INTERNET MASTER PROGRAM HAS THIRD SERIES OF CLASSES IN PETTIS COUNTY - FALL 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. Volunteers taught a series of classes in the spring and challenged the class graduates to reteach the series in the fall of 1997. Pettis County has the only program where volunteers choose to manage 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. An additional 12 enrolled in the fall classes. This report will focus on the initial impact of the fall classes.

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. "When we use the words Internet Master, we're talking about developing a mastery of the Internet. This is not just a quick, introductory learning experience," explains Beverly Pfeiffer, Sedalia based Extension Specialist working closely with the fall classes.

The Internet Master classes in the fall Pettis County class drew a diverse audience. Participant ages range from 30's to 60's, with the greatest number being in their 30's and 40's. Nearly one half of the participants have an undergraduate degree, 22% have a high school diploma or equivalency, 33% have a master's degree or more advanced college work. Men make up 55% 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.

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

Prior to the Internet Master series of classes, learners reported a median of 1.25 hours per week on the Internet. During classes their use of the Internet more than tripled, to 4.5 hours per week. They projected that they will continue to access the Internet 4.75 hours 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 .001 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 .04 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.

The fall Internet Masters were complementary of their learning experiences:

*There were many highlights for the participants, including web pages, searching the Internet, courteous and very helpful instructors, meeting people, list servs, HTML, and down loading.

*There was something new every week.

*If someone were interested in enrolling in the Internet Master program, I would say go for it. Take the class - it is helpful.

(Programmers: Beverly Pfeiffer, Don Day, 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.