Digital Measures
Purdue Extension’s Specialists and Educators are responsible for reporting their activities. Digital Measures (DM) is the system we use to report activities.
- Login and instructions/resources about how to “put data in” and “get data out” are at this DM site.
- Program Area logic models and outcomes are posted on this DM site.
How to report race, ethnicity, and gender
Since we are funded by and report to the USDA NIFA, we are expected to report on the race, ethnicity and gender of our participants. Here are some resources to help you.
- Definitions: Here are the definitions.
- Collect demographic information: Take opportunities to ask participants during pre-registration, onsite registration, and online methods as appropriate to the program to gather race, ethnicity and gender. For those programs with Extension CVENT, these demographic questions are automatically included.
- Paper: You may use this “paper” version.
- Qualtrics: There is a Qualtrics version available for you to add to your surveys. (If you need assistance, please contact Ryan Wynkoop, rwynkoop@purdue.edu.)
- Log in to Qualtrics
- Select “Create Project” (green button)
- Select “Create From Existing”
- Select “From a Library”
- Please Select a Library: Drop down list – select “Purdue Extension”
- Source Project – Drop down list – select “Purdue Extension Demographics”
- Project Name – give your survey a name
- Click at bottom “Create Project”
Purdue Extension Quarterly Report
Data from Digital Measures are pulled to create this report. Accuracy and timeliness of data entered by Educators and Specialists is very important to the printing of these reports.
USDA NIFA – Plan of Work (POW) and Annual Accomplishments Report (AAR)
Data entered in Digital Measures are pulled to report annually to USDA NIFA. Accuracy and timeliness of data entered in Digital Measures are critical to our ability to report on Purdue Extension activities.
- Outputs
- Direct Contacts
- Indirect Contacts
- Extension Publications
- Research Publications
- Research Projects
- Workshops (Learning Events)
- Consultations
- Community Collaborations, Coalitions, Partnerships
- Volunteers
- Volunteer Hours
- Outcomes and Impact Statements
- A selection of outcome indicators are reported, adding up all data entered for statewide representation.
- Impact statements are pulled from Digital Measures and REEport to provide narrative to the outcome indicators and to illustrate extension and research impacts.
2018 Annual Accomplishments Report
These documents provide the outcomes and impact statements that were shared in the 2018 Annual Accomplishments Report to USDA NIFA.
- All Planned Programs
- Childhood Obesity
- Climate Change
- Food Safety
- Global Food Security and Hunger
- Human, Family, and Community Health and Well-Being
- Natural Resources and the Environment
- Sustainable Energy
Annual DM Data Audit
The purpose of the Digital Measures data audit process is to check the data reported by Extension Educators for accuracy and consistency. The data audit is just one component of several efforts to ensure quality data: 1) consistent communication, instructions and tips on how to enter data in DM, 2) quarterly data analysis for issues in reported data, 3) monthly review by District Directors and Program Leaders with Educator follow-up, and 4) annual audit on data with five Educators.
- Consistent communication, instructions and tips on how to enter data in DM
- Julie Huetteman communicates with ELT and our DM Liaisons as new or updated information is available to keep all informed of the current issues. District Directors and Program Leaders share information through their communication channels, newsletters and emails. DM Liaisons also share information with their Areas at meetings and as appropriate.
- Instruction documents are embedded on the DM screens so that information is at your fingertips when entering data in DM. Within the instruction documents are URLs linking to more specific information and resources.
- On the DM screens, the Help Tips question marks have been updated along with the instructions so that each data field has a popup window to provide a description and some instructions. Just clicking on the DM Help Tips question mark next to the data field will bring this popup window into view.
- Webinars, called DM Tips, available via ZOOM, are 10-minute presentations on a data entry topic, following by Q&A. These continue every other month, to address key DM data reporting issues.
- Quarterly data analysis for issues in reported data
- Each quarter, Julie Huetteman, and Alee Gunderson run administrative reports to assess the data. As issues are identified, communication is shared with the Educators and their District Directors and Program Leaders for reviewing and making corrections or improvements in the data.
- Monthly review by District Directors and Program Leaders with Educator follow-up
- Extension leadership reviews the data entered by their staff to check for regular and consistent reporting, and for accuracy and completeness of the data. When District Directors and Program Leaders find discrepancies, they communicate with Educators to assess the information and work toward improved accuracy as appropriate.
- Annual audit on data with five Educators
- Five Educators (one from each District) are randomly selected to show how they documented and tracked the data they entered in Digital Measures. The audit process is a review of the data entered on three screens: 1) Learning Events, 2) Other Activities, and 3) Impact Statements. Educators will be asked to share their process for gathering data and the documentation that they have for what they entered into DM. In May and June, Julie Huetteman, will communicate with five Educators and their District Director and Program Leaders about scheduling this 1-hour appointment as fits into the Educator calendar in the upcoming months.
Questions? Please email Julie Huetteman, jhuettem@purdue.edu.