The University of Arizona, College of Agriculture
Society Ready Graduates
Multi-media Classroom Learning Center
Issue
Across the country, post-secondary agricultural education programs are dealing with meeting
university minimum enrollment standards, a shortage of secondary school agriculture teachers,
and teachers needing resources and technical assistance that will take them into the 21st century.
Teachers in remote areas still need to keep up with the demands and standards of the profession
but often cannot attend professional development classes in person.
What has been done
A self-contained multimedia learning station, or "command center" has been developed to
deliver distance education workshops to vocational teachers and students across the state. The
instructor can capture classroom participation, E-mail, Internet, multimedia, video and 3-D image
display. Using the system, one instructor can film a class at the university, producing a high
quality video that can then be sent directly to off-site participants. Currently 7 courses are offered
through this process.
Impact
The program is reaching a record number of undergraduate and graduate students, and
educators in the field of agricultural education. Ninety clients who otherwise would not have been
able to continue their education have completed distance education courses so far. The ultimate
impact of the program is that educational standards for excellence in teacher and professional
education can be met even in rural areas that do not have traditional university facilities.
"If it weren't for the new distance classes, I wouldn't be able to get my Master's in Ag
Ed."
--Lance Fite, of Safford High School, Safford Arizona
Funding
Arizona Department of Education
University of Arizona Center for Computer and Information Technology
University of Arizona College of Agriculture
UA Department of Agricultural Education--Faculty Salaries
Grant money
Contact
Jack Elliot, professor, Department of Agricultural Education
PO Box 210036, Forbes Room 224
The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0036
Telephone: (520) 621-7173 FAX: (520) 621-9889
Email: elliot@ag.arizona.edu
This report is one of 29 impact statements submitted by the University
of Arizona College of Agriculture to the USDA's 1999 CSREES Science and Education
Impacts
database in Washington, D.C. An impact statement is a brief summary, in lay terms, of the
economic, environmental and/or social impact of a land-grant program. It states
accomplishments and their payoff to society.
Located at http://ag.arizona.edu/impacts/2000/multimedia.html
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