Piloting a Blended Face-to-Face and Online Course to Develop a Regional Online Local Food Certification Program Direct Agricultural Marketing Summit Chicago, IL Dara Bloom, Emma Brinkmeyer, NC State Extension Eric Bendfeldt, Virginia Cooperative Extension Dave Lamie, Clemson Cooperative Extension October 8, 2019
Outline • Situation/Rationale • Blended Program Design and Description • Results - Outcomes/Impacts • Creation of Regional Course Series • Conclusion/Recommendations
Situation / Rationale
Transitioning Graduate Course to Online Course Curriculum (2016 to present) Site visits Virtual Face-to-face discussions Forum field trips posts
Blended Program Rationale 1. Develop local food system educators and practitioners 1. Highlight ongoing local food system initiatives across the states 1. Expand place-based awareness 1. Capture and create new regional content
Pilot Blended Program Components 1. Completion of online course 2. Attendance at face-to-face meetings/field trips/site visits
Online Certificate Series Primary Goal & Objectives Increase the capacity of Extension and other professionals* to work with and educate growers, processors, distributors, buyers, and community members in the development and facilitation of high performing local food systems. * e.g. non-profits, other state agencies, local/regional governments, and private sector employees
Online Course Series Topics 1. Foundations in Local Food Systems Development ( prerequisite) 2. Farm to Fork: Foundations in Local Food Supply & Value Chains 3. The Bottom Line: Economic Realities & Other Considerations of Local Food Systems Platform: NC State’s McKimmon Center for Extension & Continuing Education, Moodle
Online Certificate Series Student Learning Outcomes Students will understand and utilize (in food systems development): 1. A systems approach 2. Place-based awareness 3. Diverse networks and collaboration through community leadership
Online Certificate Series Learning Activities • Recorded lectures • Voiceover presentations • Readings • Forum posts • Virtual Field Trips • Storyline interactive activities • Podcasts
Online Certificate Series Student Assessment Requirements for successful completion of courses 1. Post module quizzes. Must achieve 85% or higher. 2. Forum posts based on course activities.
South Carolina Pilot Blended Program
Pilot Participants / Demographics (SC) All pilot participants were selected based upon their demonstrated direct involvement in food systems work, and being representative of a target market for the course. They also serve as our state level advisory committee for the program, allowing us to quickly develop a deployment plan for future work once the course is completed. Participants included: ● Agribusiness Extension Agent (male, Catawba region) ● Food Systems and Safety Extension Agent (female, Upstate region) ● Food Systems and Safety Extension Associate (male, Lowcountry region) ● VISTA volunteer who became Executive Director of the Catawba Farm and Food Coalition (NGO) during the course (female, Catawba region) ● Sustainable Farming Director of an NGO, Lowcountry Local First (female, Lowcountry) ● Assistant SARE Coordinator, who is transitioning to Coordinator (female, Upstate) ● Assistant Director of SC New and Beginning Farmer Program (female, Upstate) ● Director of Sustainability for Hospital and Sustainable Ag Director at Technical College (female, Upstate)
Face-to-Face in South Carolina • Leveraged Inaugural “Food Forward” event • Coordinated site visit to Aglanta projects
Take-Aways from F2F in South Carolina • Chosen F2F events were appropriate for statewide advisory committee level participants • Would likely want to do something more local for more grassroots-level participants • Challenging to obtain/maintain commitment of all participants • Could be a good opportunity to engage participants with regional and statewide LFS coalitions (e.g. food policy councils)
Virginia Pilot Blended Program
Pilot Participants / Demographics (VA) All pilot participants were recruited and selected based upon their demonstrated involvement in food systems work in Virginia and commitment to online and face-to-face training, with a specific emphasis on attending three in-person sessions. Participants included: ● Graduate Student, George Washington University ● Healthy Retail Manager, Shalom Farms -- Midlothian, VA ● Market Manager, Williamsburg Farmers Market ● Food System Planner and Co-Owner, Cambium Collective ● Farmer/Social Change Agent, Sun Path Family Farm -- Richmond, VA ● Area Food Safety Extension Agent, Southwest Virginia ● Urban Agriculture Coordinator, Arlington County ● Community Food System Extension Agent, Roanoke County ● Family Nutrition Healthy Retail Coordinator & Farmer/rancher, Southwest Virginia ● Sustainability Coordinator, James Madison University -- Harrisonburg, VA ● Farmer/Rancher and Food Justice Activist, Louisa County ● Program Coordinator, Price’s Fork Community Kitchen, Montgomery County
Face-to-Face in Virginia Module 1: Introduction of Food Systems, Harrisonburg, VA Panel discussion with: ● Glen Eco Farms ● Virginia Poultry Federation ● Goldman Farm ● Virginia Farm Radio
Face-to-Face in Virginia Module 2: Community Engagement & Food Systems Change Continued discussion about structural disparities, food system failures, and overall values.
Face-to-Face in Virginia Module 3: Regulatory Policy & Frameworks for Local Food Systems Development
Takeaways from Virginia Experience • Course provides a solid foundation • Gauge everyone’s experience up front • Rigor and opportunity for deeper dive • Improving the food value chain and the bottomline • Improving food access and addressing structural issues • Have the participants financially vested in the course in some way • Reality of people’s time, schedules, and travel constraints • Expanding opportunity for video, audio, and short technical clips • Learning curve for navigating course site
Evaluation Methods 1. Pre-Course Survey to Assess Knowledge/Confidence 1. Post-Course Survey to assess: a. Knowledge/Confidence and Aspirations b. Satisfaction - strengths and weaknesses of course to glean information for improving course. 2. Pre/Post-Tests for each Module to assess knowledge change 1. 3-Month Post-Course Interviews
Percentage of Potential Practice Changes After Completion of Blended Program Programs
Did we achieve our SLOs? Fostered a systems approach for future work: • “The overview of foods systems is worth knowing and sharing to get a broader understanding of food from the farm to the table.” Enhanced place-based awareness: • “The course has been a critical tool to improve knowledge of food systems and identify key opportunities and resources within my community .” Encouraged utilization of diverse networks and collaboration through community leadership: • “Largely through exposure and networking with other folks across the state working in local food system initiatives.”
Benefits of Blended Model What did you like most about this course? Online + face-to-face model : ● “The combo of online and in person lessons.” ● “ Independence and flexibility in timeline for completion.” Networking and in-person conversations: ● “ Meeting the other students and learning about their work. Discussing challenges, concerns, and gaining understanding of where people are coming from .” ● “I appreciated the honesty we achieved with each other , specifically in talking about equity and racism in the food system.” Regional awareness: ● “It [the course] presented a regional and national viewpoint to build from.”
Lessons Learned from Pilot Blended Program Organization and communication are key to success: ● Meeting schedule should be set in advance ● Have participants financially invested to ensure attendance ● Have a dedicated point person for online learning facilitation Face-to-face meetings are invaluable: ● Pilot participants stressed their value to: ○ Further conversations and deepen understanding ○ Draw on the strengths of the group ○ Learn from real-life examples in their regions ○ Challenge and stretch present working assumptions ○ Network ● Consider modifications to face-to-face meeting requirements (2 of 3, for example) Regional focus has merit: ● Pilot participants saw benefits in learning about LF projects beyond their localities
Creation of Regional Course Series “This effort [food systems work] is, in fact, crossing state lines , crossing regional lines within this country.” ~Pilot Participant~
Conclusions & Recommendations for Practice “It [the program] presented a regional and national viewpoint to build from.” ~Pilot Participant~
Next Steps Enrollment is open to anyone at localfoodcourses.org
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