Digital Literacy for Agricultural Professionals

Evaluation Report

 

Number of Respondents 11
How did you most commonly access this course ? Company (office) LAN = 3
Internet Cafe = 5
Home (dialup) = 2
Hours you required per week to complete all lessons range = 5 - 14

average = 8

Minimum time per week participants should expect to spend on this course range = 5 - 14

average = 7

   
Course Content - Quality and Usefulness
 

The most vital information required in order to make improvements in this course include your assessments of the Quality of the content of the various lessons as well as the Usefulness of the information they contain.  Quality is judged based primarily on the accuracy and completeness of the information.  Usefulness is judged based on the relevance and importance of the information to you in your work. 

   
 

Quality

  

Usefulness
 Lessons
 		  
Module 1. Welcome to Digital Literacy for Agricultural Professionals 5 4 1     2 6 2  

Email

 3 5 3     2 7 2  

Email Management

 6 5       5 5 1  

Using the course discussion board

 4 5       4 4 2  
                   
Module 2. Introduction to Online Learning 4 6 1     2 6 2  

How do online courses work?

3 7 1     1 8 1  

Tips for online learning success

4 5 1     4 5 1  
                   
Module 3. Searching for Information 6 4 1     4 5 1  

Listserv

 3 6 2       6 4  
Search tools 5 5 1     2 7 1  
                   
Module 4. Internet Tips and Tricks 3 6 2     3 4 4  

Virus protection

 3 3 5     2 3 6  

Dealing with PDF

 4 6 1     4 5 2  

Using the windows clipboard

 2 7 2     5 3  

 

                  
Module 5. Course Project 5 5 1     5 6    
   

Are there any additional topics you feel we should add to this course?

  • I think that facilitators should assign the group leaders than letting the group select by themselves. This might is the constraint of online learning, especially when participants do not meet each other face to face - so a bit difficult to select proper group leader.

  • you can recommend some good website related to agriculture to the new comer

  • Maybe the usefullness of video conferencing, even not all of the country have a good phone line, but it's worth to try.

  • maybe some simple principles about web sites and web pages; add links to popular document reading programs like acobat reader or ghostview.

  • Tha practical things/tips on email .

  • Using databases and boolean searches should be a seperate exercise

  • Additional topic should be on preparation of a web page, converting into html format and putting it in the server of aprtc (or any such server) as an exercise to the participants

  • What about the basics of creating one's own website, or should that be another course by itself?

  • On Line confressing once a week must be added

  • Information on interner telephone is required to be incorporated

  • More information about the structure on line, net

Any specific comments or recommendations on how to improve Module 1?

  • list more e-mail providers; show links to some existing excellent discussion boards on the internet

  • In email management maybe you should add an instruction for Lotus notes user. Because until now I still have a few thing confused about using Lotus Notes.

  • Good

  • Ok

  • No suggestions

  • I found getting into the discussion board a bit slow, but I guess it may be from my end too. It was relatively fast getting into the APRTC site, but moving around in the discussion board vicinity was a little slow.

  • More training on email management. The participants could have been asked to use the online discussion board continuosly till the end of the course. Or new discussion boards could have been started for each exercise.

  • Module I is just right to break in the participant

Any specific comments or recommendations on how to improve Module 2?

  • It has a good material

  • We could have been provided with a list of online courses on different fields of agriculture offered by various universities worldwide

  • The readings I have been getting are excellent. Thanks for that. One cannot get such good readings except from people who know their Internet stuff. Many thanks to Alex and Anshuman for the many sources given.

  • On-line chating among professionals through chat room

  • Ok

  • how to go a library?

Any specific comments or recommendations on how to improve Module 3?

  • how to choose good word key/

  • ok

  • NO suggessions

  • I have been getting quite a few pieces of information from the aiaee listserv I subscribed to - mostly recruiting notices in the Agriculture, Ag Extension and Education areas. Quite interesting. I will hang on to this site for some time.

  • challenging one another on searching was really fun. It really was a good idea. Subscribing to list serv was also very useful. As people found it difficult to search out their listserv using the tools, you could have provided some more clues or links to their listservs of interest particularly those related to Agriculture
Any specific comments or recommendations on how to improve Module 4?
  • For virus protection, you could have provided more information on how big organizations are protecting themselves from viruses.

    Tips on Management of pdf files were useful (on viewing as html, downloading the pdf file instead of opening the pdf files directly from the site etc.)

