Society-Ready Graduates
Multi-media Classroom for Teacher Preparation

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. The program expanded to include web-casting options in 2001.

Impact
The program is reaching a record number of undergraduate and graduate students, and educators in the field of agricultural education. So far, 127 clients who otherwise would not have been able to continue their education, have completed distance education courses in teacher preparation. 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.

"This technology enabled me to complete my degree without traveling 230 miles or paying the added expense. I was able to see the professor on video, and could still interact and ask questions by email."

–Agricultural education teacher at Cibola High School, 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

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