Extension is
Wiring Up
to Serve You
by Aimee Nielson
From Paducah to Pikeville, technology is making it possible for extension professionals and clientele to talk face-to-face from different locations, obtain almost instant identification of plants and insects, and much, much more.
Here are just a few of the ways extension is using technology:
Videoconferencing — All Kentucky county extension offices now have some type of high-speed Internet access. That means clientele across the state can enjoy the advantages of videoconferencing, technology that allows users at multiple sites to see and hear each other. The technology, which can be used for educational programs and for-credit courses, is not only convenient, it reduces travel time and costs. Six sites across the state have large scale installations that allow multi-person videoconferences. Users in other counties can take part in one-on-one videoconferences as long as they have a Web camera and the right hardware and software. 
Digital Consulting — Every extension office in Kentucky should soon have the opportunity to obtain a digital microscope and digital camera so plant diseases and insect pests can be identified quickly. Agents will be able to upload up to five images to a central Web site, enter information about the problem, and submit the client‘s questions. An extension specialist in Lexington, Princeton, or Quicksand will respond.
eXtension — the goal of the eXtension (pronounced "e-extension") initiative is to put in place a national Web-based information and education network for present and future extension clients. It will bring together the resources of the 74 land-grant universities in the United States. Currently, the College is working to incorporate its professional development resources into eXtension. Some other land-grant universities are doing the same, so extension agents will be able to take classes at their own pace from any computer.
CYFERNET (Children, Youth, and Families Education and Research Network)— The College has been one of the leaders in setting up this national Web site, where Web users can learn about more than 300 community programs for at-risk children, youth, parents, and families. They can also pull up related online publications from land-grant universities around the country. The site also offers children a cybercamp, where they can explore virtual caves, obtain ideas for craft projects, and learn about the ecosystem. You can log on to CYFERNET at http://www.cyfernet.org.
GPS and Young People — Nearly 700 kids in 4-H Youth Development programs in Adair and Green counties learned how to use Global Positioning System (GPS) technology in agriculture. The young people were taking part in pilot programs that may eventually be taught to 4-H'ers in other counties. They learned how to locate specific sites using GPS units and recorded soil and water data at the sites once they found them. Then they developed land management plans for any sites they located in fragile areas.
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