Computer-Aided Learning in Agriculture A report for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation by A.E. Hele, Primesoft Solutions

October 1998 RIRDC Publication No 98/120 RIRDC Project No PRM-1A

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© 1998 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. All rights reserved. ISBN 0 642 57820 6 ISSN 1440-6845 “Computer-Aided Learning in Agriculture” Publication No.: 98/120 Project No.: PRM-1A The views expressed and the conclusions reached in this publication are those of the author and not necessarily those of persons consulted. RIRDC shall not be responsible in any way whatsoever to any person who relies in whole or in part on the contents of this report. This publication is copyright. However, RIRDC encourages wide dissemination of its research, providing the Corporation is clearly acknowledged. For any other enquiries concerning reproduction, contact the Publications Manager on phone 02 6272 3186.

Researcher Contact Details Anthony Hele Primesoft Solutions Lot 1 Mangrove Dam Road KULNURA NSW 2250 Phone: 02 4376 1173 Fax: 02 4376 1173 e-mail: prime@mpx.com.au RIRDC Contact Details Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Level 1, AMA House 42 Macquarie Street BARTON ACT 2600 PO Box 4776 KINGSTON ACT 2604 Phone: 02 6272 4539 Fax: 02 6272 5877 e-mail: rirdc@netinfo.com.au Internet: http://www.dpie.gov.au/rirdc

Published in October 1998 Printed on environmentally friendly paper by the DPIE Copy Centre

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Foreword Computer-aided learning can be a valuable tool for education and training, offering advantages in terms of such factors as flexibility of delivery, user control, remote access, self pacing, immediate feedback on performance and economy of delivery. Uptake of this technology in Australian agricultural education and training has been constrained by a lack of suitable resources, information on available resources and information on usage considerations. This publication reports on a project which aims to increase the quantity, quality, awareness and use of computer-aided learning in agricultural education and training by documenting and disseminating information on current resources, initiatives, user experience and usage considerations and to stimulate further resource development by identifying and publicising market requirements and opportunities. The project used the Internet and an electronic magazine, called AgClass, as its main information vehicle and this report also examines the use and potential of these mechanisms for project information dissemination. This report belongs to RIRDC’s diverse range of over 200 research publications and forms part of our Human Capital, Communications and Information Systems Program, which aims to facilitate innovation in the agricultural sector by improving the use of communication and education processes and appropriate information systems. Peter Core Managing Director Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation

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Acknowledgments Thanks is extended to the educators and software developers who provided input into this study, to the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales, who provided financial assistance and to Charles Sturt University, who provided server space for the project's World Wide Web page.

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Contents

“Computer-Aided Learning in Agriculture” ........................................................................................................... ii

Acknowledgments.................................................................................................................................................. iv

Contents .................................................................................................................................................................. v

About the Author ................................................................................................................................................... vi

Abbreviations........................................................................................................................................................ vii

Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................... ix

Introduction............................................................................................................................................................. 1

Objectives ............................................................................................................................................................... 2

Methodology........................................................................................................................................................... 3

Detailed Results ...................................................................................................................................................... 5

Discussion of Results............................................................................................................................................ 14

Implications........................................................................................................................................................... 18

Recommendations................................................................................................................................................. 23

Communications Strategy ..................................................................................................................................... 27

Appendix 1: Text contents of AgClass Issues 1-3 ................................................................................................ 29

Appendix 2: The project’s World Wide Web Page .............................................................................................. 84

Appendix 3 CAL in agriculture projects funded by the NTDG scheme............................................................... 89

References............................................................................................................................................................. 92

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About the Author Anthony Hele holds the qualifications of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Sydney and a Graduate Diploma in Agribusiness from Monash University. His experience includes work as an Extension Officer with NSW Agriculture and as a Research Horticulturist with Western Australia's Murdoch University. Since 1990 he has operated as a private consultant, providing advice and conducting agricultural, agribusiness and information technology product, market and general business research.

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Abbreviations CAL: Computer Aided Learning. CLUES: Centre for Computer-based Learning in Land Use and Environmental Sciences. NTDG: National Teaching Development Grants.

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Executive Summary The use of Computer Aided Learning (CAL) Currently CAL is used infrequently in Australian agriculture education and training, and in an atmosphere of limited information and relatively unsophisticated implementation. Typically - • Only a few educators use CAL often in their teaching and almost a third who responded to the project's survey rarely or never use CAL. As survey respondents would be expected to be among the most interested in CAL use, the actual percentage of educators who do not currently use CAL would be large. • Nearly all educators experienced a shortage of information on available software and most also lacked information on how to use software effectively. • Features that make software simpler to implement, such as ease of use and accompanying teaching aids, are more highly valued by educators than features that have been identified as increasing educational effectiveness, such as provision of student feedback, support for self-paced or group learning or the inclusion of problem-solving tasks. • CAL is currently used for relatively unsophisticated purposes, such as information access, data analysis and assessment. More 'advanced' uses, such as model investigation, computer-mediated communication, model creation and tutorials are much less frequent. • Most surveyed educators did not consider their computer-use skills were a barrier to the adoption of CAL. However observational studies and the nature of technical enquiries indicates that the lack of user skills is a fairly common limitation. Developers will need to keep these features, particularly user skills and ease of use and implementation requirements, in mind if they wish to develop quality software for this market. User Skills Deficiencies in the computer skills of educators present a significant current barrier to the increased use of CAL in agriculture. These deficiencies are not confined to older users, who completed their undergraduate training before computers became widespread, but are also encountered in recent graduates. It appears that some tertiary institutions may not be adequately equipping their agriculture graduates with skills in this area. Educators often acquire their computer skills in their own time, using their own equipment and by 'trial and error', rather than through prior or in-service training. In recent years most State Governments have made major announcements on computers in education, which often seem to focus on student/computer ratios, and many educators surveyed reported that their institutions were currently or about to undertake large computer

