Statewide Hybrid Idaho Online Program Delivery
Teaching & Educational Technologies
Ronald Patterson
Horticulture/Agriculture Educator
University of Idaho
Idaho Falls
Abstract
The availability of agriculture and horticulture related Extension programing in Idaho to all state residents has been limited by distance to delivery sites, access to technology and access to content specialists, particularly in remote regions of Idaho. In many cases there is not enough interest in a rural county to justify the expense of providing a particular program. In 2020 the COVID pandemic forced the Master Gardener program to online delivery via the Zoom platform. From 2021-2023 the eastern Idaho Master Gardener team continued to deliver the Master Gardener program online. The three-hour Zoom classes were recorded and saved. In 2023 University of Idaho purchased CANVAS for off-campus program delivery. The 2024 Master Gardener program was set up in CANVAS so any county in the state could have interested residents participate. The three-hour Zoom recordings were broken into shorter topic videos. There were two different groups of counties that held their classes at different times. Students were allowed to watch the topic videos asynchronously, then participate in a one-hour online class each week. Several counties also held hands-on labs at another time. All Idaho residents now have access to the Master Gardener programing. This allows rural counties to run their own program with standardized material or have their residents join with a group that has an educator with the skill set needed for Master Gardener education. Several counties still run their Master Gardener programs face-to-face. In 2021 a group of educators on the Farm Business Management team developed a four-week farm financial records program to be delivered predominantly through videos that could be viewed asynchronously by the students with a short weekly online meeting to answer questions and assist students. In 2022 a farm financial analysis class was designed with the same format. Over 300 people and 50 farm units have participated in these online programs. Several students were the only participants in their rural county. This program delivery method is safe, convenient, accessible and flexible.
Authors: Ronald Patterson, Lena Allen, Brett Wilder, Patrick Hatzenbuehler, Reed Findlay, Erin Doty
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Ronald Patterson Horticulture/Agriculture Educator, University of Idaho, Idaho, 83404
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Lena Allen Horticulture Assistant, Bonneville County, Idaho, 83404
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Brett Wilder Farm Business Management Area Specialist, University of Idaho, Idaho, 83605
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Patrick Hatzenbuehler Agriculture Economics Specialist, University of Idaho, Idaho, 83301
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Reed Findlay Agriculture/Horticulture Educator, University of Idaho, Idaho, 83221
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Erin Doty Director, University of Idaho Extension Publishing, Idaho, 83844