| Title of Project: | Institute for Food Laws and Regulations | |
| Project Director: | Dr. Thomas Wilson | |
| Applicant Organization: | Michigan State University |
| Name: | P. Vincent Hegarty | |
| Email: | vhegarty@msu.edu | |
| Phone Number: | ( 517) 355-8295 | |
| FAX Number: | ( 517) 432-1492 | |
| Address: | 165 National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University | |
| East Lansing, MI 48824 |
| IRS Number: | 38-6005984 | |
| Congressional District Number: | 8 | |
| Period of Proposed Project Dates: | 09/15/2000 to 08-15-2001 |
| Name: | Thomas P Wilson | |
| Email: | lawdoc@msu.edu | |
| Phone Number: | ( 517-432517) 432-6313 | |
| FAX Number: | ( 517) 432-1492 | |
| Address: | 169 NFSTC, Michigan State University | |
| East Lansing, MI 48824 |
| Name: | P. Vincent Hegarty | |
| Email: | vhegarty@msu.edu | |
| Phone Number: | ( 517) 355-8295 | |
| FAX Number: | ( 517-432-1517) 432-1492 | |
| Address: | 165 NFSTC, Michigan State University | |
| East Lansing, MI 48824 |
The International Food Law Certificate Program will comprise a network of food science and food law professionals located throughout the world who will share responsibility for developing, contructing and teaching Internet-based food law course on either an issue specific basis such as the regulation of genetic modifications or on a region specific basis such as the regulation of foods in Canada or the European Union. Issue or content-specific courses will make it easier for participants to determine and conform to the food laws and regulations appropriate to their specific needs.
Internet delivery of food law related content makes it possible to reach anyone, anywhere, at anytime. Internet delivery of legal related content greatly facilitates the updating of information which by its nature is constantly changing. As a practical matter, most students have access to the Internet through their institutions and most professionals have access to the Internet through their employers. Additionally, these individuals and others,have access through public libraries and in their homes. Internet content cannot be "lost" or misplace or become outdated or irrelevant. Internet content will always be the most "current" content because of automated updating of law content web sites and legal collections by governmental agencies and professional organizations.
As a training medium, the Internet offers the following advantages: 1. access to the information that is not time or space dependant, 2. "time on tasks" can be adjusted by the learner to accomodate his or her own learning preferences, 3. learning is interactive and individuals can assess their own achievement, determine whether they need remediation and develop a greater degree of confidence using the automated online quiz taking and grading features of this program. Further, the great majority of food laws and regulations that form the basis for global food and food safety regulation are available on the Internet. Learning how to access this information and how to use it will better prepare the pre-professional and greatly assist professional in the performance of their tasks especially in areas such as the determination of competitive advantage for expansion, regulatory compliance and quality control.
Additionally, this program allows for the dissemination of food laws
and regulations to all segments of the food industry and to students
of all locations and persuasions. The Internet has no ethnic or gender
bias. Traditionally underrepresented communities can participate on
an equal basis in Internet based education.
A. Course Development/Design
1. Internal collaboration among MSU units (Institute for Food Laws and Regulations, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and other programs in the Colleges of Agriculture, Social Sciences, and Law) and external collaborations with international faculty using state of the art Internet and electronic communication technologies including email, audio and video conferencing, private chat rooms for communications between students and instructors, listservs and traditional methods such as phone and fax.
2. Team-based course development through MSU Virtual University (www.vu.msu.edu)
with MSU computer and content distribution experts and experts from partner
institutions. The Virtual University provides expertise and support through
a team of project leaders, programmers, graphic artists and developers.
Specific areas of expertise include:
Creation of interactive learning environments
Interface design and interactivity
Digital Media Arts
Computer and software engineering
3. Additional support will be available through:
Digital Information Group (www.msu.edu/dig/index.html)
Communications Technology Laboratory (http://commtechlab.msu.edu)
B. Course Delivery
Each course will be delived in two phases each utilizing a different distance
education content distribution technology.
