A UC Davis researcher picks up part of that “digital ecosystem” concept by sharing a case study that leads him to conclude that Cooperative Extension professionals ought to strive for a “portfolio” approach in their use of technology. He also notes a critical role for Cooperative Extension in information curation, sharing that “ ... the job of the Cooperative Extension professional is not just to broadcast knowledge, but also coordinating and assembling the knowledge that is available throughout the network.” And a former Cooperative Extension IT professional writes about approaches we might consider for the digital transformation of our organizations, including this: “...your digital transformation is not about technology…”
It is our hope that these perspectives will inspire your thinking.
Reflection Questions:
Has COVID-19 changed your use of technology in your Cooperative Extension work? Do you think these changes will be lasting?
References:
Gallardo, R. (2020). Digital Divide Index. Purdue Center for Regional Development. http://pcrd.purdue.edu/ddi
Longley, R. (2019, May 14). What Is America's digital divide and who's still in it? https://www.thoughtco.com/the-digital-divide-introduction-4151809
Pew Research Center. (2019, June 12). Internet/Broadband Fact Sheet: 2000-2019. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/internet-broadband/
Schumacher, A., & Kent, N. (2020, April 2). 8 charts on internet use around the world as countries grapple with COVID-19. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/02/8-charts-on-internet-use-around-the- world-as-countries-grapple-with-covid-19/
15
Powered by FlippingBook