The Influence of Selected Personological and Organizational Characteristics Upon Professional Development Needs of State Extension Specialists in Florida Olanda Bata University of Florida

This current study completes a three-phase process to determine critical professional development needs of the University of Florida Extension (UFE) state specialists. Phase I data were collected from county directors, Phase II from county faculty, while this phase involved data collected from state extension specialists themselves. In addition to identifying critical professional development needs using the matrix analysis method, the researchers also examined differences in those needs based upon age, percentage of extension appointment, years of professional experience, academic rank, and program typology. This study revealed three critical professional development needs (“knowledge of current research findings”, “ability to identify funding sources for program development”, and “ability to incorporate appropriate instructional techniques in my own presentations”). UFE specialists differed based upon professional development needs on only one of the personological characteristics (gender) and on none of the organizational variables. Individuals planning professional development programs should keep in mind that these critical professional development needs cut across most of the personological and all of the organizational characteristics included in this study.