The "Man In Black"

WHAT?
When i first started Extension I had to go to several trainings. I drove all over Virginia. There was this one training that I went to in Staunton that I always remember because it gave me the first eye opener at evaluation. It was the Extension Programming Institute and I was selected to be a Participant Observer. I had NO CLUE what that was and all I was told was to participate in discussions, observe, and record what you see.

SO WHAT?
In a way, I felt sinister...similar to the Man In Black on L O S T; taking another form and having a hidden agenda. At any rate, I recorded my observations and submitted and was reveled to the entire training as "one of them". It went over well with a few grumblings, but what I got out of it was how important it was. Valuable information came from my observations and the two others which were participant observers which was used to strengthen the training in the future. It showed me, how important doing evaluations are and why it serves a purpose towards the betterment of the organization.

NOW WHAT?
That happened long ago, but it still makes me think about how important it is to evaluate programs. While this was only one example of evaluation, I have experienced and conducted several others for the goal of strengthening the program that I have. A prime explanation of what evaluations are can be explained through the 4-H motto - To Make The Best Better.