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equipment upgrade programs. Expenditure that focuses on hardware and software, without addressing the issue of user skills, is unlikely to substantially increase the quantity or quality of computer-aided learning. Resource Requirements Educators show no clear preference for the type of CAL resources required, which is probably a reflection of limited experience and use history. Since CAL categories are not mutually exclusive, developers may wish to design software that has multiple usages as a means of coping with this lack of clear user preference. Similarly, there were no clear indication of the topics where CAL resources are most in demand or any apparent commonality of needs between educators in the same or in different sectors. This also is likely to be a reflection of limited experience and use history, as well as the general shortage of suitable titles in all areas. As educators become more experienced and sophisticated in their use of CAL preferences are likely to become more apparent and improved communication between educators would help in developing a consensus on what resources types and topics are most in demand. Information Requirements Educators have experienced a shortage of information on available software and of information on how to use software effectively. Although limited by a lower than expected uptake level, AgClass (the project's electronic magazine and main information dissemination vehicle) has been successful in addressing this information shortfall and achieving its objectives of increasing the awareness and use of CAL in agriculture. As user skills and access to facilities improve the level of interest in and adoption of CAL will inevitably increase, as will the demand for AgClass-like information on resources and usage issues. Market Size The potential market for commercial CAL software for agriculture is around $380,000 per annum. However, the current market is likely to be much smaller and closer to $50,000. With the development costs for fairly modest CAL resources at between $70,000 and $150,000 per title, to which must be added post-development expenditure, such as media duplication, packaging and marketing, a mature Australian market could support the production of perhaps one to three titles per year, assuming that they had broad market appeal. However, the probable current market is unlikely to support the development of even one title each year. Developers faced with this small-market situation will need to adopt strategies to cope and this report canvasses several of these possible coping strategies. Software Development

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CAL software development in Australia, whether by circumstance or design, often tends to occur in isolation from the wider educational market. Many institutions, and individuals in institutions, develop or modify titles for their own internal use and are unwilling or unable to supply their products to outside bodies. Where institutional developers do have an external focus, their efforts in commercialisation are often limited by a lack of product development and marketing skills and resources. Commercial developers tend to develop for the sectors that they currently, or previously, have worked in and usually do not attempt to make their products suitable for other educational sectors or geographic areas. This isolated development scenario is likely to act to limit both the quantity of titles available and their quality. An Australian CLUES In the United Kingdom the Centre for Computer-based Learning in Land Use and Environmental Sciences (CLUES), based at the University of Aberdeen, aims to enhance the quality of learning and increase the effectiveness of teaching in subjects relating to land use and environmental sciences within UK higher education through the application of computer-assisted learning and other appropriate information technologies. In Australia UniServe Science has similar, albeit more limited, goals but does not appear to be fulfilling the requirements of the agricultural education sector. There may be a case for establishing a CLUES-like organisation in this country. As well as the benefits for teaching and learning, outlined in this report for CLUES UK, a broader based Australian body could help address some of the particular problems and opportunities encountered locally. Given the possible benefits, further study on the potential for an Australian CLUES-like organisation is warranted. As a first step those bodies interested in the development of such an organisation should be identified and surveyed and more information gathered on the establishment, operation and funding of CLUES UK. Electronic Information Dissemination The project's World Wide Web page proved to be a timely and low cost means of servicing initial project enquiries. There is great potential to disseminate initial and in-progress information on research projects, as well as more detailed information such as final reports in PDF format, by this medium. The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation and other funding bodies should consider making the establishment of a project World Wide Web page a requirement for all funded projects and should continue to expand their information publication program to include Web delivery of detailed final reports. Other electronic delivery mechanism, such as AgClass style electronic magazines, have potential for information dissemination where the potential user base possess adequate

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computer use skills. Apart from disseminating information on projects in progress, the mechanism has potential to supplement, and in time replace, paper-based vehicles such as organisation newsletters, reports and conference proceedings.

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Introduction Computer-aided learning can be a valuable tool for education and training, offering advantages in terms of such factors as flexibility of delivery, user control, remote access, self pacing, immediate feedback on performance and economy of delivery. Agricultural education and training in Australia is poorly serviced in terms of specific and specialised computer-aided learning resources. In a survey conducted at the 1996 conference of the National Association of Agricultural Educators (Hele 1996), 80% of respondents considered that there was a shortage of such resources and only 13% were satisfied with the quality and ease of use of available software. The lack of information on what software was available was identified as a problem by 84% of those surveyed. The software products that are used tend to be those that are either designed for commercial farm management purposes or for general scientific or economic education, and are used in the absence of anything more suitable. The few agricultural educational software packages that are available tend to be written overseas and are naturally strongly slanted towards the terminology and production and marketing practices prevalent in the countries of origin. This lack of Australian product is not surprising. Software development is an expensive and time consuming process. Much of the currently available agricultural software appears to have been developed 'on-spec', by relatively small operators and with little or no market research. While this approach may have worked, after a fashion, for general agricultural software (for example, a developer could be reasonably confident that there was a market for cashbook, budget and financial software) it is unlikely to be successful for the diverse, dispersed and demanding educational market. The shortage of computer-aided learning resources and information on available resources and usage considerations means that our agricultural education and training systems are not able to fully utilise the educational power of computers or to comprehensively prepare future practitioners in the agriculturally-relevant use of this technology. Such tools are more likely to be developed, at a reasonable cost, if private sector developers can be confident of sales, or public sector developers can spread the cost of development, across several States and institutions, rather than each education and training provider having to individually develop or commission their own software. Similarly, educators are more likely to include computer-aided learning materials in their teaching programs if they have access to information on what resources are available and on strategies for successfully utilising the technology.

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Objectives The project objectives were to increase the quantity, quality, awareness and use of computer-aided learning in agricultural education and training by documenting and disseminating information on current resources, initiatives, user experience and usage considerations and by stimulating further resource development by identifying and publicising common needs, requirements and market opportunities. The project also had the objective of examining the use and potential of electronic mechanisms for project information dissemination.

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Methodology The project utilised focus groups, consisting of between six and ten representatives from the secondary, tertiary and vocational agricultural education and training sectors and software developers to gather qualitative data on current usage and experience, innovations, and the commonality of needs and requirements for computer-aided learning materials. Focus groups meetings were held in capital cities and in country centres. Prior to meetings a discussion paper was circulated to participants summarising general issues in computer-aided learning, reviewing current research and outlining the project and the role of the focus groups. Focus group participants were asked to address questions such as - 'What barriers exist to the use of CAL?' 'What features do educators require in CAL resources?' 'What subject areas require or would benefit most from the development of CAL resources?' 'How much cooperative CAL resource development is occurring and/or what is the potential for institutions and educational sectors to cooperate in development?' 'What limitations exists to the commercial development of CAL resources or the commercialisation of public sector developed resources?' Information gathered from focus groups was used to develop a written survey of educationalists and developers, which was trialed at State agriculture teacher conferences and refined as a result. In addition to use, experience, needs and requirements information, the survey was also designed to uncover information that allowed estimations of the market for software, in financial terms. Phone interviews with selected respondents was also used in the final stages of the project to gather further detailed and needs-focussed information. The written survey was delivered to users through the project's electronic magazine and main information dissemination vehicle, called AgClass. Electronic delivery of project information was expected to be both a contextually appropriate and highly effective means of dissemination. AgClass was developed using FileMaker Pro 3 SDK, from Claris International. This database software allowed advanced user features, such as searching and bookmarking facilities, to be incorporated as well as graphical content elements, such as software screen shots. Its basic database structure means that AgClass forms a continuing and easily accessible future reference resource. During development AgClass was trialed with potential user groups and individuals, which lead to product modification as well as allowing observational study of user skill levels. Commencing in early 1997 the magazine browser software, first two issues and survey, on CD-ROM in Macintosh, Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 formats, was posted to around 800

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educational institutions, developers and other interested parties. Subsequent 'issues' were delivered via e-mail where possible (or by floppy disk if no e-mail access). Each 'issue' contained seven 'articles' covering the study progress and results, resources available and methods and issues involved in the use and evaluation of computer-aided learning materials. Technical support for AgClass was provided via telephone, fax and e-mail contact, which incidentally provided further information on user skills. A World Wide Web site, provided via the computer resources of Charles Sturt University, was also used to provide information on the project.

