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Internet Master Evaluation Home Page | Saline County Extension Home Page |
Impact! Internet Masters 1996-1999 Section 1 - 13,300 Missouri citizens have been reached by Internet Masters through their community volunteer Internet efforts.Nearly 7,000 volunteer Internet education hours have been documented, reaching 8,500 adults and 5,000 youth.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. This document summarizes the impact of the program both for the citizens of Missouri and the Internet Masters. While this program is on-going both in Missouri and across the nation, this evaluation document focuses on classes conducted 1996 – 1998 and the impact of these classes through 1999. Internet Masters write, as an Internet Master I:
Internet Masters Go About Business Differently As a result of participating in the Internet Master Program, participants report:
Internet Master’s weekly hours utilizing the Internet increased after enrolling in the program. During the pilot programming from 1996-1998 Internet Masters’ median Internet use more than tripled from 2.9 hours per week prior to class to 9.4 hours per week during classes. Internet Masters projected that they would have a median of 8.9 hours per week utilizing the Internet after classes concluded. This suggests that the curriculum empowered the Internet Masters to be successful in utilizing the Internet immediately. A principle of successful adult education is that adult learners immediately find personal and/or professional application. Facilitating community education benefited the Internet Master. Knowledge and use of the Internet as well as confidence to facilitate community education had a statistically significant increase during classes. There was a second statistically significant increase in knowledge and use of the Internet and facilitating community education from the conclusion of class to the conclusion of volunteer education for the Internet Masters that at least met the standard of 30 hours of volunteer community education. As a result of participation in the Internet Master program, I:
Section 3 There were 499 Internet Masters trained in 20 classes
from 1996 – 1998. The age of Internet Masters ranged from five learners in their teens to 29 learners in their 70’s.
78% of Internet Masters have computer access at work. 25.8% had a high school diploma or less. 45% had an undergraduate degree while 29.2% had a graduate degree. People from all educational backgrounds did well with the Internet Master curriculum. Internet Masters are highly motivated. More than 93% rated themselves as average or above in motivation compared to classmates. Internet Master’s Locations by University Outreach and Extension Regions:
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4 Internet Masters Why University Outreach and Extension?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 adopters and community innovators about farming practices and family living practices that would improve lives. In turn the early adopters 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 developed by a committee of Saline County citizens, Don Day, Maryann Redelfs and Cynthia Crawford, Central Missouri Regional Specialists with the enthusiastic support of Mark Stillwell, Central Missouri Regional Director. Saline County Division of Employment Security Director Linda Dryer started the project with a phone call to the Saline County Extension Center, "I’m not sure I’m calling the right place, however I’m concerned that the Information Superhighway isn’t going to have exit ramps in rural Missouri unless we are assertive in getting access to the information. What can Extension do to get people working and learning together?" University Extension is well suited and well positioned in Missouri to address the acute need for community adult education on how to access and utilize the Internet. The demand, though, exceeds Extension’s resources. Creative delivery methods utilizing trained community volunteers can be effective in rapidly expanding the base of those educated in how to access the Internet and how to conduct community informal education. ------------------------------------ This report was prepared by Family and Consumer Economics Specialist Cynthia E. Crawford, Ph.D., with University Outreach and Extension and Project Associate Mark Belwood. Mark’s careful attention to detail, timely work and web site development was very much appreciated and was key to the success of this work. This project was supported in part by the University of Missouri Outreach and Extension Outreach Development Fund. For more details about the Internet Master program: Evaluation Methodology and Analysis: outreach.missouri.edu/saline/IMaster/ _______________________ Programming Development:
Additional Class Organizers and Instructors:
Internet Master Evaluation Project:
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