1. Pre-course preparation:
This phase emphasizes cognitive learning and will be largely asynchrononus
and self-directed. Personal support will be provided by the Director of
the International Food Law Distance Education Program via real time communications
software, email, telephone, fax and video taped instruction regarding the
academic program, technical support and orientation to online study techniques.
Students will receive preparatory materials via a password-protected website, printed materials, an instructions in audio, video tape and CD Rom formats. Student services such as enrollement, registration, admissions, fees, etc., will be provided by MSU Outreach Instruction (www.msu.edu/unit/outreach). Technical support, access to MSU Pilot system and internet space and addresses for all Internet courses and previews will be provided by the MSU Virtual Univerisity, (www.vu.msu.edu) and the MSU Computing Center (www.msu.edu/cic).
MSU Pilot is an information technology resource and internet network which provides access to electronic mail, disk space on the Pilot server, personal web page development and publishing and access to a variety of MSU electronic databases and library collections. The MSU Pilot network allows users to collaboratively share files and edit documents, distribute public domain software, real time communications between students and teachers.
Library services will we available through Library Outreach Services (www.lib.msu.edu/outreach) and is designed to meet the information needs of students registed for off-campus or online (Internet) courses. Library resources may be obtained online or will also be mailed to faxed directly to students within 48 hours if available.
2. Internet Instruction
The focus of the course design will be on problem solving, reflection and
discussion via collaborative learning and the development of Internet navigation
and resource utilization skills. Students will receive additional instructional
materials through a variety of media such as CD Rom, audio and video taped
materials, and in print form. Student/instruction communications will be
facilitated by real time password protected chat rooms and chat software
designed and maintained by the MSU Virtual University. Courses will go online
each semeseter and remain online for the duration of the semester. Students
may access the course materials at anytime and from any place.
This program, through its use of state of the art distance education technologies and establishment of a international network of food law and food safety professionals will greatly facilitate the sharing of resources, networking, policy development and access to critical food law and food safety information among all sectors of the domestic and international food trade.
Additionally, this program will greatly enhance the further development of educational infrastructures for cooperative extension, academic research,and international participation of the food and agriculture sector through its ability to distribute food law and food safety content throughout the world by the use of the Internet.
Courses will be designed and constructed with consideration to the following benchmarks (Chronicle of Higher Education, April, 2000) to ensure quality in Internet-based distance education:
Periodic review of instructional materials by Advisory Committee which will consist of representatives from industry, government and academia.
Courses designed to require students to engage in analysis, synthesis and evaluation as part of the course and program requirement.
Student interaction with faculty and other students will be facilitated by state of the art video, audio, voice mail and email technologies.
Feedback to student assignments and questions in a constructive and timely manner.
Failsafe and reliable content and technology deliver system (This program is supported by the MSU Virtual University and the MSU Computing Center.)
Students are instructed in the proper methods of effective online research and are advised about the program regarding the degree of self motivation and commitment required in a distance learning program and the minimum technology requirements in the pre course stage of instructions.
Students will have access to legal research and library resources that include a "Virtual Library" accessible through the Internet and to collections maintained and updated by the FDA, USDA, WHO, FTC, FAO, WTO and other private and governmental collections.
Students have access to technical support throughout the duration of the program including detailed information about the communications and delivery technologies.
Technical assistance in course development is available to faculty through MSU.
The programs educational effectiveness is accessed through an evaluation process that uses several methods and applies specific standards.
Data regarding enrollment, costs, and successful/innovated uses of technology are used to evaluate program effectiveness.
Questions and student concerns are answered accurately and quickly, with a structured system in place to address student complaints.
Additionally, this program, will broaden the participation of under represented groups such as minorities and women who might otherwise be excluded from such opportunitites by the constraints of time and location. All that is required is access to a computer.
The International Food Law Distance Education Program will meet this need by providing credit based, graduate level education on state, national and international food laws, and regulations and food safety.
The key features of this program include:
Global or region specific course focusing on major markets for U.S. goods including Latin America, Europe, Asia, Canada and the U.S.