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Detailed Results Current level of CAL use Survey participants were asked their level of current use of CAL. Around 70% use CAL often or sometimes while the rest rarely or never use CAL (Figure 1).

Figure 1 - Level of CAL Use

0%

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Often Sometimes Rarely Never

Current/desired types of CAL The survey asked educators how they use CAL now and in what areas they would like to increase use. The definitions of CAL resource types are taken from a chapter in the CLUES Directory of Resources (Nicol and Heath 1994) and these definitions accompanied the survey. Responses are shown in Figure 2.

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Figure 2 - Types of CAL Use

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Information Access

Data Analysis Assessment Model Investigation

ComputerMediated

Communication

Model Creation Tutorial

Currently UsedLike to Increase

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Required features and resources The survey asked educators what are the most important features of CAL resources. Ease of use, followed by the provision of teaching aids, were the features most valued by educators. Features such as the provision of student feedback on performance, support for self paced or group learning and problem solving were ranked lower. While both focus group and survey participants mentioned a variety of subject areas where they would like to see CAL resources developed, there was little commonality between responses and no clear indication of title demand.

Figure 3 - Import Features of CAL Resources

0%10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

100%

Ease of Use

TeachingAids

Student Feedback

SelfPaced

Problem Solving

Group Learning

Platforms Educators were asked if their institution used Macintosh, IBM-compatibles or both for student use. Half the institutions used IBM-compatibles only, while half operated in a mixed Macintosh/IBM-compatible environment. Constraints on use of CAL For both secondary and TAFE level focus group participants the most significant barrier to the use of CAL was access to computer resources, allied with their own computer and CAL-use skill limitations. These aspects were seen as less of a problem by most participants from the university sector. Participants from all sectors considered that a shortage of suitable software and/or information on what software was available was a significant barrier to increased use. Participants who were aware of the Clearinghouse System (see below) considered that it had not helped to overcome this information shortage problem.

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Survey participants also indicated that shortages of information on available software, of information on how to use software effectively and of suitable software itself were the most significant constraints on the use of CAL (Figure 4).

Figure 4 - Constraints on use of CAL

-80% -60% -40% -20% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Lack information onavailable software

Lack information onuse of CAL

Shortage of suitablesoftware

Shortage of equipment

Lack CAL evaluationskills

Cost

Own computing skills

Student computingskills

Respondents

No Constraint or UndecidedConstraint

Shortages of suitable equipment, lack of software evaluation skills and software cost were also frequently mentioned by survey participants, although opinion tended to be more evenly divided on the significance of these factors. Educator and student computer-use skills were the least mentioned constraints, however other information gathering mechanisms indicated that educator skills may be a problem. During the development of AgClass the magazine was trialed with groups of teachers and interaction observed. Following distribution telephone, fax and e-mail support and some face-to-face instruction was used to help users install and use AgClass and the independent project evaluation study (Aitken and Foster, 1997) further questioned users on their experiences and problems. Even among users that considered themselves 'proficient' in computers the following situations were often encountered - • Commonly used computer interface conventions, such as hypertext links, keyword searching and on-screen buttons were poorly understood.

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• Knowledge of the most basic functions and the operating system was often minimal. Problems included not knowing what operating system was being used, how to examine or search the directory of a hard disk or CD-ROM or how to copy a file to floppy disk. • Skills in using the Internet were often lacking. Problems included not knowing how to send an e-mail message and/or attachment and the inability to cope with compressed files. These problems were not confined to older users, who completed their undergraduate training before computers became widespread, but were also encountered in recent graduates. Several of the latter commented that they had received little training in computers during their recently completed agriculture studies. It appears that some institutions may not be adequately equipping their graduates with skills in this area. In this light it may be significant that 7 out of 10 Universities and almost half of the Post-Secondary Agricultural Colleges did not choose to subscribe to AgClass. During interviews educators often commented that they had acquired their computer skills in their own time, using their own equipment and by 'trial and error', rather than through prior or in-service training. While very few were negative or even ambivalent about the value of computers in education, many felt the skill levels of educators represented a barrier to wider adoption and use. Expenditure Educators were asked how much their institution spent per annum on commercial CAL resources for agriculture. The range of spending is shown in Figure 5. Across all sectors the average expenditure was $475 per institution, per year. The highest level of expenditure was reported by Post-Secondary Agricultural Colleges, at around $1,000 per year, followed by TAFE Colleges ($800) and High Schools ($400). The response from Universities did not allow an estimate of their expenditure, although it is likely to be similar to or higher than that reported by Post-Secondary Agricultural Colleges.

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Figure 5 - Per annum expenditure on CAL resources

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<$200 $200- $400

$400- $600

$600- $800

$800- $1,000

>$1,000

Public Sector Development A number of tertiary institutions, and individuals in institutions, reported that they were developing software for educational use in their own courses and organisations. Some software with educational uses was also being developed by government and semi-government organisations, such as the Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Pest Management. Tertiary sector focus group participants indicated that there was little or no cooperation between institutions or educational sectors in CAL resource development. One participant gave the reason as 'geographic parochialism', while another stated that institutions consider that they are in competition for students, and CAL resources are seen as one area of potential competitive advantage. The example was quoted of three Australian universities separately entering into agreements with CLUES (see below) to license and localise that organisation's soil science software, at a cost of between $4,000 and $40,000 per title, rather than cooperatively license and modify the software for joint use. The National Teaching Development Grants (NTDG) program (see below), which had been used by several focus group participants to develop resources, requires funded project outcomes be made available to other institutions. However this requirement, in itself, did not appear enough to encourage cooperative development. Competition for students was less of a barrier at other educational levels, although some TAFE level participants indicated that the administrations in their States were starting to encourage such an attitude.