    It is good idea to ask participants to judge others documents. But you should also rate the documents based on the requirements (such as use of graphics, pdf files, small file size, relevance of document etc) and tell the rating made by facilitators to particpants before the end of the course. This is because everyone sees the document from only the relevance point of view and how colourful it is (I think so)

  • I have put the usefulness as acceptable for this module because I am not in control of our virus protection system. I have notified our LAN manager, but he said has been making noises in our headquarters for some time now.

  • Ok

  • Good
Any specific comments or recommendations on how to improve Module 5?
  • Good
  • Ok
  • As this has been an independent effort on the part of each participant, I guess I have no comment to add. Many thanks for quite an eye opener into the Internet.
  • It really is a good exercise to ask us to prepare a document from the web. This is an exercise which will help us write articles in future in the web, if necessity arises. Your tips on how to evaluate websites and how to write refernces for web based articles were really useful
   

Interactions - Quality and Usefulness

 

We firmly believe that it is through interactions that real learning takes place.  This course uses a number of mechanisms to encourage interactions.  Interactions between participants and the content, interactions among participants and interactions between the facilitators and the participants.  We are, therefore very interested in hearing your assessments of both the quality and usefulness of the various forms of interaction. 

   
 

Quality

  

Usefulness

Interaction Mechanism

 

  
Discussion boards 3 5 1 2   3 4 2 1
Course listserv 3 7 1     1 6 3  
Group discussion board(to those who work in group) 4 4 3     4 3 3  
Group email(to those who work in group) 3 4 2 1   4 4 2  
Send email function 4 5 1 1   4 5 1 1
Chat 1   4 5   2 1 4 3
Exercises 4 5 1     3 6 1 1
Project (individual or group) 4 5 1     4 4 2  
   

Facilitators

 

We believe that the key to success of any educational activity is the skill and commitment of the facilitators.  Your assessment of their qualities can provide valuable feedback on how to do the job better.  Below we have listed several important factors that define a good and effective facilitator.  Please give us your assessment of the facilitators involved in this course by clicking the circle most closely approximating your opinion.

   
 

 Qualities
 
Knowledge of subject area 8 3    
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively 7 3   1
Uses personal and professional examples to stimulate discussion 5 5   1
Interacts on a regular, timely basis 4 5 1 1
Skill in keeping the class motivated 4 6 1  
Works with lurkers 3 4 2 1
Responds to student questions in a timely and consistent manner 6 3 1 1
Monitors student learning groups and encourages collaboration 5 6    
Overall rating of the facilitators 6 4 1  
         
   
Additional comments regarding the course facilitators.
  • Please guide more on group working
  • All the facilitators are very polite and patient
  • You are all good in keeping and motivating the class participants to interact and active.
  • Course facilitators did wonders in extracting cooperation from such a diverse group of learners and enfusing motivation to learn new things.
  • Excellent
  • There was no proper guidnce for computer illiterate students
  • At least one facililator is needed to chat online 3 hours per day on the specified period ,so if we have any instasnt problem in completing the exercises , we can ask question quickly through chat and not to wait for next day.
  • As a group you were all excellent, friendly, encouraging and did a tremendous job.
  • Ms. Pipot Abdon has been very systematic and on time in various activities relating our course. She was very prompt in getting our feedback about the functioning of course website. She provided her replies on time to our queries. The weekly announcements were prompt and also her encouragement to lurkers. She was very cardial and warm. She created group email and discussion board to aid us in online discussion.

    Mr. Anshuman Kohli has been all along with us during this course. He evaluated us promptly as and when we completed the exercises. He gave his opinion and guidance whenever sought for without any delay. He reminded lurkers and encouraged them to finish fast. Even at times when we were busy with our pressing works he prompted and reminded us to allot some more time to the course. His committment to the conduct of this course is really commendable.

    Mr. Alexander Cosico gave us lot of technical terms (a tech term a day for 42 days) on computer and improved our literacy on computers. He also gave very prompt replies to our queries on tech terms.

    Ms. Criselda Ramos was with us during the first 2 weeks. She was very active and gave us tips on configuring outlook to receive hotmail account mails. She gave us good summaries on Week 1 and 2.

  • In this part of the review, would it be possible to make provision for not applicable? For example - works with lurkers. I don't who the lurkers were except the facilitators, or am I missing an important clue?

