Monday, November 7, 2016

Online Resources to ‘Grow’ Educators’ Ability to Integrate Agriculture Literacy into the Content Areas


--> -->

In a data reported by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (2013), 211,373 people in Iowa were classified as farm operators or paid farm workers.* This number does not reflect individuals working in agriculture related industries, such as seed and fertilizer sales, and implement production/sales. To support Iowa’s need for a strong workforce in the area of agriculture, IALF and AEA PD Online have partnered to bring online courses and digital content around agriculture to teachers across the state of Iowa. 

AEA PD Online and IALF have created fully online and blended courses that focus on how to integrate agricultural literacy into the content areas of literacy, math science, and social studies. Both fully online and blended course participants will have the opportunity to learn about online student modules focused on the role of agriculture in the creation of alternative energy. Individuals who choose the blended courses during the summer will also have the opportunity to do hands-on, site based learning. To find upcoming course offerings check the AEA PD Online Course Catalog.

One of the biggest benefits that online or blended course participants will experiences is the opportunity to learn about the Student Personalized Learning System and the agriculture and energy content found in the system (Student modules were built with financial support from the Iowa Energy Center and IALF). Content module topics include:
  • Energy Conservation Practices
  • Agriculture and Biofuels Industry
  • Chemical Reactions in Ethanol Production
  • Biomass Technology and Energy Production
  • Agriculture and Solar Energy
  • Ethanol and the Environment
  • Impact on the Corn Supply
  • And much more
Teachers, administrators and counselors at school districts can assign any or all of the modules to their students and track student progress as they work through the modules.

If interested in viewing the content on the Student Personalized Learning System (SPLS) educators can log into it using the username and password that they use for the statewide teacher training system where they have taken mandatory trainings. Once logged into the Student Learning System, click on Modules, and select Agriculture (or Science). Content for grades K-2, 3-5 and 6-8 will appear.

Agriculture plays an important role in the live of many Iowans. To support ongoing success and economic growth in this industry AEA PD Online and IALF are proud to have partnered to support teachers learning how to integrate Ag literacy into their curriculum and provide students with access to high quality content focused on agriculture.

In addition to the Ag energy content, the SPLS offers teachers the ability to supplement classes or provide remediation to struggling students in the areas of:

  • Counseling
  • English/Language Arts
  • Employability
  • Financial Literacy
  • Family and Consumer Science
  • Math
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Technology Literacy
  • And more

It also allows teachers to take their own content and create online learning modules.

Click here to watch an overview of the Student Personalized Learning System or for more information contact instructional designers DeniseKrefting (dkrefting@aeapdonline.org) or Melissa Wicklund (mwicklund@aeapdonline.org) at AEA PD Online.

No comments:

Post a Comment