February 8, 2008

Topics in today's issue of Extension Update:

• GRANATSTEIN RECEIVES 2007-08 SAHLIN AWARD
• REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR WESTSIDE ANR DAYS
• WSU HORIZONS UPDATE
• SARE “TRAVELSHIPS” AVAILABLE
• ENERGY IN-SERVICE TRAINING AVAILABLE
• WESTERN EXTENSON DIRECTORS AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE – NOMINATIONS DUE MARCH 1st
• WSU ALERT – EMERGENCY MESSAGING SYSTEM
• NEW PERSPECTIVES COLUMN
• eXtension – READY, SET, LAUNCH
• WASHINGTON AGRICULTURE PARTNERS WITH INDUSTRY
• PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – OPPORTUNITIES FROM eXtension
• REMINDER -- KARL HOBSON MEMORIAL FUND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD
• OSU FOOD PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT SHORT COURSE
• PERSONNEL
• SCHEDULE

GRANATSTEIN RECEIVES 2007-08 SAHLIN AWARD
David M. Granatstein, area extension educator and sustainable agriculture specialist at the Tree Fruit Research Extension Center in Wenatchee, has received the 2007-08 Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award for Outreach and Engagement. This award is one of five faculty awards awarded at WSU. The full story appeared in WSU Today February 1st.. The other four awards are:

• Gregory W. Yasinitsky, Marian E. Smith Faculty Achievement Award and Distinguished Faculty Address honoree
• Kathy A. Beerman, Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award for Instruction, professor of food science and human nutrition
• Guy H. Palmer, Sahlin Faculty Excellence Awards for Research, Scholarship and Arts, Regents professor in Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology
• Kenneth A. Struckmeyer, Sahlin Faculty Excellence Awards for Leadership, associate professor of horticulture and landscape architecture

Extension’s nominee and recipient, David Granatstein began his career at WSU Extension in 1993, when he became the first full-time faculty member attached to the newly formed Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources. His vision and work are helping move sustainability out of the realm of argument and into constructive dialogue and application. His program of applied research and outreach has focused on three main themes: building bridges to environmental stewardship, improving soil and water quality, and advancing organic agriculture in Washington. He has created vital networks among farmers, the environmental community, consumers and policy makers. In the process, he has become an internationally recognized expert on sustainable agriculture and organic farming.  

The Distinguished Faculty Address luncheon and the Celebrating Excellence recognition banquet is March 28th. Reservations may be made between February 13 and March 19 online www.showcase.wsu.edu. Congratulations, to David and all the recipients!

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR WESTSIDE ANR DAYS
The registration is now open for the Westside Ag and Natural Resources (ANR) Days.  This program will be held at WSU Puyallup on February 26 and 27.  Travel will be covered by your respective district.  Please complete a TA and send to your district director. Please carpool whenever possible to reduce costs.  This program is being funded by the Northwest District, Southwest District, and WSU Puyallup Research and Extension Center. 

This year's registration is being conducted online using the WSU Online Registration system.   To register, go to the following link:  https://ocrs.wsu.edu/Signup/?eventid=390
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on either:  "login" or "create new account".  If you have never registered for an event through this online registration system, you will need to create a new account.  The information you enter will be carried through to later pages on your registration.  If you have registered for an event through this system before, enter the email address and password you used previously.  You have limited choices for the registration (Day 1, Poster Session, Day 2).  Only click the Poster Session if you are planning on displaying a poster.  Do not choose this selection if you are only planning to attend the Poster Session.  That opportunity will be available for all attendees.
The "close to final" final agenda and other conference details can be found at:
http://anrdays.wsu.edu/.  If you interested in inviting a county partner, please feel free to do so.  A sample partner invitation letter can be found at http://anrdays.wsu.edu/.  There is no cost for them to attend but they will need to register for the conference.  Please feel free to modify the letter as you desire.

WSU HORIZONS UPDATE
This update is to share the many great things happening across the state in the 22 Horizons communities.

