INTERNET MASTER PROGRAM EXPANDS INTO PHELPS COUNTY IN 1998

The subject matter is new. The program delivery method has a history of more than 75 years of success.

Since the early 1900's University Extension has had a history of success teaching early adapters and community innovators about farming practices and family living practices that would improve lives. In turn the early adapters and innovators tried the new methods and then turned around and taught their friends and neighbors about the new practices. Today the cutting edge subject matter is computer technology and the Internet.

The Internet Master concept was first piloted in Saline, Boone, Cooper and Pettis Counties in 1996 with the leadership and vision of Don Day, Maryann Redelfs and Cynthia Crawford, Central Missouri Regional Specialists. "Phelps County is the sixteenth county in the state to implement Internet Masters program, thanks to the enthusiastic leadership of Chris Beaugard, organizer of the program," explains program evaluator Cynthia Crawford.

Patterned after the Master Gardener program, Internet Masters attend a minimum of 30 hours of instruction on the Internet and facilitating community education. Internet Masters receive in-depth 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 Chris Beaugard.

Twenty-four people enrolled in the Phelps County class.

The program drew a diverse audience. Participant ages ranged from learners in their teens to 70's. Fifty-five percent were in their 40's and 50's. The class was evenly split between men and women.

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 in the Phelps County Internet Master class were able to do well with the curriculum.

Ninety-four percent of the Phelps County Internet Masters have a home computer. Sixty-six percent of the class members utilize a computer at work.

Prior to the Internet Master series of classes, learners reported a median of 4 hours per week on the Internet. During classes their use of the Internet tripled to 12.5 hours per week. They projected that they will continue to access the Internet 11 hours per week. The Internet Masters found the information from classes to be usable and applicable both immediately and long term.

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 .001 level, as well.

Internet Masters will fill out evaluations again at the conclusion of their 30 hours of volunteer community education. If the 1998 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.

Phelps County Internet Masters are enthusiastic about their participation.

*Internet masters enrolled to learn a variety of things, including spending time with others also learning about the Internet, gain confidence, WebPage design, sending and receiving e-mail, browsers, effective searches, evaluating information from the web, downloading, to volunteer my time after classes are over, ability to teach my students more, new tools to use, setting up a WebPage and html.

*It has been great - we have learned a lot and it has been fun!

*One thing this class does for you is make you take the time to learn and explore many areas that you wouldn't normally do.

*If a person were thinking about enrolling in the Internet Master program I would advise them to do it!

*It was a great class and I Really enjoyed it.

*The best money I've spent in a long time!

(Programmer: Chris Beaugard. Cynthia Crawford -evaluation and reporting.)

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