Innovative E-technologies for
Distance Education and
Extension/Outreach
K. Ramesh Reddy
Soil and Water Science Department
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
Strengthen and enhance knowledge transfer and
learning materials
Develop partnerships among participating institutions to
employ available Information and Communication
Technologies to foster individual and institutional
capacity
Improve skills and applications of innovative
e-technologies through knowledge sharing, increasing
digital learning resources and training
Capacity Building in
Soil, Water, and
Environmental Sciences
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Highlights / Key Successes – UF- Soil and Water Science
Distance Education Programs
Use of innovative e-technologies to teach DE courses
Online collaborative software (live interaction
between instructors & students)
Digital recordings
Virtual computer lab
A wide range of DE courses
Dedicated and highly motivated instructors
Vision and institutional support to build successful DE
programs
3
Educational Programs
Graduate education/training
Undergraduate education/training
Distance education programs
Certificate programs
Short courses
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UF- Soil and Water Science
Gainesville
MFREC - Apopka
IRREC - Ft Pierce
TREC – Homestead
SWFREC – Immokalee
EREC - Belle Glade
NWFREC – Quincy
GCREC – Balm
RCREC – Ona
Milton Campus
Ft Lauderdale
CREC - Lake Alfred
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Whitney Lab – St. Augustine
College of Agricultural and
Life Sciences [CALS] [Off-Campus Programs]
B.S. Degree Programs: Landscape & Nursery Management
Turfgrass
Natural Resource Conservation
Agribusiness Management
Agricultural Education
Geomatics
Entomology
Environmental Horticulture
Environmental Management
Distance Education
M.S. Degree
Programs
• Agricultural Education and
Communication
• Entomology and Nematology
• Family Youth and Community Science
• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• Forest Resources and Conservation
• Soil and Water Science … over 150+ courses in
DE mode (CALS) 6
Educational Tracks
Soil and Water Science
Environmental Science
Agro-ecology [jointly with Agronomy Department]
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Certificate Programs-
Campus/Distance Education
Land Resource Management
Soil Ecosystem Services
Wetland and Water Resource
Management
Bioremediation
Soil, Water and Public Health
[12 credits]
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Course management systems (Sakai)
Online communication: Adobe Connect
Recorded lectures
Webinars
Chat sessions (synchronous mode)
Virtual machines / virtual computer labs
EcoLearnIT RLO system
E-Technologies Used
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Recorded Lecture [Adobe Connect]
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Video /
audio
Power Point
http://mbreeze.ifas.ufl.edu
Adobe Connect - Chat Session
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Text chat Video /
audio
Power Point
Writing Board
– Tablet PC
Participants/
Audio
http://mbreeze.ifas.ufl.edu
• The World of Water
• Agriculture and Environmental Quality
• Soils in the Environment
• Environmental Biogeochemistry
• Environmental Nutrient Management
• Environmental Pedology
• Ecology of Waterborne Pathogens
• Soil Microbial Ecology
• Soil Physics
• Soil, Water, and Public Health
• GIS in Soil and Water Science
• Wetlands
Undergraduate Courses
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• Soils for Environmental Professionals
• Biodegradation and Bioremediation
• Biogeochemistry of Wetlands
• Environmental Biogeochemistry
• Environmental Nutrient Management
• Environmental Pedology
• Ecology of Waterborne Pathogens
• Hydric Soils
• Reusable Learning Objects
• Soil Chemistry
• Soil Contamination and Remediation
• Soil Microbial Ecology
• Soil Physics
• Soil, Water, and Landuse
• Soil, Water, and Public Health
• GIS in Land and Water Resources
• Water Resource Sustainability
• Wetlands and Water Quality
Graduate Courses
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EcoLearnIT - RLO System
http://ecolearnit.ifas.ufl.edu/
Sabine Grunwald
Professor
Soil and Water Science
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Global Education Platform
International Education Center A Consortium of
Educators in Agriculture,
Natural Resources, and
the Environment
ICRISAT
International Crops Research
Institute for Semiarid Tropics 15
Global Education Platform -
International Education Center [IEC]
Program examples On-site short courses
On-line courses
Graduate student training
Undergraduate research experience
Short-term training
Technology and knowledge transfer
Symposia and workshops
Joint education and research proposals
Other mutually beneficial activities
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Global Education Platform -
International Education Center [IEC]
Global Consortium CG centers
USA -select universities
India – ICAR and select universities
Select universities in Africa
Brazil - EMBRAPA
China
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http://ufonline.ufl.edu/
http://soils.ifas.ufl.edu/
http://cals.ufl.edu
For additional information visit: