Introduction to Integated Pest Management

Evaluation Report

 

Number of Respondents 10
How did you most commonly access this course ? Company (office) LAN = 7
Internet Cafe = 1
Home (dialup) = 2
Hours you required per week to complete all lessons range = 4-10+

average = 7

Minimum time per week participants should expect to spend on this course range = 4-15

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. Defining IPM 7 3       6 4    

Introductions

 6 3 1     6 4    

Evaluating definitions

 6 3 1     6 3 1  

Writing a personal definition

 4 5 1     5 1 4  
                   
Module 2. IPM Foundation Principles and Concepts 5 4 1     7 2 1  

Agroecosystems and agroecology

 6 3 1     7 2 1  

Analyzing an agroecosystem

 4 5 1     3 6 1  

Economic principles

 7 2 1     6 3 1  
Economic thresholds 5 4       5 5    
Agrobiological effects of chemical pesticides 6 4       6 1 1  
                   
Module 3. Tools, Methods and Tactics of IPM 7 2   1   7 3    

Preventative methods

 7 3       7 3    
Intervention tactics 6 4       6 4    

Regulatory approaches

 5 3 2     6 3 1  
                   
Module 4. Intervention 6 3 1     5 4 1  

Evaluting potential preventative options

 6 3 1     6 1 1  

Determining pest population dynamics

 5 4 1     6 4    

Selecting an intervention

 6 4       7 3    

Designing an IPM program

 6 3 1     6 3 1  
Evaluating an IPM program 4 3 2 1   5 2 2 1
   

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

  • Dr. Barfield's comments re- plants' defensive mechanisms against pest attack.

  • Estimation procedures like specific methods to determine injury/damage per pest level.

  • the topics selected are excellent, sufficient for preliminary courses. further courses may have a single crop vs. various pest, vice versa, or region wise

  • List and role of beneficials on pest population

  • Integrated Nutrient Management in Rice.

  • Crop simulation modelling

  • Soil pollution

  • Just enough for an intro to ipm course considering the time frame alloted for each topic

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

  • Feedback from facilitators to ideas from participants

  • I think there is an overload of definitions if one goes through the links

  • Module 1 is adequate

  • It is perfect

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

  • How to do agroecosystem analysis.

  • regarding simulations I have already discussed with Jonathan woods. really most enjoyed the games but i have not paid much attention in sending the results (not serious)- just sent what all observations I made during the play

  • Simplifly for this: Introduction to IPM course. Feeling to complicated for industry people ?

  • Module 2 is adequate

  • It is perfec

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

  • the lessons are very clear. one can finish their assignments based on that. very useful

  • More on field monitoring techniques, how to's.

  • I like Module 3 because it is very comprehensive in terms of contents. But I feel that the module needs a little bit of reorganisation. I say this because of the following:

    1. It was sometimes quite hazy to me what was meant by methods, tools and tactics. Questions that arose in my mind included the following: Do these three mean the same thing? If not, which are the tools, which are the methods and which are the tactics?
    2. Assignment 10: Because it was not clear to me which were the tools, methods and tactics, I was not quite certain how to select my topics for this assignment.

  • As had been raised in the discussion board, the use of terminology shoud be clarified. Does IPM tools refer to the general cllsification of interventions such such cultural, biological, etc. or does it refer to specific tools like multi-cropping, release of trichogramma, crop rotation, etc.

    And as I have suggested in the discussion board, the assignment on IPM intervention should be area specific, meaning, what are the current interventions applied or used in a specific area so we would know the IPM practices in different parts of the world.

  • It is perfect
Any specific comments or recommendations on how to improve Module 4?
  • Estimation procedures
  • i have a strong feeling that like "Indonesian rice IPM", Indian as well as other countries IPM on various crops would emerge shortly with the contributions of all our facilitators (especially John wightmaan)and grass root level workers, professionals like Anand etc.

    thank you for opening our eyes towards IPM

  • I feel too complicated, moreover the assignments for 2 weeks. Prefer the assignment was set for weekly.

  • review other assignment to avoid the repetition.

  • I am also a bit confused in this part. Does recommendaiton here refer to actual implementation of specific tools (i.g. proper use of light trap) or does it refer to the overall management of IPM implementation (i.e. intensive information campaign on the improtance and relevance of IPM)?

  • Module 4 is excellent in terms of content and purpose. However, it has quite a few assignments, many of which require a bit of researching before compilation. I feel that 2 weeks is too short for a comfortable pace. Secondly, I was not too sure what to do with assignment 18. Perhaps a more guided approach in the course material will help
   

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 4 4   2   7 2   1
Course email function 6 2 2     7 1 1 1
Assignments 7 1   2   6 2 2  
Interactive Simulations 7 1 1 1   8 1 1  
- Crop production 8 2       7 3    
- Economic injury level 7 2 1     6 4    
- Pesticide resistance 7 3       6 4    
- Removal of natural enemies 8 2       8 2    
- Hormoligosis 7 3 6 4    
- Removal of competitors 7 3       7 2 1  
   

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 6 4    
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively 8 1 1  
Uses personal and professional examples to stimulate discussion 5 4 1  
Interacts on a regular, timely basis 5 3 1 1
Skill in keeping the class motivated 5 4   1
Works with lurkers 6 1   2
Responds to student questions in a timely and consistent manner 6 2   2
Monitors student learning groups and encourages collaboration 4 4 1 1
Overall rating of the facilitators 5 3 1  
         
