The Problem It is often difficult to know whether students use what they learn in workshops or classes in the real world. As a University of Wisconsin - Extension Community Development Educator, I am obligated to document both my students' learning outcomes as well as how they apply what they learned. For the last two years, I have administered Leadership Lincoln County, an eight month (9 session) course designed to help existing and emerging leaders develop effective leadership skills. Program goals are to: Expand knowledge about regional challenges, opportunities, markets, resources, culture, concerns and issues Offer a broad view of civic responsibility through direct contact with various institutions and leaders who influence and shape the larger community Create and encourage communication and relationship building among existing and emerging leaders Enhance participants’ abilities to assume leadership roles in both private and public organizations Help participants recognize and enhance the leadership skills they already possess Keeping the mission and goals of Leadership Lincoln County in mind, the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) research project outlined in the remaining sections of this snapshot is primarily designed to discern how students apply what they learned in the program in their organizations, in the community, in their personal lives, or in other ways. Summer 2008

Evidence of Student Learning & Methods of Analysis Research methods will include group interviews, one on one interviews, and program evaluations. Focus group discussions may also be used to help identify short - term changes in the way participants are approaching the responsibilities brought on by their new leadership activities. Qualitative data will be processed using a grounded theory approach. Briefly describe the evidence of student learning (data) you'll be gathering and what methodologies you'll be using to analyze that evidence and make meaning out of it (research design). Keep in mind that multiple types of evidence provides a richer picture of student learning and more effectively communicated findings. When possible, upload samples (your survey or focus group questions, your assignment prompt, your rubric, a link to the survey, etc; anonymous samples of student work) either by pasting them here or clicking the "edit links" button below to upload files or link to where they're already online. Fall 2008

Project Summary Between 20 and 30 Leadership Lincoln County graduates will be asked to answer the primary research question "How do Leadership Lincoln County program graduates transfer what they have learned during program seminars into action?" The only assumption that the researcher is making is that graduates in some way are using what they learned in the program in the real world. By asking this question, he hopes to discover specifically how and in what way they are applying their new found knowledge and skills. By answering this question, and by the researcher probing for more related information, it is expected that the project will also at least to a degree answer the following questions. What in the program (including curriculum) resonated with the participants? What program changes related to participant learning need to made to increase the chances that what is learned will be transferred to action? Does taking action on the leadership skills and concepts they learned during the program provide participants with a deeper understanding of those skills and concepts? Does a link exist between participating in the program and a participant's motivation to become more involved in leadership roles? (Does the program help to inspire this activity?) The researcher also expects that this short - term project will help lay the foundation for a more longitudinal study over a period of years documenting what meaningful/important organizational, community or personal changes took place as a result of Leadership Lincoln County participants' action? Ongoing

Annotated List of Helpful Resources & References Include as much bibliographical information as you can, and very briefly describe the purpose of each resource within your project. If you can provide links to these resources, great! Ongoing

Preliminary Results, Findings, Conclusions, & Implications Briefly describe some of your findings or conclusions. Briefly describe the implications of these findings for others (the "so what?"). What can others learn from your work? Spring 2009

Career Relevance & Impact As you work through the WTFS Program, note any observations about the relevance and impact of the Program on your career (conducting your SoTL project, participating in specific WTFS activities, working with UWS colleagues, etc.). This section is part of OPID's assessment of its signature faculty development Program, so it's very helpful to them. Ongoing