University Women In Agricultural And Extension Education: Committed To The Profession And Seeking Solutions To Challenges

The importance of valid and reliable data and its collection is fundamental to empirical research; however, there remain inconsistent approaches to creating robust scales capable of capturing both valid and reliable data, particularly within international agricultural and extension education contexts. Robust scale development consists of five areas for validation: content, response process, internal structure, external structure, and consequential. The purpose of this guide was to provide methodological recommendations to improve scale development rigor and adoption and to provide a set of functional principles to aid researchers and practitioners interested in capturing data through developed, or adapted, scales. Additionally, the information summarized provide a benchmark upon which to evaluate the rigor and validity of reported scale results. A consistent framework should provide a common lexicon upon which to examine scales and associated results. Proper scale development and validation will help ensure research findings accurately describe intended underlying concepts, particularly within an international agricultural and extension education context. Keywords: scale development, validity, quantitative analysis

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An Analysis of Evaluation Methods Implemented in Studies Published in the Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education from 1994 to 2018: A 25 Year Review

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education ◽

10.5191/jiaee.2018.25402 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 27-39

Author(s):

Theresa Pesl Murphrey ◽

Taniya J. Koswatta ◽

Kim E. Dooley ◽

Leslie D. Edgar

Keyword(s):

Mixed Method ◽

Evaluation Studies ◽

Evaluation Criteria ◽

Evaluation Methods ◽

Extension Education ◽

Critical Pathway ◽

The Past ◽

Evaluation Approach ◽

Agricultural And Extension Education ◽

Training Opportunities

Evaluation has been identified as a critical pathway to meet the grand challenges facing agriculture to feed the world. Understanding evaluation models and practices used in articles published in the Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education (JIAEE) allowed us to identify areas of focus, need, and improvement. This content analysis assessed JIAEE articles published from 1994 to 2018 for evaluation methods implemented according to characteristics outlined by Stufflebeam and Coryn (2014). This study initially identified 384 possible articles for consideration. Upon further assessment, 81 articles were identified as maintaining characteristics appropriate for review. Of these articles, the majority (70%) did not specifically identify an evaluation approach, even though 21% of all feature articles published over the past 25 years can be considered an evaluation. Few published evaluation articles specifically identified an evaluation approach; rather, the majority merely described the methods without using evaluation terminology, and the majority of the examined articles did not substantially cite evaluation literature (53%). Additionally, the majority of published evaluation articles were quantitative (56%). Researchers publishing in JIAEE should be assured that qualitative and mixed method evaluation studies are also acceptable. Evaluation studies focused on Stufflebeam and Coryn’s evaluation criteria of feasibility, safety, equity, and probity should be encouraged. Additionally, workshops or training opportunities to advance understanding in evaluation processes and procedures may be valuable.

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