• Garry Lacefield (KY)
• Don Ball (AL)

• Dan Undersander (WI)
• Neal Martin (WI)

• John Caddel (OK)
• Garry Kilgore (KS)

• Steve Orloff (CA)
• Alan Gray (WY)

• Ray Ditterline (MT)
• Tom Griggs (WA)

• Dan Putnam (CA)
• Mike Ottman (AZ)

This project will develop a comprehensive knowledge resource for alfalfa; the National Alfalfa Information System (NAIS). This project will serve as an improved resource for Extension educational programs. Alfalfa is the most important forage crop in the nation and distributed worldwide. Grown on 27 million acres in the US, it is used for feeding millions of livestock and in many cropping systems. Information needs are present in every state and internationally. The NAIS will be developed through national and international cooperation, putting the best science-based alfalfa information and expertise at the fingertips of producers, consultants, extension workers, instructors, researchers, and users.

2.17 A National Real-time Internet Web-based Radio Network for Land-grant Information

Principal Investigators:

• Donald W. Poucher, University of Florida
• Ashley M. Wood, University of Florida
• Christopher D. King, University of Florida
• Carla G. Craycraft, University of Kentucky
• Barry W. Jones, University of Georgia
• Thomas W. Knecht, Mississippi State
• Ellen Ritter, Texas A&M University

This project proposes to build, provide, maintain, and promote a national real-time Internet Web-based radio network for agricultural, food, human and natural resource-related information. This network will present and promote new and existing educational information from land-grant universities and colleges while publicizing the extension, resident instruction, and research programs of those institutions. Using an Internet Web-based network, scientists, producers, processors, researchers and the public will be able to hear more of the latest up-to-date agricultural, food, human and natural resource-related information. Radio stations will have greater access to this information through the Web-based network and this information will also be available to members of the international community who have an interest in U.S. land-grant information.

2.18 Internet Modules in Plant Biotechnology

Principal Investigators:

• Donald J Lee, University of Nebraska
• Roeber L Roeber, University of Nebraska
• Andrea C. Engebretson, American Society of Agronomy
• James W. King, University of Nebraska
• Jerry Jorgenson, South Dakota State University
• Thomas Cheesbrough, South Dakota State University

Additional Partners:

• Colorado State University
  • Scott Nissen
• South Dakota State University
  • Tom Cheesbrough
  • Yang Yen
• University of Minnesota
  • Dave Sommers
• University of Nebraska
  • Alex Martin
  • Deana Namuth
  • John Markwell
  • Patty Hain
  • Steve Baenziger
  • Tom Clemente
• University of Wisconsin
  • Heidi Kaeppler
  • Joseph Lauer
  • Shawn Kaeppler

This project establishes a library of Internet-based teaching modules in plant biotechnology that facilitate interactive learning. The modules will be developed as lessons and networked by educators to assemble programs that target the educational needs of agricultural professionals. The American Society of Agronomy will facilitate the development of a review and evaluation process for the modules. This will enhance the quality and accessibility of the programming as well as the continued expansion of the library. The networking of this library will give educators the opportunity to share resources and assemble affordable programming that fits the needs of their constituents.

3.8 Feeding Young Children in Group Settings: A Multiple Mode Course

Principal Investigators:

• Janice W. Fletcher, University of Idaho
• Laurel J. Branen, University of Idaho
• Erik T. Anderson, University of Idaho

Collaborators:

• Susan Johnson, Colorado Medical School
• Madeline Sigmon-Grant, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Cindy Heiss, California Poly-technical Institute-San Luis Obisbo
• Doris Fredericks, USDA-Child Care Food Program in California

Audience: This project will be developed for a nation-wide audience of persons impacting mealtimes in child programs, including the USDA Child Care Food Program CACFP. This audience includes personnel ranging from cooks to curriculum directors to nutrition specialists. These audiences are predominantly female, culturally and educationally diverse. Economic constraints of programs that serve children result in limited resources for developing and accessing training. Child care providers, in particular, are often place- and time-bound by the demands of their jobs. The program will: a) Make available current research-based information to a wide audience who feed children in group settings through high quality, highly produced distance education, b) Use multiple-formats to reach a diverse, distant audience, and c) Offer on-going accessible coursework and training at a distance to an audience that suffers high turnover rates and has a need for inservice that can be accessed when hires are made.

