ERIC Number: EJ1366760
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1049-4820
EISSN: EISSN-1744-5191
Available Date: N/A
Benefits and Challenges of Online Instruction in Agriculture and Natural Resource Education
Joshi, Omkar; Chapagain, Binod; Kharel, Gehendra; Poudyal, Neelam C.; Murray, Bryan D.; Mehmood, Sayeed R.
Interactive Learning Environments, v30 n8 p1402-1413 2022
Many land-grant institutions with agriculture and natural resource programs in the United States offer online courses to meet student demand. The goal of this study was to understand how major educational stakeholders, including instructors and students, perceive the benefits and limitations of online teaching and learning in agriculture and natural resource sciences. This study utilized a mixed mode data collection method, which involved informal meetings as well as online survey administration. The data were analyzed through strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT)-Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP) framework. The study results offer novel perspectives on the perceived utility and challenges of several attributes of online learning including work-home balance, lack of social interactions, virtual classroom opportunities for working professionals, and academic integrity and cyber scam issues among others. Our findings may be beneficial to academic administrators, instructors, and institutions in identifying opportunities, challenges, and adopting programmatic strategies to improve effectiveness of online learning.
Descriptors: Online Courses, Distance Education, Electronic Learning, Web Based Instruction, Agricultural Education, Natural Resources, Land Grant Universities, Educational Benefits, Family Work Relationship, Interpersonal Relationship, Virtual Classrooms, Integrity, Computer Security, Barriers, Program Effectiveness
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A