Access to the most current food laws, regulations and other information pertinent to the US food industry.
Expert instruction by Michigan State University faculty and attorneys, government officials, and food industry professionals from around the globe coordinated by Institute faculty trained in food law, food science, social sciences, nutrition and economics.
Access to electronic and computer resources and support at Michigan State University and partner institutions.
Collaborative learning and network development and construction with global network of food industry experts.
Certificate in International Food Law upon completion of 4 region specific course.
Continuing education credits for certified food industry professionals such as attorneys and dietitians.
Uses of distance education technologies for distribution of content eliminating problems of accessbility, time management.
Real time communication technologies for student/instructor communications and responsiveness to student needs.
The program will be both interdisciplinary and integrative, drawing from the sciences, law, policy, social sciences and related disciplines. Courses will examine the history and social-cultural and political dynamics responsible for the diverse legal systems governing the international food trade along with region-specific laws and regulations. Students will learn through online interactions with the network of international food experts. The courses will be designed and constructed to provide students with an understanding of the complexities of regulatory systems alongs with the competencies necessary to initiate and maintain business relationships within each region.
Courses will be presented in two phases:
Prestudy/pre-course preparation
Online delivery of content by MSU and International faculty
The prestudy will be largely asynchronous and self directed, making use of a website, hyperlinks and print/CD Rom to provide references, resources and preparatory materials for the online delivery of content.
The program will make optimal use of distance education technologies and communication networks to provide access for diverse audiences both domestically and internationally. A broad spectrum of distance education and electronic communication technologies will be utilized to address varying levels of technology and learning methods. Such technologies include:
Video-conferencing, video-audio synchronization, streaming video and
audio.
Animations, online slide presentations and powerpoint
E-mail, real time chat rooms for student(s)-faculty discussion ("MSU Web-Talk")
Automated scoring of online test, and online student course evaluation
surveys will be used.
Hyperlinks to important sources of information such as web sites with
online journals, listserv web sites with automated e-mail updates through
USDA, FDA, IFT, IFsT, WHO, FAO,
Digital Satellite links to International regulatory agencies such as the
World Health Organization.
This program consists of multiple offerings of region-specific courses required to meet the demand of food industry professions for up-to-date information in a timely fashion. Courses will be repeated each semester to allow students to complete at least two courses per year and earn an industry certificate in International Food Law and Regulation within two years. Students may enter the program at anytime. Courses will available online at any time day or night.
This instructional program will be high tech yet "high touch", recognizing that student suscess will depend in part on their comfort with distance learning pedagogy and distance learning technologies. This program will provide strong technical support and personalized customer service through the Virtual University, Office of Outreach Instruction, Outreach Library Services and through the coordinator of the International Food Law Distance Education Program.
Additionally, this program will provide students with the opportunity
for face to face interaction and instruction in the form of symposia hosted
and sponsored by Institute for Food Laws and Regulations. Symposia will
be "content rich" but will also allso students to question, discuss and
examine the global perspective as well as the implications for specific
regions. Such a forum will facilitate cultural exchanges and fosters the
building of communication networks among students, faculty and international
experts.
Course design parameters for content distribution include: animation, video and audio output, e-mail, real time chat rooms for student(s)-faculty discussion ("MSU Web-Talk"), automated scoring of online test, automated online evaluation and assessment, student profiles, automated attendance-taking, and online student course evaluation surveys. Hyperlinks to pertinent web sites with online journals, listserv web sites with automated e-mail updates through USDA, FDA, IFT, IFsT, FSNET, FDLAW, PROMED and other public service sites. The ability for instructors to add comments to external links and to open attention-grabbing announcement windows wherever the student is within the site are also advantages of a VU course.
Preparatory modules will detail site navigation, hyperlinked resources and the location of technical support as well as the locations or traditional teaching aids such as handouts and test and assignment banks. Preparatory modules will also detail student/instructor methodologies and access to MSU library services.