Horizons is an 18-month community based leadership program funded by the NW Area Foundation to address poverty, economic decline and demographic changes in rural communities.  It has been such a pleasure to work with these 22 towns as well as so many of you involved in the program.  There are some amazing stories out there and you are encouraged to check out this recent update on Horizons at www.horizons.wsu.edu.  In Extension we are constantly evaluating our programs and Horizons is no exception. For the Horizons program we are doing pre and post surveys around major workshops, panel study interviews and now.... we are having each community blog!  These blogs allow them to do their own storytelling which is providing us with some amazing qualitative data. Check out these blogs at: http://horizonspr.blogspot.com
This site above will bring you to our main Washington page, but please click on the community names to the right and read about the many great things happening out there.

SARE “TRAVELSHIPS” AVAILABLE
In order to increase collaboration between sustainable agriculture and community development, the Western Rural Development Center
(http://extension.usu.edu/wrdc) is awarding five "travelships" (travel
scholarships) to the national Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) meeting in Kansas City on March 25-27.  Each travelship is valued at $750 and is available to community development and extension educators in the region. 

There will be an obligation for those who receive these travelships:
1. to participate in a conference call prior to the SARE conference to discuss strategies to maximize the benefit of participation; 2. to write a report of the actions you plan as a result of what you learned and who you met at the meetings which will be shared within the region; and 3. to participate in a final phone conference to discuss progress on those actions and suggestions for further regional activities to foster stronger partnerships.

APPLICATIONS MUST INCLUDE:
1. Name
2. Organization/University
3. Current position
4. Potential of more fully integrating community development with sustainable agriculture in their work.
5. A letter supporting your attendance and program integration from your supervisor or state program leader.

Please send applications to my e-mail address johna@ext.usu.edu and a copy to Betsy Newman at betsy.newman@usu.edu.  APPLICATIONS DUE: February 22, 2008

ENERGY IN-SERVICE TRAINING AVAILABLE
After overwhelming positive response to Hans Kok’s EERE quick questionnaire on renewable energy interests, the following in-service training for Washington and Idaho county extension faculty are scheduled. A half-day training with Dave Sjoding (WSU Extension Energy), Stephen Guy (UI), Jeff Brooks (ID Office of Energy Resources), Hans Kok on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. We will focus on resources available to Extension.

• February 26, afternoon, Moscow. This is before the Oilseed Conference on the 27th.
• March 4, afternoon, Idaho Falls. This is before the Direct Seed Meeting on the 5th.
• March 6, afternoon, Boise area, TBA

This in-service is open to all UI and WSU Extension faculty.  There are limited funds to help out with travel cost for some participants.  Please contact Hans Kok with questions and RVSPs, hanskok@wsu.edu or 208-885-5971.  For planning purposes, please RSVP at least one week before the workshops.

WESTERN EXTENSON DIRECTORS AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE – NOMINATIONS DUE MARCH 1st
This is a reminder that the Western Extension Directors Awards of Excellence nominations are dune March 1st.  Please take the time to nominate your program for the Western Extension Directors Award of Excellence.   The WSU Extension educators have been very successful in having their programs recognized in previous years this award has been in place.  You can add your name and excellent programs to the list. The Award of Excellence includes a monetary stipend to support the program, and winners will be asked to present this July at the Western Extension Directors' meeting in Fairbanks, AK.  For complete application information see Extension Update (January 11, 2008)

WSU ALERT – EMERGENCY MESSAGING SYSTEM
“This a WSU Alert emergency message…” When classes were canceled last week (Jan. 31 and Feb. 1), most faculty staff and students received an e-mail, text message or phone call --- or two, or three --- starting off with these words and notifying them that classes had been canceled.

In the end, approximately 75 percent of the people who were registered with the WSU Alert system received a message. Many got it more than once, because they did not “confirm” that they had received it. Failure to confirm reception of an emergency notification triggers the system to either call back at a later time, or to try to make contact via another designated method. For the complete story see WSU Today online http://www.wsutoday.wsu.edu/pages/publications.asp?Action=Detail&PublicationID=4793&TypeID=1

NEW PERSPECTIVES COLUMN
In a new Perspectives column, President Elson S. Floyd discusses his decision last week to close the Pullman campus as a result of the heavy snow. You can read the column at http://president.wsu.edu/perspectives/

eXtension – READY, SET, LAUNCH
Extension professionals at Washington State University and other land grant universities have long been aware of the site eXtension.org and, starting February 21st with a virtual ribbon cutting event presided by the Secretary of Agriculture, the rest of the nation will be hearing more about it too, as eXtension formally celebrates its launch. WSU Extension offices are encouraged to plan their own celebration of the launch.

