income, employment, racial and ethnic background, number of family units) -economy of the area -summary of community resources available to families -summary of priority audiences -other
Process
Rather than outline a specific process, the staff member and committee can establish one that will best fit the individual situation. The first time around, you might conduct a hearing on a smaller scale.
Be sure to have the committee prepared for the experience as well as clearly defining the task of the presenter.
Adapted from Cooperative Extension Service information, Iowa State University, for Advisory Group Workshop (.10/82), Michigan State University, Cooperative Extension Service.
Defining Problem and Program
John Dewey, early in this century, introduced an alternative to the traditional practice of planning curricula and programs. He suggested that the basis for education be problem or needs centered rather than subject- matter oriented. The problem centered approach recognizes the learner as the focus. The problem centered approach recognizes the learner as the focus of the teaching- learning interaction. Subject- matter is used to meet the needs of the learner. We in Extension have adopted this concept in theory and usually in practice. This simply means that the learner and his/her needs are of primary importance in any teaching-learning interaction and appropriate subject matter is one tool to be used to help meet the needs.
If, in reality we have adapted the problem center approach to education, why do we have some difficulty recognizing the problem when examining plans of work and other documents explaining a staff member's program? Problem and program have sometimes been used synonymously. In actuality, the two terms are unique, yet closely related.
What is a problem? (Note: a problem may be positive or negative in nature)
-gap between what is and what should be
-a situation or condition which can be changed through
an educational effort.
-a set of conditions that prevent change from "what
is" to "what ought to be".
What is a program?
-logical sequence of learning experiences to assist
the learner to explore alternatives to be performed
in solving an identified problem.
-agreed upon priority needs, problems and interests
that fall within the scope of the Extension unit's
responsibilities together with the relevant
objectives to be accomplished during a designated
period of time.
-one or more activity(s) designed to meet the problem.
Community Problems
How might a committee identify community problems?
1. Read newspapers, magazines and other materials;
2. Use situational statements prepared by specialists;
3. Review current research;
4. Establish a community hearing so agencies and
organizations, as well as individuals have
opportunity to express concerns;
5. Study data about county situation;
6. Interview families about their educational
needs/interests;
7. Ask opinions of key leaders, elected officials and
agency personnel about family needs.
8. Identify criteria to evaluate problems and/or
needs.
Program Questions
What questions might aid a professional in determining a program after problems have been prioritized?
1. What educational purposes do we seek to attain?
a. Identify kind of behavior to be encouraged
b. Identify content
c. Consider idea that we are attempting to enable
the learner to attain a satisfying environment.
2. What learning experiences can be provided to attain
the identified purposes?
a. Consider the numerous alternatives and select
those that will have the greatest impact on the
learners.
3. How can the learning experiences be effectively
organized?
a. Consider continuity - What kind of opportunity
will exist for recurrence of the information ?
b. Consider sequence- How do you intend to
progressively develop knowledge, attitude,
and/or skills based on previous learning?
c. Consider integration- Which subject-matter from
the various disciplines will aid in dealing with
the problem?
Examples of Problems and Programs
So that we might learn to better distinguish between problems and programs, let's consider some examples.
Problem
High incidence of overweight among teenagers and family members
Program
Weight control shortcourse TV series on weight control Correspondence course on weight control
Problem
Families have limited skills in managing resources to meet family needs.
Program
Surviving a layoff Clothing choices for family members Insurance decisions Microwave appliance selection Estate planning Farm family development Designing an aesthetically satisfying home environment
Problem
Society has provided few opportunities for parents to explore their feelings regarding parenting, expand their knowledge base, and consider various skills needed to be an effective parent.
Program
Dual career parents Single parent newsletter Child care choices Teen parents Nutrition and the pre -schoolers Reaching young fathers with nutrition information
Problem
Families are confronted with an energy shortage coupled with rapidly increasing costs. They are seeking ways to manage energy consumption/cost while enjoying a satisfying level of living.
Program
Newsletter to identified audience Newspaper series Winterizing the home Television special Remodeling alternatives Housing care and maintenance Adjusting life-style
Adapted from Cooperative Extension Service information, Iowa State University for Advisory Group Workshop (12/82), Michigan State University, Cooperative Extension Service.