Learning modules will contain both issue specific and region specific food laws and regulations including the social economic and cultural influences which have influenced their development or implementation.
Evaluation Modules will end each course and will house the MSU generated online evaluation facility known as the Student Instructional Ratings Survey or SIRS. Evaluation modules are password protected and only faculty will be able to retreive information from the database.
The target audience will be food industry professionals, new entrepreneurs, importers, exporters, students, attorneys, distributors, scientists, or government officials engaged in food industry regulation or involved in consumer affairs, purchasing, marketing, product development, or quality control. Additionally, the program will provide the opportunity for college students from the sciences, law, economics, policy and related disciplines to pursue courses toward and advanced degree in International Food Law.
It is anticipated that the initial audience will be primarily in the US. Understanding the legal systems governing international food trade is critical to US companies and organizations hoping to enter the global marketplace, gain a competitive advantage and remain in compliance. The Institute for Food Laws and Regulations will also assist individuals in government agencies and organization who must respond to food safety issues and consumer concerns.
However, because distance education technologies remove traditional time/location barriers , there will be an international audience for the program as well. Understanding of US food laws and regulations such as labeling regulations for foods exported to the US are of extreme utility to foreign companies seeking to do business in the US.
Distance education content delivery technologies will also allow participation by individuals who might otherwise be excluded from traditional, time/location dependent education. The program is designed to be responsive to learners needs, taking into account full-time employment, family responsibilities, geographic location and accessibility concerns.
(A Focus study preformed in-house included representatives from Michigan Bean Commission, Michigan Cherry Committee, Michigan Dessert Corporation, Michigan Department of Agriculture, Amway Corporation, Dominos Pizza, Kellogg Company and Graceland Fruit Cooperative, Inc.)
* Also serve as International Food Law Distance Education Program Advisory Committee members.
Institute for Food Laws and Regulations
Dr. Vincent Hegarty, Director and Professor*
Dr. Thomas P. Wilson, Assistant Director*
(Dr.s Hegarty and Wilson evidence the collaboration between the College
of Agriculture, the Institute for Food Laws and Regulations and the Department
of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University. Dr. Wilson
has a 75% appointment and Dr. Hegarty is a tenure Professor in the Department
of Food Science and represent the Departments committment to this program.
National Food Safety and Toxicology Center
Michigan State University
Dr. Ed Mather, Director
(Dr.s Wilson and Hegarty have adjunct professor appointments in the National
Food Safety and Toxicology Center which is developing a new Internet Masters
degree program in Food Safety of which is based on this program and the
Institute for Food Laws is a partner in the food safety program as well.
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition
Dr. Mark Uebersax, Chairperson and Professor *
Dr. Thomas P. Wilson, Food Law Program Coordinator*
Ms. Rhonda Crackel, Instructor*
(The Department of Food Science is an essential component of this program
along with its faculty and instructors. This synergy is explained more fully
above.)
Department of Agricultural Economics
Dr. Thomas Reardon
Dr. David Schweikhandt
Dr. John Allen
(The Department of Ag Economics is also an essential partner to this program.
This synergy is aptly demonstrated by the participation of ag econ faculty
on the program Advisory Committee)
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Dr. R. Brandenburg, Assistant Dean
(This collaboration is demonstrated by the participation of the Assistant
Dean of the College who acts as the College sponsor of this program and
top of the chain of command).
College of Social Sciences
Dr. Larry Busch, Professor*
(This collaboration is demonstrated likewise by the participation of Social
Science faculty on the Advisory Board (Dr. Busch) and by the sponsorship
and support of the Institute for Food Grades and Standards housed within
the Department of Social Sciences. Michigan State University is the only
institution in the US with two such food related institutes on the same
campus).
Michigan State University Detroit College of Law
Ms. Elizabeth Price Foley, JD, Assistant Professor*
(Dr. Wilson is a candidate for adjunct professorship within the Detroit
College of Law and is activity developing a version of the first course
in this program specifically for law students. This collaboration is also
demonstrated by the participation of law school faculty on
the advisory committee of this program).