You can watch the virtual ribbon cutting ceremonies two ways ---first is to access through a linked video stream. Coordinates will be sent closer to launch date. Another option is view the celebrate the launch of eXtension with colleagues from across the country...and people from all over the world... at the eXtension Virtual State Fair in the 3-D online community Second Life!  Information on how to access the Second Life site is located on the WSU Extension Professional Development website http://ext.wsu.edu/pd

WSU Extension offices can join in the launch celebration by adding a mention of the event on their web pages. The local web manager can add a link to the eXtension website. The web manager at each of these sites will be receiving instructions and graphics as we get closer to the launch date.
Ninety-one of WSU Extension’s faculty and staff have taken the first step and signed up to be part of eXtension by securing an eXtension ID.  If you haven't yet you can easy sign up here: people.eXtension.org/account/signup.

The goal of eXtension is to have all 15,000 or so extension employees in the United States to have eXtension IDs. If you are ready to go beyond signing up for an ID, continue reading to find out more about eXtension and what it has to offer.
Here are some websites that may help all WSU Extension Faculty and Staff start thinking about eXtension and their involvement: You may also want to use some of these links in advertising the eXtension national launch on February 21st.

eXtension.org - the public face of eXtension.
What is eXtension? (a flash presentation)
people.extension.org - if you haven't created an eXtension login ID, you can do it here. If you have created an ID, you can update your profile here.
Fellow WSU Extension Colleagues with an eXtension ID - a list of WSU Extension faculty and staff who have eXtension IDs. Note: there are over 90 as of February 1st, 2008.
about.extension.org - informational site for eXtension users.
Professional Development Opportunities - click here to join in online training events, or to view past training events
cop.eXtension.org - where established Communities of Practice collaborate, and where you can find out about CoPs. Take a look at the list of existing CoPs and see if there is one you can join.
How to join a CoP - steps to take to join an existing Community of Practice (login required). There are currently 12 CoP; with new communities forming every month.
faq.eXtension.org - a place to submit answers to questions you are frequently asked. This becomes a resource for other Extension educators. You can also use this site for help with questions.
collaborate.extension.org - a place where you can collaborate with other extension professionals - including ad hoc groups.
lists.extension.org - a place where you can see available mailing lists and join them. Suggestion - join the Learn mailing list - you will be notified of professional development opportunities.
calendar.eXtension.org - a place to submit events – national exposure for your local program!
news.eXtension.org - eXtension news
search.eXtension.org – searches all of the Cooperative Extension sites in the nation

Are you thinking of joining or starting a Community of Practice (CoP) around your area of expertise? Please ask! Chris and Randy can give you advice on what to expect and their experiences with the CoP.
Chris Koehler – Grey’s Harbor County – Member in the Extension Financial Security CoP
Randy DeMars – Learning Center – Member in the Diversity CoP. Randy shared these easy steps on how to join a Community of Practice.

Want to join a CoP at eXtension?
Here are the steps.

1. Log onto http://about.extension.org/
2. If you do not currently have an eXtension ID and Password, follow the directions to create one found on this page.
3. Once you have a user name and password you are ready to explore the communities of practice site. From the web page above, click on TOOLS.
4. Scroll down to the following and click on it:
   Communities of Practice Wiki
   eXtension ID required
   cop.extension.org : Members create content for the public site eXtension.org.
5. Once at this location, log in using your new ID and Password.  Click on Community Portal.
6. Get involved by navigating to a CoP of interest and indicate your willingness to participate on the Team Members page. View a list of all Communities of Practice from the category list of CoP Wiki Home Pages  

