The Impacts of a Civic Engagement Cohort Program for Water Quality Professionals
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The Impacts of a Civic Engagement Cohort Program for Water Quality Professionals
Published Date
2018-08
Publisher
Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education
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Article
Abstract
In this article, researchers report the impact study results of University of Minnesota Extension’s
civic engagement for water quality cohort program. The cohort curriculum highlights Extension’s researchinformed,
five-stage civic engagement model emphasizing process design and process management.
Using a non-random comparison group design, a survey was conducted with participants of three civic
engagement cohorts for water quality professionals, as well as a comparison group of water quality
professionals not part of a cohort. Survey results were aggregated into the five stages of Extension’s civic
engagement process: prepare, inquire, analyze, synthesize, and act together. Findings indicated cohort
participants experienced significantly better results than members of the comparison group in four of the five
stages. A strength of Extension’s civic engagement model and curriculum is its emphasis on the collective
nature and processual aspects of civic engagement work. Cohort participants received training on civic
engagement skills, which are not often emphasized in education for water quality professionals. While both
groups reported a high frequency of increased civic engagement skills, cohort participants did not report
more frequent collaboration or public engagement behaviors than comparison group members. A challenge
for those training water quality professionals is instilling the value of civic engagement skills in addition to
the more traditional technical skill sets associated with water quality work. Additionally, ongoing training
and organizational support is needed for practitioners to effectively implement new skills and leverage new
networks.
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Kallestad, Elizabeth; Chazdon, Scott; Bohn, Hannah. (2018). The Impacts of a Civic Engagement Cohort Program for Water Quality Professionals. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/198607.
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