USING INTERACTIVE TELEVISON AND WEB-CONFERENCING SOFTWARE TO TEACH MASTER GARDENER CLASSES
Proposed by: Tim Baker
Presenters: Baker, T. , Regional Horticulture Specialist (Northwest), University of Missouri Extension, Gallatin, MO 64640
Fowler, T.R., Regional Horticulture Specialist (Northwest), University of Missouri Extension, St. Joseph, MO 64507
Quinn, J.T, Regional Horticulture Specialist (Central), University of Missouri Extension, Jefferson City, MO 65101
Increasing costs and decreasing travel budgets are limiting the amount of support that state specialists based on campus can give to local Master Gardener classes for live instruction. This gives local Master Gardener coordinators two options: Teach all the classes themselves, or go to Internet-based technology to use other faculty who can teach topics in their specialty.
Starting in 2007, the two Horticulture Specialists in Missouri’s Northwest Extension Region decided to use Internet-based technology to coordinate multiple Master Gardener training sites. Many of these sites were located in counties with low populations. By using Internet technology, we could support small class sizes in counties that otherwise could not justify a regular class with live presentations.
The first two years used interactive television. While this worked well, it eliminated potential training sites that did not have this technology. The third year, we added web-conferencing software. This worked so well that we decided in the fourth year to eliminate interactive television.
This presentation will explore the use of these technologies, including positive and negative factors. If an Internet connection is available during the actual presentation, we will demonstrate the use of web-conferencing software by contacting an off-site Horticulture Specialist who can give a short PowerPoint presentation as part of the program.