WASHINGTON AGRICULTURE PARTNERS WITH INDUSTRY
WSU will join forces with Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center at Prosser to highlight the breadth, depth and quality of all aspects of Washington agriculture. Dan Bernardo, dean of the WSU College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences, announced formalization of the partnership at the annual meeting of the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers. For the complete story see WSU Today online http://www.wsutoday.wsu.edu/pages/publications.asp?Action=Detail&PublicationID=4798&TypeID=1

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – OPPORTUNITIES FROM eXtension
eXtension's professional development opportunities are open to all Extension faculty, staff and employees. No pre-registration. Please share this announcement with others and encourage them to pick a topic and try it out! We have a variety of 30 Minute sessions as well as other educational opportunities for Moodle, Second Life, and the eXtension Launch.

30 MINUTE SESSIONS

This month we are offering "30 Minute Sessions" on a several topics including the use of Open ID, and wiki basic skills. Give us 30 minutes and we'll teach you something useful! These sessions will be held at our Web Conferencing Center at http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/learn and your telephone. Plan to join the session 5 minutes before the starting time. Each session will be held at Noon Pacific Timeunless otherwise noted.

* February 6 at 12:00 PM, a "30 Minute Session" on MediaWiki Bare Essentials by Beth Raney. We'll cover the basics you need to get started working in a wiki. Whether you're part of a Community of Practice, helping to copy-edit articles in CoP wiki, or working in Collaborate wiki, join us so you can get started! (for all Extension)

* February 12 at 12:00 PM, a "30 Minute Session" on OpenID by Kevin Gamble. Are you tired of creating a new account on every web site you visit? Do you not sign-up for new sites because they require you to create yet another account? Do you go to sites and can't remember your login, password, or both? OpenID is a new technology that aims to solve these problems. Everyone with an Extension ID already has an OpenID. Come to this session to learn how it works, and about the growing list of Web sites where it can be used. Once you go OpenID you'll never want to go back... (for all Extension)

* February 19 at 12:00 PM, a "30 Minute Session" on Using Google Webmaster Tools by Brian Webster, Iowa State Extension, in conjunction by ACE IT SIG. Google Webmaster Tools is a system where you can get information about how Google sees your site and troubleshoot potential problems. This presentation will show you how to configure your site to use the tools. It will also show what information Google Tools will tell you about your site. (for all Extension)

* February 26 at 12:00 PM, a "30 Minute Session" on Google Presentation by Kevin Gamble. Google Presentation is a new tool introduced in September for the collaborative development of slide shows. It is cut from the same cloth as Google Docs and Google Spreadsheets and shows great promise as a new collaboration technology. Participants will be given an introduction to the tool's use, discuss its advantages and disadvantages, and see how this tool can be used to facilitate online learning. The session will include a demonstration of several recent enhancements to the Google Presentation system. (for all Extension)

Watch real life video of the eXtension ribbon cutting ceremony streamed into Second Life from the USDA Ag Outlook Forum in Washington DC. Visit the Expo Tent spotlighting 16 Communities of Practice. Take a virtual horseback ride, tour the animal barns, try out the bumper cars…and the virtual cotton candy is calorie-free! Fireworks, games and live music performances will be scheduled throughout the three day celebration, on February 21, 22 and 23, 2008

For more information and a schedule of events, go to: http://about.extension.org/wiki/eXtension_Launch_Celebration_Announcement

Second Life Avatar Orientation: To visit Second Life, you must first sign up for a free account at www.secondlife.com, and create your personal avatar. Second Life can be a confusing place, so eXtension is offering orientation for new avatars two times a week, Mondays and Thursdays from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM PT. Just bring your new avatar to the eXtension building on Eduisland, and Second Life resident "Thynka Little" will be there to answer your questions, or you can send your questions via email to luann.phillips@extension.org.

In-MoodleMeets: Feb 4's topic is Using the Moodle Glossary; Feb 18's is on Usability - Teaching to different learning styles & preferences.