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Commercial Development Commercial software developers suggested that one barrier to further CAL resource development was the fact that educational institutions usually expect, or perhaps can only afford, fairly low-priced software and were conditioned to this expectation by the educational-pricing practices of large software companies. The point was made that the educational price of high volume products, such as spreadsheet programs, could not be compared to the price that had to be charged for specialised and low volume CAL resources. Even if the potential user base was large enough to allow lower pricing (such as with products with overseas sales potential), the cost of marketing was a problem. In effect developers are caught in a bind: they have to charge relatively low prices to achieve educational sales - which does not allow much return for marketing expenditures - and without marketing efforts they cannot achieve the volumes required to make low priced software profitable. Allied to this problem mention was made of the practice of State Departments of Agriculture and semi-government institutions developing software which they sold at below commercial prices. Even when these organisations considered that they sold their software at 'commercial rates', private sector developers pointed out that their pricing calculations often didn't include real infrastructure or marketing costs. According to commercial developers this has created an expectation among buyers that agricultural software should be 'low cost', which hinders all participants in the sector, including those interested in educational titles. One commercial developer suggested that, as now happens for publicly developed plant varieties, such software should be tendered out for commercialisation by private sector companies. Public sector developers considered that, apart from the student competition factor mentioned above, their lack of skills and limited financial incentives were a barrier to the wider commercialisation of in-house developed CAL resources. The 'polishing' required (content, artwork, documentation, etc) to make software titles, developed for in-house use, suitable for wider commercial distribution was seen as beyond the skills and resources of educators, as was associated marketing issues. Many public sector developers considered that the possible financial returns from commercialisation were small, for both their institutions and themselves. Some public sector developers indicated that they would be interested in wider commercial distribution of their software if commercial partners were willing to fund or carry out the extra work required, or alternatively if this funding was provided by other external sources. The current NTDG program grants, while requiring that developed resources be made available to other institutions, were apparently either not able to or not being used for this purpose.

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Electronic Information Dissemination Almost 800 copies of the AgClass CD-ROM were mailed to educational institutions teaching agriculture and other interested parties Australia-wide. This was followed up several weeks later by a posted reminder letter. To continue to receive AgClass the recipients had to notify the project coordinator, either by filling in the subscription form on the CD and returning as an e-mail attachment or a file on floppy disk, or by otherwise notifying the coordinator. The text contents of AgClass issues 1-8 are reproduced in Appendix 1 and the AgClass CD-ROM and subsequent issues are available from the author. Uptake of AgClass (the number of subscriptions received relative to the number of CDs sent) averaged 12.8% nationally. By States, uptake was greatest in Queensland (18.3%) and least in South Australia (6.7%).

Figure 6 - Uptake of AgClass by State

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NSW Vic Qld SA WA Tas National

Uptake was greatest in the Post-Secondary Agricultural College sector (53.3%), followed by Universities (30.0%), High Schools (12.4%) and TAFEs (7.8%).

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Figure 7 - Uptake of AgClass by Sector

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Universities Post- Secondary

Agriculture Colleges

TAFE Secondary Schools

Other

Reasons quoted for non-uptake by parties interviewed in the evaluation study included no recollection of having received AgClass (and presumably the reminder letter as well) (38%), had not viewed AgClass (29%) and not able to work out the subscription mechanism (29%). Strangely, none of the those interviewed who mentioned subscription or installation difficulties had attempted to seek help from the project coordinator, using the phone, fax or e-mail contact points provided. Other reasons given for not subscribing included being busy with other things, limited access to computers, limited use of computers and limited access to e-mail. Only 4% of non-subscribers reported that AgClass was not relevant to their needs. The project's other electronic information dissemination mechanism - its World Wide Web page (Appendix 2) received over 600 'hits' during it's period of operation (September 1996-December 1997).

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Discussion of Results The use of CAL Currently CAL is used infrequently in Australian agriculture education and training, and in an atmosphere of limited information and relatively unsophisticated implementation. Typically - • Only a few educators use CAL often in their teaching and almost a third who responded to the survey rarely or never use CAL. As survey respondents would be expected to be among the most interested in CAL use, the actual percentage of educators who currently do not use CAL would be large. • Nearly all educators experienced a shortages of information on available software and most also lacked information on how to use software effectively. • Features that make software simpler to implement, such as ease of use and accompanying teaching aids, are more highly valued by educators than features that have been identified as increasing educational effectiveness, such as provision of student feedback, support for self-paced or group learning or the inclusion of problem-solving tasks. • CAL is currently used for relatively unsophisticated purposes, such as information access, data analysis and assessment. More 'advanced' uses, such as model investigation, computer-mediated communication, model creation and tutorials are much less frequent. • Most surveyed educators did not consider their computer-use skills were a barrier to the adoption of CAL. However observational studies and the nature of technical enquiries indicates that the lack of user skills is a fairly common limitation. Developers will need to keep these features, particularly user skills and ease of use and implementation requirements, in mind if they wish to develop quality software for this market. Resource Requirements Educators show no clear preference for the type of CAL resources required (information access, data analysis, assessment, model investigation, computer-mediated communication, model creation or tutorial software), which is probably a reflection of limited experience and use history. Since CAL categories are not mutually exclusive, developers may wish to design software that has multiple usages as a means of coping with this lack of clear user preference. Similarly, there were no clear indication of the topics where CAL resources are most in demand or any apparent commonality of needs between educators in the same or in different sectors. This also is likely to be a reflection of limited experience and use history, as well as the general shortage of suitable titles in all areas.

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As educators become more experienced and sophisticated in their use of CAL preferences are likely to become more apparent and improved communication between educators would help in developing a consensus on what resources types and topics are most in demand. Market Size If the reported average expenditure on commercial CAL resources ($475) is assumed for each of the institutions teaching agriculture in Australia (around 800) the potential market for such software is worth around $380,000 per annum. High Schools account for 60% of this potential market, TAFE colleges 30% and Universities and post-secondary agriculture colleges together account for 10%. However, the current market is likely to be much smaller. If the subscription rates for AgClass are used as an indication of the level of adoption of CAL, then the current market size may be closer to $50,000. High Schools account for 45% of the estimated current market, TAFE colleges 20% and Universities and post-secondary agriculture colleges together account for 35%. Primesoft Solutions has estimated the development costs for fairly modest CAL resources at between $70,000 and $150,000 per title. Post-development expenditure, such as media duplication, packaging and marketing must be added and could perhaps double this cost. Given these costs a mature Australian market for CAL resources in agriculture could support the production of perhaps one to three titles per year, assuming that they had broad market appeal. However, the probable current market is unlikely to support the development of even one title each year. Software Development CAL software development in Australia, whether by circumstance or design, often tends to occur in isolation from the wider educational market. Many institutions, and individuals in institutions, develop or modify titles for their own internal use and are unwilling to supply their products to outside bodies. Where institutional developers do have an external focus, their efforts in commercialisation are often limited by a lack of product development and marketing skills and resources. Commercial developers tend to develop for the sectors that they currently, or previously, have worked in and usually do not attempt to make their products suitable for other educational sectors or geographic areas. This isolated development scenario is likely to act to limit both the quantity of titles available and their quality. Electronic Information Dissemination - AgClass Uptake

