"Establishing Online and Mobile Based Agriculture and Natural Resource Education Modules: A New Model for Design and Delivery to Impact Student and Faculty Success"

Author

Christopher Alan Clemons, Southern Illinois University CarbondaleFollow

Date of Award

5-1-2015

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Agricultural Sciences

First Advisor

Pense, Seburn

Abstract

Volery and Lord noted that the rapid expansion of the Internet will play a pivotal role in the delivery mediums in which education is provided. My dissertation addresses the potential best methodology for developing more effective instruction through Internet based learning. Previous research has identified various aspects related to student learning in online settings, the Internet as a core delivery platform for information, student learning styles, and gender as a component of student success in online platforms. This study was motivated by three research goals: (1) Assess the essential components for an effective open campus model, (2) identify and analyze stakeholder perceptions of factors influencing the design, development, implementation of online coursework, and perceptions by instructional design themes (3) utilize data from literature, respondent questionnaires, agricultural learning modules, and agricultural stakeholder perceptions to propose a model for open online course design and faculty implementation of best teaching methodologies related to online instructional delivery. Using the Delphi Model for consensus, three expert panels (undergraduate agriculture students, secondary agriculture teachers, and post secondary agriculture education faculty) identified the vital components for online course frameworks addressing instructional design, application of course content, and collaborative education models within online learning platforms. To illustrate the objectives of this study, the findings support the proposal and development of the Unified Model for Online Learning and System Design.