Developing a New Multidisciplinary Course that Incorporates Videoconferencing as a Tool to Connect Classrooms at Two Locations

Recently, Kansas State University opened a new campus in Olathe, KS (KSU-O), which is in the Kansas City metropolitan area. One of the primary goals of the new campus is to bring together faculty and industry from different food systems-related disciplines to address the needs of our rapidly changing world, particularly in regards to food safety and security. The Department of Horticulture, Forestry and Recreation Resources (HFRR), together with the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry (ASI), were the first two departments to offer Master of Science programs through K-State Olathe. In order to address the need of more face-to-face classes at the new campus, as well as the industry needs regarding fresh produce safety issues, we developed a multidisciplinary course entitled: “Farm to fork produce safety.” The course covers the various aspects of food safety for fresh produce grown in urban and rural environments. Pre and postmodule survey was created to assess students perception about the way that the course was delivered and to evaluate the students learning. At the end of the semester, the students developed a food safety plan for a variety of fresh produce operations. In order to reach students from both disciplines, the course is cross-listed in both departments, which enhances the curriculum of the Urban Food Systems and Food Science programs by covering this important topic. Additionally, this course was offered to both Manhattan and Olathe campuses by employing "state of the art" videoconferencing technology as the main content delivery method for both sites. Videoconferencing is a helpful tool giving the ability to connect two or more locations using audio and video equipment to engage all parties. This method of course delivery was beneficial for the faculty in Olathe who desire and need to serve as instructors to Manhattan-based students. Also, with web-based sessions, students can access the course anywhere that there is an internet connection. This delivery enhances the curriculum of the course by including elements of the different locations or by having guest speakers. However, challenges exist, such as technology limitations, effort to engage students, and others. This presentation will illustrate course development procedure, as well as the effectiveness of co-teaching and videoconferencing at two locations. It will also address the challenges and opportunities of this approach to education.  Finally, the results of the surveys will be discussed. These data will be used to demonstrate the effectiveness of a technology-centric classroom.