Held the first and third Mondays of every month from 2-3:30pm ET (1pm CT; 12Nn MT; 11am PT), in the chat of the Moodle 101 course. Enter as a guest.  During the In-MoodleMeet, get together in Moodle text chat to share stories, ideas and provide support for Moodle. To join go to http://courses.extension.org/mod/chat/view.php?id=96. Past chats are also available from the "View past chat sessions" link from within the chat. To get a course shell to begin developing in or get more information about Moodle email moodlehelp@extension.org. The recording of last month's 30 Minute Session on Moodle is at http://about.extension.org/wiki... search on Recordings.

Second Life Round-Table: Feb 8 We will meet using Web conferencing, at http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/Learn at 12 PM Pacific Time (PT). Please add discussion to the Collaborate wiki at http://tinyurl.com/ytsp2s

Second Life Meet-ups: Feb 15 at 11:30 AM PT join us to get some free clothing, and  to learn about enhancing your appearance. Feb 22 come anytime to enjoy the festive atmosphere on Morrill Island during the eXtension Launch event.

Twice a month CES Second Life educators meet in-world to learn new skills and visit interesting educational builds. The learning part of the meet-ups are led by fellow participants, and are designed to be lightweight and appropriate for all skill levels. Meet at in Second Life on Morrill Island at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Morrill/165/136/29.

ADD these dates & topics to your calendar, and plan to join us on for one or more of these sessions in February!!

TO PARTICIPATE in any of the sessions held in our Web Conferencing Center...
1. Five minutes before the start time, go to our Web Conferencing Center meeting room at http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/learn.

2. You will be presented with a login screen that has an "Enter as Guest" option.

3. Enter your first name, your last name, and your institution/university, then click the "Enter Room" button to join the conference.

4. To hear the audio of the workshop and participate in the Q&A portion of the workshop we will be using a built-in teleconferencing capability of Adobe's Connect Pro conferencing software. Once you log into the meeting you will be presented with the option to enter your call-back number, your phone will automatically be called. After entering your number you will be automatically called and joined into the audio portion of the Web conference on your phone.

Looking forward to having you join us to learn something new in February!!

REMINDER -- KARL HOBSON MEMORIAL FUND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD
The deadline for applying for the 2008 Award is March 1, 2008.
Submit plan applications to brigitta@wsu.edu no later than March 1, 2008

OSU FOOD PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT SHORT COURSE
Oregon State University (OSU) Department of Food Science & Technology Extension Service proudly announces the following educational opportunity. Please forward this information to anyone who may be interested in this course.

Title: Food Product Development Short Course
Date: March 10-12, 2008
Time: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Location: Food Innovation Center (FIC), 1207 NW Naito Parkway, Portland, OR 97209.  For directions to FIC: http://fic.oregonstate.edu/directions.php

Registration Fee: Early - $485 if registered BY March 3, 2008; Late - $550 if registered AFTER March 3, 2008.  You may register online at
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/foodsci/extservices/foodprod_dvlpmntSC_regform.htm

This short course provides attendees a “throughout” exercise in food product development with emphasis on the technical aspects of product development. Participants will work from product concepts to processing in a pilot plant; from product ideal (based on provided raw materials), formulation, equipment, processing procedures, packaging design and labeling to hands-on pilot plant processing and quality analysis of the final products.

PERSONNEL
New Hires:

Amelia G. Gomez, Extension Coordinator, Franklin County
Effective January 8, 2008, 100% Extension Grant, AP

Marisol Stevens, Extension Coordinator, Franklin County
Effective January 8, 2008, 100% Extension Grant, AP

Pamela Watson, Interim County Extension Educator, Lewis County
Effective January 2, 2008, 100% Extension Grant, Faculty

Andrew T. Corbin, County Extension Educator, Commercial Ag, Snohomish County
Effective August 1, 2008, 100% Extension, Faculty

Separations:

SCHEDULE
Next week Linda and John will both be in Pullman all week.

Linda Kirk Fox, PhD
Dean and Director
Washington State University Extension
411 Hulbert Hall, PO Box 646248
Pullman, WA 99164-6248
509-335-2933 Office
509-335-9223 Desk/Voicemail
509-335-2926 FAX
lkfox@wsu.edu
ext.wsu.edu

WSU Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.