Progress 01/15/23 to 01/14/24

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences are traditional community college students, 18-25-year-olds, and early career students. (16 students participated in on-campus Agriculture classes in this program in 2023.) 22 high school students have participated in Agriculture courses in College Credit Plus enrollment this year. 12 high school students are taking a series of courses prescribed by the Rhodes State College Apprenticeship Program based on the Rhodes State Agribusiness certificate that will lead to a pre-Apprentice in Agriculture certificate. Allhigh school students taking College Credit Plus and Pre-Apprenticeshipcourses are allowed the opportunity to enroll in an accelerated degree program at RSC upon completion. Additionally, the target audience is employers represented by the advisory committee including 20 members from 20 employers in the main advisory committee and 11 members of a specialized Business and Industry Leadership (BILT)Team. BILT members have been working on creating agriculture technical career pathways for high school and community college students. Employers continue to approve the concept of the Rhodes State College Agriculture program by actively seeking to hire our graduates and current students. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This grant provided funding for faculty and staff to continue training and maintaining professional development, including attendance at the Ohio Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference, and the Society of Agronomists, and Soil Scientists annual meeting, also workingwith industry experts to sharpen skills in Precision Equipment and Prescription Mapping concepts. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of this grant have been to complete the Agriculture Technology Associate Degree program and embedded certificates at Rhodes State College with the completion of all curricula/syllabi. All products are available here:USDA Rhodes State College. The program generally has appropriate machines for teaching and learning the material. The curricula have been shared with all interested agriculturalists through our posting on the website above. It has also been shared with local employers who have eagerly employedcompleters of the program. Employers continue to request students enrolled in the program as interns, full-time employees, and students completing the program have good employment opportunities. Employers have asked to join the Advisory Committee and Business and Industry Leadership Team to enhance their ability to review program graduates before other employers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Student enrollment and community outreach will now become our focus so that we can spread the learning to a broader audience. We will maintain and update the equipment. We will work on making the Agriculture Design Laboratory more available to the Northwest Ohio Agriculture Community and create new opportunities for outreach to farmers and agriculture businesses. Now that all curricula are produced we will begin to refine and improve it with each semester of teaching. The pre-existing business curriculum is currently being revamped to continue to meet student and industry needs and this curriculum will be updated over the next cycle as well.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? All syllabi for the entire program are now completed. This includes 7 curricula completed in year two of the grant and 7completed during the third grant year. These completed curricula include syllabi, textbook and resourcerecommendations, and student modules on the college's learning management platform which includesstudent assessments both formative and summative to evaluate student's learning. AGR 1501, Prescription Mapping in Agriculture, Syllabus, 3 homework assignments, 1 assessment. AGR 1540, Introduction to G.I.S. in Agriculture, Syllabus, 2 Lecture outline presentations, 1 sample homework assignment, 1 quiz, and 1 informative presentation. AGR 1515, GPS in Agriculture, Syllabus, 2 Formative Assessments, 2 Lecture presentations, 1 Summative assessment. AGR 1600, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture, Syllabus, Laboratory assignment, 3 students assessments and quizzes. AGR 2970, Capstone in Agriculture Technology, Syllabus, 15 weekly assignments, grading rubric for final project. AGR 2991, Field Experience in Agriculture Technology, Syllabus, Assessment documents for employer, student, 14 weekly assignments. AVI 1200, Unmanned Aerial Systems Basic Operation, Syllabus, 5 Laboratory assignments. Each of the above-mentioned is displayed here:USDA Rhodes State College Equipment purchased during year 3 of the grant includes: two-row precision planter, Farmbot, (CNC Farming robot system) Agronomy lab equipment ( color books, digital compaction meter, rainfall simulator, soil monoliths, plant models, generator for in-field testing, hydrometers, remote sensing weather station, clinometer, ADA compliance foot controls, sweep nets and soil probes.) Additional software licenses were renewed. RSC Ag Tech faculty and staff continued outreach to students this outreach included the development of social media posts, in-person and virtual presentations, and printed materials. Samples of these materials can be found atUSDA Rhodes State College(alsomentioned in the other products section.) Rhodes Faculty and Staff created an event that brought 75+possible students together with potential employers and hands-on examples of what they would learn in our program.The outreach also included traditional and non-traditional students through visits to area high schools, FFA and 4-H events, and visiting local cooperatives and suppliers. In total, the staff participated in approximately 40events.

