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The University of Missouri Extension needed to develop an annual program review process that collaboratively engaged county-level stakeholders. The results from the first 2 years highlight the results, challenges, and implications of the design process. The annual review process needs to be adaptive, responsive, and reflective from year to year when engaging with local stakeholders. For example, the 2012 program review process changed from the prior year to focus on participant mind mapping to better engaged stakeholders and to produces more detailed data. The process has ensured more engagement with local stakeholders and generated information helpful to regional faculty members.

This qualitative study explored the nature of organizational learning and the role of regional directors (RDs) and program directors (PDs) as mid-level leaders in fostering organizational learning in one cooperative extension organization. In-depth interviews were conducted with top leaders, middle leaders, campus and regional faculty, and state extension council members. Key findings included organizational learning occurring simultaneously in four dimensions and identification of characteristics of transformative learning. RDs and PDs acted as knowledge activists in their functions as designers, enablers, evaluators, and bridges to foster organizational learning. Critical to organizational learning were relationship building, trust, communication, the process for engaging people in collaborative learning and dialogue as a means for creating a culture of care and the space for learning, and collaboration among RDs and PDs. Barriers to organizational learning involved organizational culture and structure, leader behavior, and the lack of a robust system for accessing the knowledge base.

Our complex and rapidly changing world demands a more nimble, responsive, and flexible Extension organization. The findings from a study involving interviews across a state Cooperative Extension Service paint a picture of organizational learning in Extension. Four key dimensions of learning surfaced. Of particular importance are the application of a model for organizational knowledge creation and the characteristics of transformational organizational learning for innovation. Recommendations focus on actively supporting organizational learning, developing ways to tap the vast knowledge and skills of Extension professionals, and institutionalizing means to transfer learning.

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