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Considering that AgClass is a free resource, that does not require Internet access for delivery and that help was available to solve any installation and subscription problems that arose; and that previous surveys had found educators experienced a shortage of information on CAL in agriculture, the level of uptake of AgClass was lower than expected. Rather than a result of any inherent difficulty in installing or subscribing to AgClass, it is possible that the uptake level experienced is a reflection of the current level of serious interest in or adoption of computer-aided learning, and the associated skill levels of users. Observational studies commonly indicated user-skill deficiencies in several areas and this lack of basic knowledge is likely to explain much of the non-uptake of AgClass, as well as the general low level of CAL use. The adoption rate experienced, of around 13%, may represent the 'innovator' and 'early adopter' segments of the educator population - those who have the interest and resources to undertake self education in computers. The use of computer-aided learning may still be confined to these groups and not yet penetrated the wider population of educators. As user skills and access to facilities improve the level of interest in and adoption of CAL will inevitably increase, as will the demand for AgClass-like information on resources and usage issues. Electronic Information Dissemination - AgClass Impact The majority of subscribers interviewed stated that AgClass helped them keep up to date on available information and provided good contact points for software resources. They also appreciated the evaluation of software, and the information on using the technology in the classroom. Over one quarter had followed up on information in AgClass by going to the Internet to download demonstration programs or examine relevant sites, over half had followed up on software articles and ordered products or obtained further information and around one third saw potential in the software reviewed in AgClass, but further action was constrained by not yet being connected to the Internet or by current budget considerations. Some users wanted more in-depth evaluation of software and examples of the actual classroom usage of specific programs. While this information would be very valuable it needs to be provided by educators themselves and despite an invitation to submit such articles, none were received. The AgClass format and delivery mechanisms employed were appreciated by many users, with the intensity of favourable responses often be linked to computer skills. Those users with higher level skills tended to appreciate features such as searching and bookmarking, found the publication easy to use and had no problems with installation, subscription, navigation or updating. At the other extreme, a few subscribers would have preferred the information on paper, because they found computers too difficult to use. Despite its lower than expected level of uptake, user response indicates that AgClass is achieving its objectives of increasing the awareness and use of CAL in agriculture and the evaluation study found that the majority of subscribers wanted AgClass to continue.

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Electronic Information Dissemination - World Wide Web Page Although the project's webpage received around 600 'hits' and in itself generated project awareness and further enquiries, it proved to be a particularly convenient and low cost way to direct telephone inquirers, who become aware of the project through traditional means such as print media, to further detailed information on the project.

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Implications User Skills Deficiencies in the computer skills of educators currently present a barrier to the increased use of CAL in agriculture. These deficiencies are not confined to older users, who completed their undergraduate training before computers became widespread, but are also encountered in recent graduates. It appears that some tertiary institutions may not be adequately equipping their agriculture graduates with skills in this area. Educators often commented that they had acquired their computer skills in their own time, using their own equipment and by 'trial and error', rather than through prior or in-service training. In recent years most State Governments have made major announcements on computers in education, which often seem to focus on student/computer ratios, and many educators surveyed reported that their institutions were currently or about to undertake large computer equipment upgrade programs. Expenditure that focuses on hardware and software, without addressing the issue of user skills, is unlikely to substantially increase the quantity or quality of computer-aided learning. Information Requirements As user skills and access to facilities improve the level of interest in and adoption of CAL will inevitably increase, as will the demand for information on resources and use issues. The growth in demand for this information will be rapid once interest in and use of CAL spreads beyond the likely current 'innovator' and 'early adopter' segment of the educational sector. AgClass has helped fill the information gap for this segment and has potential to service a wider and growing audience. The only similar information dissemination mechanism in existence in Australia - the Clearinghouse System and specifically UniServe Science - also has potential to service this need. UniServe Science was established in 1995 as an initiative of the Committee for the Advancement of University Teaching (CAUT) and is one of five subject specific clearinghouses (the others cover law, engineering, health, humanities and social science). The Clearinghouse idea was modelled on the Computers in Teaching Initiative (CTI) project in Britain (Johnston 1995), although the Australian system is smaller and groups of disciplines are collected in multi-disciplinary centres. The general purpose of the Clearinghouses is to enhance the quality of university teaching by maintaining and disseminating information on up-to-date and innovative materials for use throughout Australia. UniServe Science publishes reviews, criticism and ideas related to teaching and learning materials for tertiary science, with an emphasis on computer-aided learning. Its subject brief

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covers the physical sciences (physics and chemistry), life sciences (biology, psychology and biochemistry) and earth sciences (geology and geography). Activities include - • Subject-specific catalogues of teaching resources. • UniServe Science Newsletter. • Reviews of software (printed in Newsletter and catalogues). • Discipline specific e-mail lists for academics interested in science education. • Visits to institutions to foster links with UniServe Science to enhance collaboration between academics using and developing teaching resources. • Workshops for teaching development. • Maintenance of a Web site for science teaching resources. UniServe Science has no specific brief for agriculture and documents few agriculture-specific resources (only three such software titles are listed in its online database). Project participants who were aware of the organisation believed it was not meeting their information needs and that the nature of agriculture studies, which can incorporate diverse subject areas such as economics, business management, engineering, sociology and communications, means a strictly science-based centre will always have difficulty in meeting this need. Its educational sector (ie university) focus also limits its ability to service the wider agriculture education and training sector. Software Development Public sector development of CAL software is likely to be governed by the interest of individual educators, the policy of institutions and the availability of funding. The rate of commercial CAL software development will be tied to level of computer use skills of educators and the subsequent uptake of the technology. One current expenditure rates, the widespread adoption of CAL in agriculture will support the development of perhaps one to three commercial titles per year. However, current usage indicates that the market will not now support even one fully commercial title per year. Developers faced with this current small-market situation will need to adopt strategies to cope, which could include - • Develop on a part-time basis. • Produce CAL titles which have appeal beyond agricultural studies.