3.16 Web-Based Product Development Learning Programs for Food Industry Professionals

Principal Investigators:

• Lamartine F. Hood, The Pennsylvania State University
• Spiro E. Stefanou, The Pennsylvania State University

Collaborators:

• Universities:
  • Pennsylvania State University (L. Hood, S. Stefanou, J. Hernandez, E. Taricani, B. Zoumas, A. Turgeon, K. Peters, E. Hawthorne
  • Saint Josephs University (J. Lord)
  • University of California-Davis (N. Haard)
  • Texas A&M University (R. Waniska)
  • Instituto Tecnologico Y De Estudios Superiores De Monterrey (L. Bravo Gutierrez)
• Businesses:
  • Classic Carmel Co.
  • Del Grosso Foods Inc.
  • Furman Foods Inc.
  • Tasty Baking Co.
  • Verdelli Farms Inc.

The successful development and marketing of new and improved products will be key to maintaining the competitiveness of food processing companies. Education and training will be critical in the fostering of product development competencies. The goal of this project is to empower current and future food processing industry professionals to be effective product development team players, problem solvers and decision makers, and communicators. Five universities and a spectrum of food industry professionals will partner to offer undergraduate course(s) in product development. In addition, decision cases and other components of the university courses will be integrated with distance learning technologies to assist companies in creating the expertise to develop and market new products.

3.18 Distribution of the Decision Evaluator for the Cattle Industry across the WWW

Principal Investigator:

• Christopher J. Kaiser, University of Missouri

Collaborators:

• Rick Bourdon, Colorado State University
• Charles Williams and Tom Jenkins, USDA Meat Animal Research Center

The project goal is to use the World Wide Web, in conjunction with high performance centralized computing resources, to deliver a sophisticated decision support tool to producers, educators and researchers. It builds on previous versions of the Decision Evaluator for the Cattle Industry, a program which links a herd based, bioeconomic simulation model to a MSWindows based graphical user interface. This project will involve recompiling the software to run on more reliable Linux computers, writing a web based front end, and increasing the models flexibility so that users can more accurately match their own production systems.

3.19 Learning Module Development and Utilization: A Multi-Institutional Program

Principal Investigator:

• Alfred J Turgeon, The Pennsylvania State University

Collaborators:

• Gwen Stahnke, Washington State University
• Victor Gibeault, University of California
• Bert McCarty, Clemson University
• Albert Dudeck, University of Florida
• James Snow, United States Golf Association – Green Section
• Deena Amont, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

A comprehensive series of web-accessible learning resources, organized as knowledge-based and problem-based modules, will be improved and expanded through the coordinated efforts of a geographically dispersed group of turfgrass scientists and educators. Their efforts will be on behalf of a large and diversified turfgrass industry, including educators, students, facility managers, workers, agribusiness personnel, and consultants. The two immediate goals of this project are to ensure that the learning resources adequately cover the broad range of climatic, edaphic, economic, and cultural conditions existing within the North American continent, and the entire scope of knowledge and applications currently encompassed by turfgrass science and technology.

Principal Investigator:

• Judith L Li, Oregon State University

Collaborators:

• Tri-State Agricultural Distance Delivery Alliance
• Oregon State University Statewide Community College Partners: Linn-Benton; Clatsop; Central Oregon; Southwestern Oregon; Columbia Gorge; Rogue; Oregon Coast; Treasure Valley; Blue Mountain Mt. Hood; Portland Community College, Sylvania; Chemeketa; Central Community College at Warm Springs.
• OSU Statewide College Partners: Eastern Oregon University; Southern Oregon University; Portland State University, CAPITAL Center, Oregon Institute of Technology Metro, and Main Campus; Oregon Health Sciences University.
• Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
• Confederated Tribes of Nez Perce
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

This project will produce a course in 28 videos exploring multicultural perspectives in natural resources. Target audiences include undergraduates at 1862, 1890, and 1994 Land Grant colleges, community colleges, professionals in natural resources and agricultural extension programs. Students will gain an appreciation for diverse values and contributions in the use of western resources, and will recognize the role of political power and social discrimination in resource extraction. The course will include a) an examination of physical and biological resources, b) an appreciation of multiple values placed on resources, c) recognition of the many peoples who used, retrieved or exploited these resources and d) the societal benefits gained from the resources.

3.42 Youth Learning Net

Principal Investigators:

• Susan J. Barkman, Purdue University
• Roger L. Tormoehlen, Purdue University
• Wendy J. Stivers, University of Kentucky

Partners:

