COA Incentives for
Distance Education Task Force
The goal of the "Incentives for Distance Education" Task Force was to identify
the key components that might be included to expand and strengthen the
College of Agriculture Distance Education programs at the department
MS or PHD level.
Invited Participants - December 2005
| William Edwards, Prof. |
Economics - AG |
| Phil Dixon, Prof. |
Statistics |
| Rick Hall, Prof. |
Natural Resource Ecology & Management |
| Maynard Hogberg, Prof. & Chair |
Animal Science |
| Wade Miller, Prof. |
Agriculture Education & Studies |
| Ken Moore, Prof. |
Agronomy |
| Alan Myers, Prof. & Chair |
Biochemistry, Biophysics, & Molecular Biology |
| Steve Sapp, Prof. |
Sociology - AG |
| Phil Spike, Prof. |
Animal Science |
| Jon Tollefson, Prof. & Chair |
Entomology |
| Anne Marie VanDerZanden, Assoc. Prof. |
Horticulture |
| David Acker, Assoc Dean |
College of Agriculture |
| Gaylan Scofield, Interim Director |
Brenton Center |
| Todd Vens, Instructional Development |
Brenton Center |
Objective
The overall objective was to increase student credit hours generated from distance
education courses asynchronously delivered in the College of Agriculture.
Additional objectives were: 1) improve the quality of course delivered
at a distance; 2) increase the number of degree programs available for
delivery at a distance; 3) increase the number of courses available
for delivery at a distance; 4) increase the shelf life of distance education
offerings; 5) encourage, support, and initiate the use of technology
to enhance student learning both on and off campus; and 6) extend distance
education offerings beyond the State of Iowa.
The Task Force was charged to identify:
1) Resources and needs of departments
2) Resources and needs of faculty
3) Minimum time line needed to complete conversion to on-line
4) Difficulties, concerns, or opportunities
5) Impact on departments and/or faculty
Resources and needs of departments
Funds are needed for faculty release time or to
employ the faculty during the summer months to develop or convert courses.
Resources and needs of faculty
Funds are needed to help support a graduate student to assist with content
development. Technology help is needed (provided from Brenton Center
staff).
Minimum time line needed to complete conversion to on-line
Average time to convert an existing three credit on-campus course
for delivery at a distance is 100-150 hours of development labor while a new
course is about 300 hours of development labor.
Difficulties, concerns, or opportunities
Enrollments in Master of Agriculture and Master of Science in Agronomy
have been capped
due to lack of adequate faculty resources to advise the students. Some students
do not want or need a degree, they want content updates. Maybe departments
should be looking at certificate programs. Other departments may have
an audience for non-credit content.
Impact on departments and/or faculty
Departments and faculty are being called upon to do more due to budget
cuts and the loss of faculty.