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• Produce titles for the general agriculture market, but with uses or special versions for education. • Pursue public/private sector joint venture arrangements or public sector cooperative development. • Produce CAL titles which have export sales potential. • Localise overseas CAL titles for the Australian market. • Obtain external project funding, from either private or public sources. Part-Time Development: Part-time development, commonly by individuals and undertaken as an adjunct to teaching duties, is the norm for most private sector and many public sector developers currently producing CAL resources for agriculture. Full time or team based development appears to be confined to a few tertiary and cooperative research institutions. A problem with this approach is the lack of skills available to individual developers. Even modest titles need a combination of skills and in most other fields a team, that may include instructional designers, artists, animators, video and sound technicians and programmers are required to produce acceptable quality titles. Further skills, such as technical writing, packaging and marketing, are then required to deliver the software to the market. It is difficult for individuals to acquire all these necessary skills, particularly in the face of rapid change in technology and business practices that are occurring in computer software publishing. Broad Appeal Titles: Agriculture encompasses a wide range of scientific disciplines, as well as economic and business, environmental and resource management, social and communication issues. This broad scope means that well designed software titles could have appeal far beyond the agricultural education sector, greatly expanding the potential sales base. Special Education Versions: There may be potential to tailor general agricultural market software titles for use in the educational sector. Modifications could range from simply providing teacher notes and aids (such as overhead masters), to producing simplified versions of the software that demonstrated the basic principals of the product class, through to developing extended versions that included educationally-oriented features. Farm business management is one area that may benefit from such an approach. The use of financial management software is widely taught at all levels of agricultural education and general farm software, modified for educational use, could both find a ready market as well as allowing developers to expand sales of their full commercial product. Joint Venture or Cooperative Development: Joint venture arrangements between public and private sector developers and cooperative development between public sector institutions could help increase the quality and quantity of available CAL resources. Software products developed for limited internal use by enthusiastic individuals in the educational sector, or even product ideas, could be brought to a commercial level and a wider audience with the input of skills and resources from the private sector. In turn, the private

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sector would benefit from the educational environment and curriculum knowledge of educators. Cooperative development where, for example, universities collaborated in producing courseware for common parts of the curriculum, would represent an efficient use of resources. Unfortunately, current attitudes to competition for students and the use of CAL as a competitive feature of course offerings means that these efficiencies are being ignored, probably to the ultimate detriment of educational quality. Export Sales: During the course of the project many Australian and foreign CAL titles were examined. Several Australian titles were found to be world-class and are achieving (or deserve to achieve) overseas sales. In an attempt to showcase and obtaining export sales for these titles a proposal for an Australian agriscience and educational software marketing mission to the United Kingdom, on a fee for service basis, was submitted to selected public and private sector developers. The mission was based on the idea that a 'package' of complementary and quality software would have a greater impact on potential buyers, and presentations would be more of an 'event', than if only one or a few titles were involved. Being able to spread the mission's cost across several titles/companies also meant that it becomes a more economically attractive proposition for developers. While all developers approached expressed an interest in the mission, none were able to adequately financially support the proposal and as a result the mission was abandoned. For private sector developers the lack of financial resources appeared to stem from their small size and low product-pricing decisions, while for public sector developers the funding arrangements that allowed title development had made no provision for marketing expenditure. To achieve increased overseas sales (or indeed domestic sales) is likely to require effort 'on the ground', such as that of the proposed UK mission. This will only be possible if adequate marketing expenditure is included in product development budgets and product-pricing decisions reflect the true and total cost of production and delivery. Localised Versions: During the course of the study a few overseas software titles were uncovered that may have potential uses in Australian education, particularly if 'localised', and several titles developed in the UK by CLUES are currently being modified by several local tertiary institutions. Inflexible or expensive product licensing conditions, a lack of interest in the relatively small local market by overseas copyright owners, communication difficulties and technical support issues may present barriers to modifying and marketing such software in Australia. External Funding: A wide range of bodies, such as industry research and development corporations, producer organisations, agricultural input suppliers and multimedia companies could be potential sources of funding for CAL projects.

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For example, university academic staff have access to the National Teaching Development Grants (NTDG) program, which makes funding available for teaching development projects. The projects are intended to provide significant improvements in university teaching, learning and assessment, and in the status of teaching. From 1993 to 1996, six projects on CAL in agriculture were funded under the NTDG scheme (Appendix 3). Electronic Information Dissemination The project's World Wide Web page proved to be a timely and low cost means of servicing initial project enquiries. There appears to be good potential to disseminate initial and in-progress information on research projects, as well as more detailed information such as final reports in PDF format, by this medium. The project's electronic magazine had mixed success. It was well received by computer literate individuals and its 'advanced' features - such as search and bookmarking facilities and e-mail delivery mechanism - were viewed favourably. On the other hand, uptake was lower than expected and was influenced by uneven user skill levels. Despite this problem electronic magazine-type delivery offers several advantages, such as relatively low cost, timeliness and flexibility. Where user skills are adequate, these features make this delivery mechanism an attractive option.

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Recommendations Increases in the quality and quantity of CAL resources in agriculture will largely depend on the level of awareness and use of these resources, allied with developer skills and opportunities. Awareness and use in turn will largely depend on the general computer use skills of educators, as well as their access to information on CAL courseware, its use and implementation. To-date, most educators have acquired their computer use skills through their own private efforts. In the future it is hoped that educational institutions and systems will provide skills in this area through adequate undergraduate training and professional development programs. This expected increasing skill level of educators will lead to an increase in demand for information. The only significant on-going source of such information at present appears to be the Clearinghouse System, and specifically UniServe Science. However this source does not appear to be meeting the needs of agricultural educators. Because the Clearinghouse system is itself modelled on a UK initiative, it is worthwhile examining how this country approaches CAL in agriculture. CLUES The UK's Centre for Computer-based Learning in Land Use and Environmental Sciences (CLUES) is based at the University of Aberdeen and aims to enhance the quality of learning and increase the effectiveness of teaching in subjects relating to land use and environmental sciences within UK higher education through the application of computer-assisted learning (CAL) and other appropriate information technologies (IT), and to do this by: • promoting the effective implementation of CAL courseware and other applications of IT in teaching and learning, • disseminating information on the availability of CAL courseware and other applications of IT, • training and supporting staff in the creation of CAL courseware, • developing CAL courseware for teaching and learning in land use and environmental science subjects, and • carrying out research and development into the design, implementation and evaluation of CAL materials. The disciplines covered by the Centre are in agriculture, the applied biological sciences, the environmental and soil sciences, forestry, horticulture, and rural economics and business management. In fulfilling its responsibilities the Centre has established two divisions:

