Groundbreaking Web Site Holds Answers to Life’s Questions--K-State is part of eXtension.org in Which Experts in 16 Areas Offer Free Personal Insight to Knowledge-Seekers 2/21/08

Groundbreaking Web Site Holds Answers to Life’s Questions
K-State is part of eXtension.org in Which Experts in 16 Areas Offer
Free Personal Insight to Knowledge-Seekers

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University Research and Extension is a partner in a groundbreaking new Web site, eXtension.org, being launched this week.

eXtension.org promises to be a gateway to answering all of life’s little questions – from parenting, to saving and investing, entrepreneurship and vegetable gardens.

About eXtension

MANHATTAN, Kan. – eXtension.org is unlike any other search engine or information-based Web site. It’s a space where university content providers gather and produce new educational and information resources on wide-ranging topics. Because it’s available to students, researchers, clinicians, and professors, as well as the general public, at any time from any Internet connection, eXtension helps solve real-life problems in real time.

eXtension is affiliated with Cooperative Extension, a land-grant university network.

eXtension.org At a Glance:

• Site provides contact to over 3,000 local Cooperative Extension offices with professionals who can help you in your own neighborhood

• Searchable knowledge base and “Ask the Experts” options

• Site has 36,000 frequently asked questions in its knowledge base; 4,500 of those are "public" and more are going public every day

• 16 Communities of Practice:

– Diversity in Higher Education

– Entrepreneurs

– Gardens, Lawns and Landscapes

– Wildlife Damage Management

– Parenting

– Personal Finance

– Cotton

– Dairy Cattle

– Horses

– Imported Fire Ants

– Livestock and Poultry

– Family Caregiving

– Disaster Education Network

– Geospatial Technologies

– Beef

– Youth Science, Engineering and Technology

eXtension experts are the brains behind eXtension.org, a sort of “next-gen Google,” where curious minds can find a range of information including how to calculate their retirement readiness score, tips to easing credit card debt, how to grow the best tomatoes on the block or ways to set a schedule for a new born baby. Even better, if the consumer can’t find the information he or she is looking for, real live authorities in their area of interest monitor and answer questions through the Web site. And all of eXtension’s resources are available to knowledge-seekers at no cost.

With 16 resource areas, called “Communities of Practice,” consumers can navigate the site to find the answers they need. A Community of Practice is typically multi-institutional, multi-state and multi-disciplinary bringing the "best of the best" educational resources to the public. In addition to providing credible eXtension experts to answer knowledge-seekers’ questions, eXtension.org offers opportunities for consumers to interact with each other to grow their knowledge in a particular field. Drawing on the popularity of online social networking, individuals interested in a specific topic or subject matter area can “gather” to form a Community of Interest. As that Community of Interest grows, professional educators with expertise in that topic or subject matter area join together and form a Community of Practice.

Not only does eXtension.org bring consumers the best knowledge from the sharpest minds in higher education, it also uses the most innovative and advanced features available on the Web to enhance the learning experience. Users can rate eXtension.org articles based on their usefulness, with the “most useful” articles ranking the highest on searches. If an article does not answer a user’s question, he or she has the option to “Ask an Expert.”

Further, articles receive tags showing what users are searching for most often. For example, as can be expected with the state of today’s economy, the Personal Finance Community of Practice shows that most users are searching for topics relating to financial security. In the Consumer Horticulture Community of Practice, it appears most searchers are looking for the right way to groom their vegetable gardens. Users can also subscribe to RSS feeds, and eXtension will automatically send updates on topics of interest.

eXtension is affiliated with Cooperative Extension, a nationwide, non-credit educational network. Each U.S. state and territory has a state office at its land-grant university and a network of local or regional offices. Due to its relationship with Cooperative Extension, eXtension.org is able to pull the best, most researched knowledge from the smartest land-grant university minds across America, connecting knowledge consumers with knowledge providers. eXtension offers:

K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.