• 4-H Cooperative Curriculum System (33 university member institutions):
  Auburn University, Arizona State University, University of Arkansas, University of California, Colorado State University, University of Delaware, University of Guam, University of Hawaii, University of Idaho, University of Illinois, Purdue University, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, University of Kentucky, Louisiana State University, University of Maryland, Michigan State University, University of Minnesota, Montana State University, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, University of New Hampshire, North Carolina State University, North Dakota State University, The Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, South Dakota State University, Utah State University, Virginia Tech (VPI & SU), University of Vermont, Washington State University, University of Wisconsin, and University of Wyoming.
• National 4-H Computer Curriculum Design Team:
  • Wendy Stivers, University of Kentucky
  • Bill Pabst, University of Missouri
  • Co-chairs:
    • Trudy C. Dunham, University of Minnesota
    • Chris Roegge, University of Illinois
    • Roger Tormoehlen, Purdue University
    • Robert, Horton, The Ohio State University
    • Rhonda Conlon, North Dakota University
    • Edwin Orange, Kentucky
    • Chuck Todd, Washington
  • 4-H Cooperative Curriculum System Liaisons:
    • Susan Barkman, Purdue University
    • David Mitchell, University of Idaho

The purpose of this program proposal is to design and use a national interactive computer-based learning project for youth curriculum within the Cooperative Extension Service. This computer-based learning project "Youth Learning Net" will serve as an integral component of curriculum developed by the National 4-H Cooperative Curriculum System (4HCCS), a 33 state cooperative which develops and sells youth curriculum nationwide. The target audience for "Youth Learning Net" site is youth (4-H and non-4-H) ages 8-19.

3.46 Seed Science Distance Learning Project

Principal Investigator:

• Jack R Fenwick, Colorado State University

Collaborators:

• Alabama A&M University
• National Seed Storage Lab
• American Society of Agronomy
• P.G. Harrison & Associates (Australia)

The availability of educational materials to meet the needs of a non-resident campus student who is interested in working in the seed industry or becoming a seed analyst or needing a greater understanding of seed science is very limiting. The purpose of this Seed Science Distance Learning project is to:

1. increase the efficiency and effectiveness of delivering seed science courses to students;
2. assist in training students for careers in the seed industry;
3. prepare students to become seed analysts;
4. provide educational material to students on campuses not offering seed science courses; and
5. share knowledge and resources on a national level to coordinate delivery of seed science information.

3.47 An Inter-Institutional Masters Program in Family Financial Management

Principal Investigators:

• Joan M. Laughlin, University of Nebraska
• Tahira K. Hira, Iowa State University
• Virginia M. Moxley, Kansas State University
• Gregory F. Sanders, North Dakota State University
• Bernadine Enevoldsen, South Dakota State University
• Stephen R. Jorgensen, Texas Tech University

Collaborators:

• Joyce A. Cantrell, Kansas State University
• Joyce E. Jones, Kansas State University
• Sheran L. Cramer, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• E. Raedene Combs, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Margaret Ann Fitzgerald, North Dakota State University
• Dale R. Hawley, North Dakota State University
• Judith Farris, South Dakota State University
• Jerry Mason, Texas Tech University

The goal is to develop an Inter-institutional program of studies leading to a Masters of Science in family financial planning for delivery through distance education that (a) shares expertise across campuses by assembling a critical mass of family financial planning faculty that would not be possible on any single campus; (b) allows campuses to offer the degree without investing in the complete complement of expertise; (c) provides access to education in family financial planning that satisfies the educational component of Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) certification; (d) presents test case for lowering the barriers to inter-institutional collaboration, barriers that exist within institutions and among institutions; and (e) enlarges the cadre of faculty with experiences in emerging technologies for distance education.

4.4 Development of a Cooperative Course in Animal Nutrition

Principal Investigators:

• Patricia A Schoknecht, Rutgers University
• William W. Crosbie, Rutgers University

Participating Animal Science departments:

• Cornell University - Alan Bell
• Delaware State University - Richard Barczewski
• Delaware Valley College - Michael Schlegel
• Rutgers University - Patricia Schoknecht
• Sussex County Community College - Martha Hughes
• University of Connecticut - Sheila Andrews
• University of Delaware - William Saylor
• University of Maine - Martin Stokes
• University of Maryland, College Park - Geoffrey Dahl
• University of Maryland, Eastern Shore - Jeannine Harter-Dennis
• University of Massachusetts - Robert Duby
• University of New Hampshire - Peter Erickson
• University of Vermont - Joanne Knapp
• West Virginia University - John Warren

The field of animal science is expanding from our traditional production agriculture base to include the study of laboratory and companion animals, biotechnology, and wildlife. Fourteen animal science departments across the Northeast believe that they can no longer "be everything to everyone". This coalition is creating incentives and developing mechanisms to cooperate so that each can continue to progress in their areas of strength, while relying on others in the region to provide assistance where they are weak.

An important component of this cooperation is the development of web-based materials to be used for both resident and outreach education. This project focuses in the area of nutrition and brings together experts across the Northeast to create a course in basic animal nutrition. This course will be developed in a modular format, allowing participants to design a module within their area of expertise and to create a customized course that best fits their curriculum and students. The modules will be combined to create an asynchronous course that will be offered nationally.