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CTI-CLUES for information dissemination, promotion of CAL and staff training; and TLTP-CLUES for CAL courseware development. CTI-CLUES: CTI-CLUES is part of the Computers in Teaching Initiative (CTI) project in Britain, which in 1991 established a network of centres throughout the country, one for each of 27 disciplines taught in their university system. CTI-CLUES publishes a regular newsletter covering topical issues in computer-assisted learning and providing practical advice on the implementation of information technology in education. The Centre also disseminates information through its Directory of Resources which contains information on CAL courseware packages and software tools, and on other useful resources such as journals and training materials. The Directory also contains an introduction to the application of computers in teaching and learning. In addition the Centre provides advice and support for educators through talks, software demonstrations and workshops held throughout the UK. Its subject-based User Group workshops, in areas such as soil science and rural business management, allow participants to examine and evaluate selected courseware and discuss strategies for effective implementation. TLTP-CLUES: CLUES is also the lead site for the Teaching and Learning Technology Programme Consortium for Courseware in Land Use and Environmental Sciences (TLTP-CLUES). The Consortium consists of 19 UK higher education institutions and is developing a range of Windows-based courseware modules. The Consortium has formed a number of subject expert groups to specify, develop, pilot and evaluate the modules. The courseware being produced are designed for widespread adoption in support of those parts of the curriculum common to most universities in the Consortium. Each module focuses on a discrete topic capable of use on its own or linked to other modules. The modules are self supporting, based on activity rich simulation models, databases and multimedia applications supported by dynamic tutorials and context sensitive help. They embody a problem-based approach to learning, designed to foster students' enthusiasm, involvement and self-reliance. The CLUES home page can be found at -

http://www.clues.abdn.ac.uk:8080/

An Australian CLUES CLUES uses a multifaceted approach - it aims to increase the awareness and use of CAL through research, promotion, staff development and the provision of information; as well as increasing the quality and quantity of resources through research, product development and training. While UniServe Science has similar, albeit more limited, goals it does not appear to fulfil the requirements of the agricultural education sector and there may be a case for establishing a CLUES-like organisation in Australia.

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While the size of the UK educational sector and market makes the provision of a specialised CAL in agriculture centre more viable than in Australia, this scale problem could be addressed by extending the scope of a local equivalent to include all levels of education and training. CLUES was established on the premise that economies are offered by developing products and services that meet the needs of a range of higher education institutions. Similar economies could be achieved by an organisation that serviced the secondary, tertiary and vocational education and training sectors. Extending the scope of a local CLUES to include the private sector would also help address the scale problem, as well as having other benefits for both the public and private sectors. As well as the benefits for teaching and learning, outlined above for CLUES UK, a broader based Australian body could help address some of the particular problems and opportunities encountered in this country: • Developer training and networking among participants could help overcome the skills base problem facing individual developers working in isolation and private sector input could help individual developers refine and market their products to a wider, including overseas, audience. • Improved communication between educators in different institutions and different education sectors, and software developers, would help identify specific CAL product needs, requirements and commonalities. • Joint venture and cooperative resource development, currently lacking in Australia, would be encouraged and facilitated. • Development and marketing funding issues could be addressed through direct action, facilitation, network development or by information distribution. • A 'critical mass' of products and resources could be achieved that would assist in the opening and development of export markets for quality Australian CAL resources. Given the possible benefits, further study on the potential for an Australian CLUES-like organisation is warranted. As a first step those bodies interested in the development of such an organisation should be identified and surveyed and more information gathered on the establishment, operation and funding of CLUES UK. Electronic Information Dissemination The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation and other funding bodies should consider making the establishment of a project World Wide Web page a requirement for all funded projects and should continue to expand their information publication program to include Web delivery of detailed final reports. Other electronic delivery mechanism, such as AgClass style electronic magazines, have potential for information dissemination where the potential user base possess adequate computer use skills. Apart from disseminating information on projects in progress, the

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mechanism has potential to supplement, and in time replace, paper-based vehicles such as organisation newsletters, reports and conference proceedings.

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Communications Strategy The outcomes of the project are being presented to users as articles in the final two issues (under current funding arrangements) of AgClass. The evaluation study found that the majority of subscribers want AgClass to continue. To-date, AgClass has been funded by the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation. Continued production beyond the end of 1997 will require the establishment of some alternative arrangement. The costs involved in producing AgClass include labour, office overheads and communication costs (Internet access, telephone, postage, etc) and are estimated at around $3,500 per issue. Evaluation study interviewees had a number of suggestions for the continued funding of AgClass, however the study did not go further and analyse likely funding mechanisms, make any concrete suggestions or provide any leads on funding sources. Suggested mechanisms included - • Sale of advertising space. • Charging developers for product reviews. • User subscription fees. • Government funding. • Institutional/Organisation funding. Advertising: Advertising or commercial sponsorship could be used to cover some of the cost of production, although given current user numbers and the resulting cost/benefit for advertisers it is hard to imagine that revenue from this source would be significant. Charging for product reviews: Like raising revenue through advertising, this mechanism would likely meet only a fraction of the cost of production, as well as raising issues of objectivity (if a developer is paying for a product review they would naturally want the review to be favourable!). Also, many of the products covered are available overseas or through free Internet download and it is unlikely that any revenue could be raised from reviewing these products. Subscription Fees: The evaluation study concluded that subscribers, on the whole, would be prepared to pay for AgClass. The tertiary institutions stated they would pay around $50 per year, while the schools named a lower figure. While the idea of subscription fees seems an inherently logical and fair means of funding, the amount that could be raised by this means (given current user numbers and the amounts quoted) would not be enough to cover

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production costs. Extra work, and therefore cost, would also be required to manage and maintain a paid subscription system. Government Departments: Funding from State or Commonwealth Government Departments of Education or Agriculture were frequently suggested by interviewees. In terms of the overall budget of these organisations the cost of supporting AgClass would be minuscule, particularly if several organisations contributed, and the security of funding (ie - not having to rely on uncertain paid subscription numbers or advertiser decisions) would be an advantage. The main problem with this mechanism is how to achieve it. It can be difficult and time consuming for someone outside an individual Government organisation to navigate the hierarchy and even find the right person to talk to. To achieve funding from this source would probably require a 'champion' within a Department who could shepherd the idea internally and promote the idea to other States and organisations. Without such a champion the chances of success are small and the effort required huge. Institutions or Organisations: Other institutions and organisations, such as Universities, Cooperative Research Centres and the National Farmers Federation, were mentioned as possible funding sources. These sources have similar advantages and disadvantages to those of government. While mechanisms for continuing AgClass beyond the end of 1997 will be pursued, unless some 'champion' comes forward who can internally promote the idea to relevant authorities, or some institution or organisation decides to 'adopt' AgClass, perhaps as part of a wider effort in promoting the use of CAL in agriculture, the chances of continued production are likely to be slim.

