Organizational Goals and Objectives
Professional Development
Goal: Employees will achieve professional growth and success that will enhance their ability to provide quality, relevant outreach and education programs and services to the people of Texas.
Statement of Support: In order to effectively develop and implement educational programs, Texas Cooperative Extension must continue to build professional capacity and competencies of all employees.
Objective 1: Coordinate strategic and action plans to facilitate a competency-based systems approach to professional development in Extension.
|
Strategy |
Timeline/Measure(s) |
|
Facilitate ongoing deliberate discussions on professional development strategies and actions through the Professional Development Trust and other advisory leadership groups as relevant (i.e. Spirit and other task force groups,). |
2007–2012: Biannual meetings of the Professional Development Trust held either in person or through technology-assisted strategies and set forth annual actions plans for professional development. |
|
Ongoing review and refinement of the Texas Extension Competency Model in conjunction with Professional Development Trust, units, administration, district Extension administrators, county Extension directors, regional program directors, and selected faculty. |
2007: Develop a mechanism to connect competencies with performance review and career ladder domain areas.
2007–2012: Ongoing benchmarking review conducted with other agencies, organizations, and research.
2007–2012: Formal review and update or modification of model completed annually. |
|
Conduct assessment, analysis, and interpretation of competency-based professional development needs. |
2007: Assessment conducted and analysis provided to specialists and unit leaders.
2007–2012: Agency-wide assessment and analysis conducted as determined by Trust and Administrative Leaders. |
|
Refinement of professional development planning, reporting, and information retrieval with other agency systems. |
2007: Refine professional development planning and reporting with team responsible for continued development of Texas Extension Accountability System with attention to turn key individual development plans i.e. new employee plans.
2007–2012: Develop professional development information retrievals with team responsible for continued development of Texas Extension Accountability System.
2007–2012: Professional development refined in relation to program development model through ongoing review with regional program directors and program development specialist(s).
2007–2012: Professional development refined in relation to career development and performance through ongoing review with supervisors and any task force that may be charged with review of the career ladder and performance appraisal systems. |
Objective 2: Communicate the vision, mission, and actions plans related to professional development to encourage engagement and adoption by all Extension employees.
|
Strategy |
Timeline/Measure(s) |
|
Provide regular and consistent professional development updates and information regarding initiatives, results, impacts, etc. to key stakeholders and champions. This communication will include face-to-face presentations, distance presentations, and printed resources delivered electronically. |
2007–2012: Regular updates provided to Extension leadership, including SALT/ELC, DEAs/CEDs, RPDs, and ADHs/PLs.
2007–2012: Regular updates provided to specific employee groups including support staff, professionals, Extension agents, and specialists.
2007–2012: Annual Professional Development Report provided to all employees. |
|
Ongoing review and development Web resources related to professional development to take advantage of current technology and to support agency strategic positioning.
|
2007: Encourage and support as appropriate the development of electronic tools and process to support the ease of new employee identification for communication purposes and to foster communication to support partners such as mentors and supervisors.
2007–2008: Integration of professional development general web presence as appropriate with new content management system.
2007: Refinement of learning opportunities catalog and calendar to include an open information submission process and better search capabilities for employees looking for learning opportunities.
2007–2008: Integration of learning opportunities catalog with Texas Extension Accountability System for automated population of individual development task data.
2008–2009: Support and encourage development of online registration system that is integrated with learning opportunities catalog.
2007–2012: Viability of Web and other electronic resources (Web information sites and electronic tools such as graduate study request process) assessed and refined annually.
2007–2012: Quarterly updates and review of information resources conducted to ensure usability and accuracy of information. |
Objective 3: Provide needs-driven learning opportunities and curricula that foster professional growth and program success. This includes opportunities for both program and performance area competencies directed at core, intermediate, and advanced professional development needs.
|
Strategy |
Timeline/Measure(s) |
|
|
Associate directors, regional program directors, associate department heads and program leaders, and specialists will collaborate and partner to design, develop, and deliver subject-matter curricula relevant to program needs and development priorities. |
2007–2012: Extension Education, Extension Information Technology, and Agricultural Communications provide ongoing internal consultation to specialists on curriculum and instructional design. |
|
|
Associate department heads and/or training coordinators/specialists for Extension Education, Ag Program Human Resources, Extension Information Technology, and Agricultural Communications, and district Extension administrators will collaborate and develop a coordinated approach to providing learning opportunities and resources for professional development related to priority performance competencies (nonsubject matter). |
2007-2012: Needs and plans revisited and updated in the spring every year with input from Trust and Administrative Leadership.