MSU University Outreach
Dr. Bob Church, Acting Vice Provost
Dr. Barb Fails, Outreach Instruction
(This collaboration is demonstrated by the direct support of our booth and
the provision of marketing and promotional materials by the Office of Outreach
Instruction at Michigan State University at the June meeting of the Institute
of Food Technologist meeting in Dallas Texas).
External Partners
University of Guelph, Department of Food Science
Dr. Ricki Yada, Professor and Chair
Dr. John de Mann, Professor
Ms. Sara McDonald, Graduate Assistant
(This collaboration is evidenced by the support of the Chair of the Department
of Food Science and Human Nutrition (Dr. Ricki Yada) and by Guelph faculty
such as Dr. John deMan who has accompanied Dr. Hegary on the Study Abroad
Program also sponsored by the Institute for Food Laws and Regulations. Additionally,
Dr. Hegarty is an Adjunct Professor in the Food Science Department at Guelph).
Tokyo University of Agriculture, Japan.
(This collaboration is evidenced by a 27 year long relationship between
MSU and Tokyo University).
University of Hong Kong
Dr. C.Y. Ma
Hanyang University, Korea
Dr. Aeson Om
(This collaboration is evidenced by the participation of Dr. Om as an instructor
in the International Food Law Course).
University of Reading, Reading England
(This collaboration is evidenced by the strong participation and support
of Dr. David Jukes of the Department of Food Science and Technology at Reading.
Dr. Jukes serves as an instructor in two of the 4 courses and maintains
several food law related internets sites that have been linked to our program
creating a network of information and instruction between MSU and Reading).
University College Cork, Ireland (This collaboration is evidenced by the support and participation of Dr. Nick Chisholm who has visited the Institute for Food Laws and reviewed our program. Dr. Chisolm has sponsored two graduate exchange students from County Cork to our Institutes Internet food law program)
ITESM (maybe the Queretaro campus), Mexico
Zayed University, United Arab Emirates
(Contact is Dr. Deborah Wooldridge. This collabaration is a long standing
one with Zayed and MSU).
University of New South Wales, Australia
Dr. Ken Buckle
University of Zimbabwe
Dr. Tony Mutukumira
(This collaboration is demonstrated also by the participation of Dr. Tony
Mutukumira as the lead instructor for the Zimbabwe/Southern African Developing
Community Modules and course. Dr. Mutukumira has visited the Institute for
Food Laws and is considering a year long program of study with the Institute).
Other links are being developed but have yet to be finalized. Collaborations between this program and these institutions of learing are being demonstrated in both the International Food Law Certificate Program and the Study Abroad program sponsored by the Institute for Food Laws and Michigan State University. They are demonostrated and evidenced primarily, in the absence of financial assistance, by support in the form of faculty participation and review and comment of course content, design and construction.
The national impacts of such collaborations is the development, establishment and implementation of a network of food science and food law professionals to assist in the design, construction and teaching of Internet-based food law courses globally, and to comprise an ever increasing network of agriculture professionals to help educate students, educators and professionals in the areas of food law and food safety.
Such assess can also facilitate teaching food law to audiences such as graduate and undergraduate food science, food law and food safety degree programs, mobility, impaired handicappers, low income individuals, non traditional students planning mid-life career changes and those living in rural areas, and continuing educators. Access to food laws and food safety information to the global population, improved understanding of food regulations among countries involved in international commerce and provide timely delivery of a current food laws and food safety knowledge base to students and food safety professionals.
Additional impacts will include greater institutional cooperation among universities, private industry and other institutions which have not collaborated heretofore for lack of a convenience medium. The Internet is considered to the be telecommunications network that can greatly facilitate such heretofore untest collaborations.
The impacts of this program will be felt immediately. The instructional network of food science and food law professionals is being put into place immediately. The increase in knowledge of global and region specific food laws will bear immediate fruit in increasing regulatory compliance, facilitating industry expansion and improvement in competitive positions through a thorough understanding of the legal and regulatory environment.
This certificate program will produce individuals who are certified by Michigan State University to have completed the four course International Food Law Program in just one year, using the Internet as the agricultural communications network. Its impacts will be felt throughout the food industry.
Evaluation of course content and design will include both formative and summative components for instructors and summative components for students.
Evaluation process will be automated using MSU Student Instructional Ratings Surveys (SIRS. Student will be required to complete the online evaluation in the final module of each course. Results will be compiled and distributed to instructors and students by email.
Course content will be submitted for review and approval for continuing education credits by the American Bar Association, Michigan Bar Association, Detroit College of Law and the American Dietitics Association.
Additionally, particular aspects of the course such as information regarding the incoming computer skills of students, enhancement of the educational experience by on-line materials, evaluating the value of recorded and streamed video materials and the ways students use on-line materials in the class will be evaluated.
Additionally, this program will help to train food science students and food industry professionals in the laws which govern the global regulation of food and food products.
The collaborative nature of the network of food industry faculty will serve
as a repository of food law information and will be available for years
to come as a resources for the food industry . Traditionally unrerepresented
learners and those traditionally limited by time and space constraints may
now be included in the learning process utilizing this network and the Internet.
Distribution of marketing and promotion materials, using direct mailings and listserv announcements to maximize course enrollment
Finalize design and content of ANR-490a and ANR 490b in consultation with MSU Virtual University for approval of advisory committee
Develope graphics and templates to be use for entire Certificate program
Selection and development of online evaluation tools
Training and orientation of course mananger and registration and orientation of students
Launch ANR 490a and ANR 490b
October 2000
Maintenance and conduct of ANR 490a and ANR 490b. Manage Webtalk conversations
Continue marketing and promotion activities and identification of lead instructors and guest lecturers for unrepresented regions
Begin negotiation with Dr. David Jukes at University of Reading for design and construction of ANR 490c.
Identification of guest lecturers and submission of premliminary outline and syllabus for approval.
Begin marketing activities for ANR 490c "Food Regulation in the European Union" with Dr. David Jukes
November 2000
Continued submission and review of ANR 490c course materials
Selection of Internet teaching technologies by Dr. Jukes in consultation with MSU VU
Selection and design of online evaluation instruments for ANR a & b course evaluations (SIRS)
December 2000
Wrap up of ANR 490a and ANR 490b. Review of course statistics and determination of points of revision.
Final grades submitted to MSU registration and emailed to students.
Course evaluations to instructors in preparation for module revisions.
January 2001
Submission of final design and content for ANR 490c for comment and approval by Advisory Committee.
Posting of Ads for Certificate program and ANR 490c in professional IFT division newsletters and food related listservs
Submission of revisions and new assignment for 2001 versions of ANR 490a and ANR 490b
February 2001
Final approval of ANR 490c design and content.
Preliminary upload of all three courses (ANR 490a - c) to nonpublic site for debugging, revision and review by committee.
Student registration and orientation
Launch ANR 490a - c.
March 2001
Continue marketing activities for certificate program and ANR 490d "Food
Regulation in Canada". Maintenance and conduct of ANR 490 a-c
Begin negotiations with Penny Bonner and John de Mann at Univ. of Guelph for timetable for Canadian course submission
April 2001
Prelimiary submissions of design and content for ANR 490 (d) from Penny Bonner and Dr. John de Mann at University of Guelph.
May 2001
Selection of internet teaching tools for ANR 490d by instructors with VU approval
Begin marketing activities for ANR-490d by direct mail and listserv.
June 2001
*Non-public upload and preliminary debugging of all four course ANR a-d.
July 2001
Finalization of audio and video course components.
Final review and approval of course design and content by advisory committee
Preparation of Evaluation instruments (Student Instructional Ratings Surveys - SIRS) for 490c
August 2001
Launch of ANR-490(d) "Food Regulation in Canada" with other three courses.
Continued identification of lead instructors for additional regions for
Certificate Program.