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Appendix 1: Text contents of AgClass Issues 1-3

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Appendix 2: The project’s World Wide Web Page

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Appendix 3 CAL in agriculture projects funded by the NTDG scheme For further information on these projects contact the relevant Project Leader(s). Interactive Computer Package For Teaching Land Degradation Issues For The Geosciences: An interactive computer package has been produced to assist students in learning about components of the hydrologic cycle; particularly those components which are important in driving land degradation processes. Students can select position in a hillscape transect, soil type, vegetation type, climatic zone and type, slope. The output for each combination is numeric and in some instances graphic. The output parameters include soil evaporation, plant transpiration, surface runoff, soil water drainage and change in water table height. Students can use this program in conjunction with prepared tutorial questions to further their understanding of elements of the hydrologic cycle and the impact of these elements on land degradation. Minimum computing requirements for this package are a 386DX with 4 Mb of RAM. Year of Funding: 1993 Host Institution: Charles Sturt University Project Leader(s): Dr Philip Louis Eberbach, S Black Contact Address: Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry Charles Sturt University School of Agriculture PO Box 588 Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 Telephone: (069) 22 2830 Facsimile: (069) 22 2812 E-mail: peberbach@zac.riv.csu.edu.au Agriculture and forestry in Victoria - knowledge integration skills with CAL: A key attribute demanded by employers of our students is the ability to integrate knowledge across a broad range of disciple areas. The ability cannot be acquired passively from lectures or reading alone, but rather, needs experiential learning. This is often not feasible or affordable to provide. Computer-aided learning (CAL) proves a partial solution to this problem when combined with a change in pedagogy. The aim of this project is to build the CAL resources needed to provide experiential learning for students of agricultural and forest sciences in accompaniment with a pedagogical shift in focus from lectures to exploratory learning and the revision and expansion of the text "Agriculture in Victoria" (Conara & Smith, 1987). Years of Funding: 1994, 1995 Host Institution: University of Melbourne Leader: Dr G M Rimmington Partners: D Connor, D MacLaren, B Leur, B Hosking, A Egan Contact Address: Faculty of Agriculture & Forestry University of Melbourne Parkville VIC 3052 Telephone: (03) 344 5021 Facsimile: (03) 347 7359 E-mail: gmr@agriculture.unimelb.edu.au Developing integrative, assessment and management abilities in pasture agronomy: The purpose of this project is to develop a computer-aided learning program in pasture agronomy. This will assist

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undergraduate students to integrate knowledge from lectures, practical classes and field demonstrations to enhance the development of problem solving and decision making skills. The package will help overcome a substantial constraint to achieving this aim - the limited opportunity for paddock visits and participation in paddock assessment procedures. It will provide illustrated case studies and supporting information which students can compare with specified field situations or use interactively in simulated field exercises to explore alternative solutions to management problems. The program will be designed to be of value also to other users, eg farmers and agribusiness personnel. Year of Funding: 1995 Host Institution: University of Adelaide Leader: Dr P G Tow Contact Address: Department of Agronomy & Farming Systems University of Adelaide Roseworthy SA 5371 Telephone: (08) 303 7857 Facsimile: (085) 24 8065 ICLASM: interactive computer learning and soil management: Currently the introductory soil science course for agriculture and science students is heavily based on imparting information and the learning of facts in a surface manner. The course needs development to encourage deeper student thinking and application to problem situations. Expansion of the course from 6 to 8 units in 1995 gives the opportunity to design and employ computer-interactive tutorial sessions to improve understanding, depth of learning, and application, in several ways. i. Information from lectures and practicals will be presented in a new relational graphic/text format to aid deeper appreciation, revision and learning. ii. The inter-relationship of information will be emphasised by the use of dynamic interactive models where students can change the parameters and observe the consequences. iii. Information will be used in problem solving situations to encourage relational thinking. Here, the dynamic models will serve a double role in immediately demonstrating the effects of wrong management decisions on the soil. Year of Funding: 1995 Host Institution: University of Sydney Leader: A/Prof A J Koppi Partner: A McBratney Contact Address: Department of Agricultural Chemistry/Soil Science University of Sydney NSW 2006 Telephone: (02) 692 3578 Facsimile: (02) 692 3706 E-mail: tony.koppi@cropsci.su.edu.au

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Facilitating independent student learning through a computer simulated animal dissection: The aim of this project is to build an interactive computer simulated animal dissection to facilitate students' learning of the anatomy and physiology of animals. Using this simulation, students will be able to learn independently and will have control of their learning strategy. They will also be able to expand their studies to animals which are not available for dissection. A major objective in second year Agriculture is for students to learn the structure and function of animals. While this is best done through hands-on experience, animal dissections are costly exercises for domestic animal species and cannot be done at all in the case of native animals. This computer simulation will allow students to explore directly how animals function, independently and at their own pace. Year of Funding: 1996 Host Institution: University of Western Australia Project Leader: Dr R Bencini Contact Address: Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture University of Western Australia Nedlands WA 6907 Telephone: (09) 380 2521 Facsimile: (09) 380 1040 E-mail: rbencini@uniwa.uwa.edu.au Improved experiential learning about land and water resources management: This project aims to develop and evaluate a computer aided learning (CAL) package which will utilise a range of media techniques--including text, sound, diagram, picture, animation and cartoons--to present subject matter in an interesting, interactive and effective format. The package will assist students in understanding and interpreting their practical experiences in land and water resources management. It will totally support the practical experience which is so important in problem-based, experiential and self-directed learning programs. Student learning in the subjects using the proposed CAL package will be enhanced because the students will develop an understanding of the basic concepts involved while working at their own pace and time and in a self-directed mode. The package will be readily integrated into the University's programs due to flexibility provided by the self-directed and experiential nature of its courses and is expected to be used by students enrolled in similar subjects related to agriculture, engineering and environmental sciences at other universities in Australia. Year of Funding: 1996 Host Institution: University of Western Sydney Project Leader(s): Dr B L Maheshwari, Mr J Zarb, Prof P Cornish Contact Address: School of Agriculture and Rural Development University of Western Sydney Richmond NSW 2753 Telephone: (045): 701 235 Facsimile: (045): 701 750 E-mail: b.maheshwari@uws.edu.au

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References Aitken, Lyn and Foster, John 1997. Computer-Aided Learning (CAL) in Agriculture: A Rural Industries Research and Development (RIRDC) funded Project. An independent evaluation for Primesoft Solutions. Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Pest management. Brisbane. Hele, Anthony E 1996. Survey of attitudes to CAL conducted at the National Association of Educators Conference, VCAH Dookie. Primesoft Solutions Unpublished monogram. Johnston, Ian 1995. Why read another newsletter? UniServe Science News Vol 1. Nicol, Jacqui and Heath, Simon 1994. Directory of resources for computer based learning in Land Use and Environmental Sciences. CTI Centre for Land Use and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen.