Evaluating an Internet distance learning course on sustainable agriculture

An Internet course in sustainable agriculture designed for regional middle school and high school science teachers was offered for graduate credit by Clemson University. Course participants also included cooperative extension county agents, elementary school teachers, and university students. The objectives of the course regarding Internet use were to train the students and ensure they all had the necessary skills to access Web pages, utilize a Listserv, and participate in real-time chat sessions: to design and evaluate curriculum materials for classroom use from information found primarily on the World Wide Web; and to network and exchange ideas with colleagues from various disciplines in other states and countries. The course consisted of the following major topics: water quality, biodiversity, conserving soil resources, economics, and energy. The Internet content of the course was supplemented with an introduction which included a hands-on computer training workshop and a midsemester field trip. Assignments and exams were all distributed and returned via e-mail. The student evaluations of the course gave insights regarding the strengths and weaknesses for this form of distance learning. Overall, the student response to this style of distance learning was very favorable and the materials were subsequently used by some of the students in their professions.