  • Very helpful in learning
   
Course Functionality
   
 

 

Features
 
Ease of use for submitting assignments 6 4 1  
Ease of use for posting messages to discussion boards 4 6 1  
Ease of use for sending emails 5 5 1  
Ease of navigation 4 5 1  
Ability to facilitate group work 5 3 2  
Appearance (user interface) 6 2 2 1
Compatibility with your computer and networking setup 5 3 3  
Reliability (i.e. bug free) 5 2 3 1
         
   

General

In addition to content and facilitation there are several other factors that contribute to the overall quality of an online course.  Below we have listed some of the most important. 

   
 

 
Additional factors
 
Course structure 4 6 1  
Ease of access under your circumstances 4 4 3  
Duration of the course 5 1 5  
Time required to complete all exercises 3 3 5  
Difficulty of exercises 2 4 4 1
Reading level of lessons 5 1 5  
Amount of fun 3 4 2 2
Overall rating of the course 6 2 3  
   
Do you feel that there is a need and/or demand for training on Digital Literacy among your colleagues? YES = 8   NO = 3
Do you think online learning is an appropriate way to provide Digital Literacy for your colleagues? YES = 10   NO = 0
Would you be interested in participating in another online APRTC course? YES = 9   NO = 1
Do you think US$225 is a reasonable amount to charge for this course? YES = 6   NO = 4
 
What do you like best in this course?
  • The three first modules arrangement
  • The way the course is organized
  • To creat a list and chat together
  • The discussion boards and search engines
  • ICQ learning and email administration
  • I would like this space to comment on preceding question about $225 for this course.I believe the course is valuable and it is difficult to asses the cost for all the worth we learned.So $ 225 is justified.However if this can be paid by the institution one is working with then more participants may be encouraged .I liked the enthusiasm of the facilitators,content of this course and the utility of the skills acquired in this course to improve our career as well.
  • continues communication
  • Mail management, online library, group work
  • Facilitators' helps
  • The chance to be in onlihne contact with so many people and
    Getting together the course project
  • The best in this course was
    1) framing challenge question on searching from web and
    2) Preparing the course project
  • Everything
  • I liked the whole facilitation process and the information that was given. Lastly, but not least I guess the personalities of the facilitators who communicated with us made themselves manifest in this course.
  • The education given by Alex
  • Interactive way of learning
  • Quick and lovely response from facilitators is excellent.all the lessons are most important.
  • Searching, chat
  • I like best my facilitator Alexender and Pipot

What do you like least in this course?

  • None
  • Difficult question to answer.I will love to fail to answer this.
  • doing any exercises
  • virus protection
  • The groupwork/project
  • The 4th and the 5th modules arrangement ( no enough time to read all references )
  • working between my group members
  • Chatting was not good
  • The unreliability of send e-mail function and chat facility
  • Not talking to the facilitators and the participants.
  • The online and general discussion boards being abondoned by participants within first 2-3 weeks after start of course.
  • May be the chat room coz when I am online I never get to chat with anybody i.e. India time 10.30pm and after

Please give us any specific comments or recommendations on how this course could be improved?

  • more concern on participants from countries where English is secondary language through an improvement of introducing easier readings
  • guide more during gathering informations/working in teams
  • Find a place in your website to talk freely like the way of ICQ
  • Always updating and follow the technology growth.
  • Since this is the foundation stage of on-line learning,it is enough at this stage.Next stage should include the discussions where the content has to be evaluated thorougly and only valid comments should be allowed in the reports.
  • Might need some reward and punishment system so that we highly committed to work on the corse.
  • I think the course is useful and appropriate.
  • May be the course have more 02 weeks : one for chat and one more for topic's report.
  • The discussion board definitely needs improvement. After two weeks we feel like we have to wade through a sea of messages and sometimes pasting a message takes so much time
  • The course chat facility may be given a facelift. The partcipants and facilitators may asked for a convenient time daily (or some days of a week) when they can sit for chatting and the same may be provided as information in the course web page. This will help other participants and facilitators to come together online at a given time in a day.
  • Very Good
  • As this is still experimental, what I would like to see in the near future, what I would like to see in future is at least one session where 'netcorders' are used so people can talk to and see each other. Many thanks for the wonderful course.
  • Should be made more popular
  • chatting among facililators and students is required for a pre decided period every day.
  • how to accept about the time.
    1. Facilitators must be online most of the time
    2. Quizes should be improved