INTERNET MASTER PROGRAM EXPANDED IN PETTIS COUNTY IN 1997

In 1996, Pettis County was one of the first four counties in Missouri to offer the Internet Master program. As part of the learning experience class graduates were challenged to do a minimum of 30 hours of volunteer community education. The Pettis County Internet Masters took on the challenge of expanding and offering the program again in 1997. This is the first time that volunteers have managed all aspects of the programming. As Internet Masters from the 1996 class, Betty Lorton, Connie Mefford and Beverly Pfeiffer were involved in the programming along with other volunteers. Twenty enrolled in the Internet Master class held in Sedalia during the spring of 1997.

In addition to the 10 Internet Master sessions, the 1996 Internet Master volunteers chose to have three additional classes on computer basics prior to the regular Internet Master curriculum. The first three classes were optional and helped to build computer confidence for the Internet Master series.

Consistent with the Internet Master program that is growing quickly to be statewide in Missouri, Internet Masters receive a minimum of 30 hours of instruction on Internet service providers, E-mail, searching the World Wide Web, downloading files, creating a web page, using browser programs, virus protection, evaluating information from the World Wide Web and tapping into individual teaching and learning strengths. Following classes, the Internet Masters are to do a minimum of 30 hours of volunteer community education about the Internet within a year of completing the program.

During the same time period as the 1997 Pettis County classes, Internet Master classes were taught by University Extension faculty in Audrain and Cole counties. There was not a statistically significant difference in the Pettis County class for increasing knowledge and use of the Internet and confidence to facilitate community education as compared to the other two counties.

The Internet Master classes in the Central Missouri Extension region draw a diverse audience. Participant ages range from 20's to 70's, with the greatest number being in their 40's. About half of the participants have an undergraduate degree, 20% have a high school diploma or equivalency, and about 1/3 have advanced college work. Women make up 58% of those enrolled. Statistical analysis reveals that there is no statistically significant difference in increase in knowledge and use of the Internet and increase in facilitating community education for age, education or gender. Both men and women, people of all ages and educational background are able to do well with the curriculum.

Motivation is a statistically significant factor among Internet Masters. Those ranking themselves below average in motivation to learn about the Internet do not do as well as those that are highly motivated to learn about the Internet. "Interestingly enough," chuckles Cynthia Crawford, Extension specialists with evaluation responsibilities for the Internet Master program, "nearly all our learner's are average or above in their self ratings. People that tend to enroll in the program are early adapters of technology with much enthusiasm for learning about computers and their uses."

Ninety percent of the 1997 Internet Masters have a home computer. Three-fourths of them utilize a computer at work.

Prior to the Internet Master series of classes, learners reported a median of 3 hours per week on the Internet. During classes their use of the Internet more than tripled, to 10.5 hours per week. They projected that they will continue to access the Internet 10 hours per week. This is nearly an increase of one work day per week.

Is the curriculum effective? In a word, yes. A repeated measures design was used to compare the Internet Master's knowledge and use of the Internet at the beginning of class one and at the conclusion of class 10. There was a statistically significant difference in knowledge and use of the Internet at the .0001 level.

In addition, the repeated measures design was utilized to compare the Internet Master's confidence in facilitating community education from the beginning of class 1 to the conclusion of class 10. There was a statistically significant difference in confidence to facilitating community education about the Internet at the .0001 level, as well.

Internet Masters will fill out evaluations again at the conclusion of their 30 hours of volunteer community education. If the 1997 Internet Masters are consistent with the 172 that graduated from the program in 1996, they will find that their knowledge and use of the Internet and their confidence to facilitate community education will be further boosted by their volunteer hours.

(Programmers: Don Day, Maryann Redelfs, Connie Mefford, Betty Lorton, Beverly Pfeiffer, Cynthia Crawford - evaluation and reporting)

University Outreach and Extension does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran in employment or programs.