addition, this model relies on the concepts of shared learning and shared expertise as well as ongoing two- way communication consistent with faculty serving in the role of action researcher, public scholar, and educational organizer as defined by Peters, Alter, & Schwartzbach (2010). Finally, the educational approaches associated with this role are those of facilitation and transformative education (Franz & Townson, 2008).
2.2 Expert Model
Definition: The expert model of program delivery in Cooperative Extension emphasizes a one-way flow of information, although interaction with clientele exists in the form of discussion, questions and feedback. The university, through Extension, serves as the expert. In this role, Extension provides guidance and information and responds to questions. Expertise provided by the university is research-based, and the providers of expertise are carefully vetted representatives of the university. The community may be involved in the identification of program needs. Program planning, implementation and evaluation are internal activities of Extension. Other terms used to refer to this model are outreach, a bucket-filler approach, and top-down programming (Vines, 2018, Results and Conclusions, para 1).
The conceptual framework developed for this model (Vines, 2018) is based on the diffusion of innovations (Rogers, 1995). The faculty role which connects most closely with the expert model is that of the service intellectual (Peters, Alter, & Schwartzbach). The educational approaches consistent with this work are service and content transmission (Franz & Townson, 2008). In Extension organizations, there is often a mix of engaged and expert program delivery models occurring simultaneously which is referred to as a hybrid model. This model seems very appropriate for the work of a modern Extension system where faculty use different forms of expertise and educational approaches depending on the situation being addressed. A definition of the hybrid model was developed based on the data collected through the surveys with the agents. It is as follows:
2.3 Hybrid Model
Definition: The hybrid model of program delivery in Cooperative Extension is used to involve clientele in the delivery of programming that meets local needs. The model emphasizes shared expertise that comes from the university, stakeholder organizations, and individual stakeholders. Stakeholders are also considered to be partners. Partners are involved in multiple aspects of programming, and their role may vary based on location. There is emphasis on continual interaction between Extension and the community throughout the programming process. In this model, the university provides state interest teams, data on trends and research while the local community is responsible for application. The community is defined by interest rather than geography. In this model, an expert approach may be used initially to increase community awareness in a subsequent, more engaged programming approach (Vines, 2018, Results and Conclusions, para 2).
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