   
Additional comments regarding the course facilitators.
  • More communication among facilitators
  • To grade the assignments need so long time? What about the feedback to questions came from pareticipants esp. at the end of course.
  • good work, give them a early bonus
  • The facilitators are really good and the presence of a "guest facilitator" is really a plus but I noticed there is one facilitator who has not reacted at all in the discussion boards and in the our assignments.
  • All the facilitators done their job well and ggod. i have no words to express my gratitude to all of them
  • They all did excellently. They provided timely feeedback for all assignments and rendered constructive critisms all the time. This kept my interest level high, and I learnt a lot on how to repsond to those I teach also.
  • They all did excellently. They provided timely feeedback for all assignments and rendered constructive critisms all the time. This kept my interest level high, and I learnt a lot on how to repsond to those I teach also.
  • I think the facilitators should also share their own definition of what IPM is for the benefit of the participants, and for everybody to have a deeper knowledge of the ipm definition
   
Course Functionality
   
 

 

Features
 
Ease of use for submitting assignments 5 4   1
Ease of use for posting messages to discussion boards 7 1 1 1
Ease of use for sending emails 6 3 1  
Ease of navigation 4 4 2  
Ability to facilitate group work 2 3 1 1
Appearance (user interface) 3 6 1  
Compatibility with your computer and networking setup 5 4 1  
Reliability (i.e. bug free) 7 2    
         
   

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 5   1
Ease of access under your circumstances 2 5 2 1
Duration of the course 4 3 2 1
Time required to complete all exercises 4 2 1 3
Difficulty of exercises 4 1 4  
Reading level of lessons 5 4    
Creates a sense of community 3 5 1 1
Amount of fun 4 4 1 1
Overall rating of the course 5 4 1  
   
Do you feel that there is a need and/or demand for training on Integrated Pest Management among your colleagues? YES = 9     NO = 1
Do you think online learning is an appropriate way to provide IPM training for your colleagues? YES = 8     NO = 2
Would you be interested in participating in another online APRTC course? YES = 10    NO = 0
Do you think US$225 is a reasonable amount to charge for this course? YES = 6     NO = 2
 
What do you like best in this course?
  • Getting to communicate with participants you have yet to meet in person.
  • Overall, the course made us to learn a lot, simualtions are quite interesting. Ofcourse, all other assignments are also enjoyable (including IPM definition. The immediate response from some of the facilitators is really encouraging. Especially discussion board. It has been structured well. but still, I have a strong doubt, despite its application in today's agriculture, though we had 24 participants? initially, there were very few who took active participation until today. what happend to others?- something wrong in selection? or last interest half the way (insufficient information or interaction). but I will not agree with this, as I know Lut reminded everybody during mid of the course.

    But what I feel is if the whole class participate actively it would have been more lively. more interaction more news, more learning would slowly change this small world???

    sometime i felt that i am chatting in the class room

  • Simulations

  • Simulation

  • I like the simulations best not because it is the best among the rest (I really think all parts of the course are excellent)but because it is the first time I used simulaitons for learning.

  • Simulation programmes

  • The course content is comprehensive, user-friendly, and very good for anyone with little or no knowledge of IPM. The interactive component is fun. I also liked the opportunity to 'meet' people from different parts of the world.

  • The module 4 but I have limited time to accomplish all the assignments due

  • simulations

What do you like least in this course?

  • Discussion board do not express often class participation.
  • nothing - except for our server's trouble
  • It's more demanding than we think.
  • Too short time for module 4, but I wouldn't want any of the assignments to be removed. They are all extremely useful.

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

  • On e-mails - the replies should have auto cc to all participants/facilitators. As Dr. Barfield suggested add something on plants' defensive mechanism or defense against pest damage which are lost in breeding for high yield alone.
  • more motivation is required. course evaluation form should have one more category (as any other)- to fillin with one or more words For eg. Do you feel that there is a need and/or demand for training on Integrated Pest Management among your colleagues? it is most relevant course, but fortunately me & SMV are aleady in the course No others are working in this line, so I am bound to tick "No". that would give totally different meaning and it would ultimately affect ranking another eg. is difficulty of exercises- the categories mentioned may not be relevant ( as such we never faced any difficulties)- trouble shooter is only our servers.
  • Prior to do the first assignment, what about if there is a grading of participant interest on the course content? and indicate the outcomes (in general) to the class.
  • compress some assignment that almost the same results
  • This course is a useful and effective method of teaching IPM, particularly to implementors. It would be very good to promote this to government agencies (dept of agriculture) and other NGOs so that technicians and agri development workers will disseminate IPM to the final users, the farmers. Two hundered and twenty five dollars (225 dollars) at 50 pesos amounts to 11,250 PHp. Although, in dollars, there is no question regarding the worth of the sessions, but in terms of its peso equivalent, it is too much for those using the peso currency. It would help a lot if the training rate will be adjusted to cater to countries with very weak currencies.
  • I think, the course was perfect.
  • Increase the course duration slightly (1-2 weeks.
  • Please continue to design some ways/alternatives on how to access the course easily just in case accessing the aprtc web is difficult just like in our case
  • Explain more about the assignments