2007-2012: Curricula developed to support needs and priorities for performance competencies as determined by Trust and Administrative Leadership.
Priorities for 2007 include: a) Technology assisted Learning/Distance Education b) Life Balance c) Working effectively with others and team building d) Cash Management e) Diversity and Creating an Embracing Work Environment f) New Employee Onboarding Topics specifically for use in NEATO |
|
|
Deliver professional development programs on performance competencies using technology. |
2007: Sessions offered weekly through Friday Online.
2007: Distance delivery tool and impact of Friday Online evaluated. Action plans set forth for 2007–2012 based on evaluation data.
2007–2012: Ongoing as requested and needed. Support will be focused on curriculum priorities set each year (see above). |
|
|
Deliver professional development programs on performance competencies face-to-face as requested and scheduled by regions and districts and other groups such as support staff. |
2007–2012: Ongoing as requested by regions and districts. Support will be focused on curriculum priorities set each year (see above). |
|
|
Executive associate director, County Programs Office, Ag Program Human Resources, and Extension Education will continue to facilitate a coordinated approach to support of employees pursuing degrees and career development in general. |
2007–2012: Ongoing evaluation made of procedures and practices related to policies that support employees pursuing degrees (study and training, study leave, professional improvement leave, scholarships, etc.).
2007–2008: Ongoing support to career development through learning opportunities and discussions particularly with new employees and early career personnel. |
|
Objective 4: Provide needs-driven approach to onboarding of new employees.
|
Strategy |
Timeline/Measure(s) |
|
Executive associate director, County Programs Office, Ag Program Human Resources, Extension Education, and Extension Information Technology will continue to facilitate a coordinated approach to new employee onboarding and development. |
2007– 2012: Plans for onboarding will be reviewed and updated each year with input and guidance from the Professional Development Trust and Administrative Leadership. |
|
Extension Education will develop, conduct, and evaluate New Employee Orientation (NEO) Conferences. |
2007–2012: Conferences conducted in fall and spring of each year with adjustments made based on evaluation input and organizational priorities. |
|
Extension Education will develop, conduct, and evaluate New Faculty Online Sessions. |
2007–2012: Five sessions to be offered for fall NEO participants and again for spring NEO participants. The topics offered will be based on input from Trust and Administrative Leadership and based on resources available or not available through other learning opportunities. |
|
County Programs, Regional Teams, and Extension Education will develop, conduct, and evaluate New Extension Agent Training and Orientation (NEATO). |
2007-2112: Ongoing tracking and evaluation of NEATO Programs. 2007–2008: Attend and evaluate regional NEATO programs for making recommendations on programmatic layouts especially in light of First Steps.
2007–2008: Develop library of resource materials for use in NEATO Programs including template agenda, evaluation and curriculum. |
|
County Programs and Extension Education will develop, implement, and evaluate a mentoring program for new employees. |
2007–2012: Mentoring training for both new mentors and updates to previously trained mentors coordinated annually and conducted as needed, based on hiring trends.
2007–2012: Ongoing tracking and evaluation of mentor relationships.
2007: Develop electronic tool for communication, tracking, and evaluation of mentoring relationships.
2007–2008: Continue to monitor mentoring for modifications that may be appropriate or necessary with implementation of First Steps Program.
2007–2012: Ongoing encouragement and support for co-workers as coaches to new employees. |
Table of Contents
Index of Organizational Goals and Objectives
________________________________
Contact:
Director
Texas Cooperative Extension
112 Jack K. Williams Administration Building
7101 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-7101
Ph: 979-845-7967
Fax: 979-845-9542
September 2007