Publications

Progress 01/15/22 to 01/14/23

Outputs
Target Audience:Traditional community college students, 18-25-year-olds, and early career students. (18unduplicated students participated in Agriculture classes in this program.) Pre-Apprenticeship, students in high school who are taking a series of courses prescribed by Rhodes State College Apprenticeship Program based on the Rhodes State Agribusiness certificate that will lead to exploration of agriculture as a career choice. These 4 students will be given the opportunity to enroll in an accelerated degree program at RSC upon completion. Employer Advisory Committee includes 20 members from 20 employers in the main advisor committee and sub-committees that advise curriculum content and delivery. Changes/Problems:Supply chain problems continue to plague this program in the purchase and delivery of equipment. Generally, all agriculturally-related equipment is behind schedule in delivery. Some of the equipment noted in the grant is no longer available for purchase as technology continues to evolve. Equipment purchase adjustments and substitutions will be decided in the upcoming year and purchased in order to provide needed equipment for courses and presentations. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The grant has provided funding for training and professional development in several areas this past year for all Ag Tech faculty and staff, including attendance at the Ohio Tillage and Technology Conference, consultation with mentors to produce curricula, and on-site training in Unmanned Aerial Systems licensing and operation. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The Agriculture Technology Associate Degree Program and embedded certificates have been fully implemented at Rhodes State College and program creation documentation can be found on the college's website at https://www.rhodesstate.edu/academic-programs/agriculture-technology.html. The website also includes student testimonials who are currently enrolled in the program and videos of employers who are seeking the skill sets of graduates. In addition, all program results are shared with interested parties through discussions with the Agriculture Technology Advisory Council which includes representation from all aspects of ag technology in Northwest Ohio. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The remaining curricula will be produced and tested as previously described.This will include Introduction to GIS, Prescription Mapping, Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture, Unmanned Aerial Systems Basic Operation, and the capstone course. These courses will be developed and field-tested during spring 2023 or later semesters. Courses previously developed will be refined and enhanced based on student course evaluations. The remaining equipment will be purchased and when delivered will be integrated into the coursework, ADL, and community presentations. This includes, precision planter, precision sprayer, JD Gator, Greenstar guidance system, and Trimble guidance system. A College Credit Plus class for high school students will beimplemented for those students interested in enrolling in the Agriculture Technology program to get a head start on their college career starting in Spring 2023. Currently 4 students are enrolled. Plans are underway for using the ADL RSC faculty/staff to reach 25additional farmers this summer as a follow-up to winter outlook meetings hosted by extension in the region.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? To date, Rhodes State College has produced seven (7) completed curricula inclusive of syllabi, recommended textbooks and resources, student modules in the college's learning management platform, student assignments, and formative/summative assessments to evaluate student learning. Acomplete listing of the curricular elements developed to date and a forecast of the curriculum to be developed by the conclusion of the grant follows: AGR 1401 Intro to Soils for Agronomic Production: Syllabus, 8 PowerPoint Presentations, 4 formative assessments, 2 summative assessments, 4 assignments. AGR 1402 Principles of Crop Management:Syllabus, 16PowerPoint Presentations, 4 formative assessments, 2 summative assessments, 4 assignments. AGR 1403 Principles of Crop Management:Syllabus, 15PowerPoint Presentations, 4 formative assessments, 2 summative assessments, 4 assignments. AGR 1404 Introduction to Pest Management:Syllabus, 10PowerPoint Presentations, 4 formative assessments, 2 summative assessments, 6assignments. AGR 1500 Precision Equipment:Syllabus, 8 PowerPoint Presentations, 2formative assessments, 1summative assessment, 6assignments. AGR 1515 Introduction to GPS in Agriculture:Syllabus, 16PowerPoint Presentations, 4 formative assessments, 2 summative assessments, 8assignments. AVI 1000 Unmanned Aerial Systems:Syllabus, 15PowerPoint Presentations, 2formative assessments, 2 summative assessments, 4 assignments. AVI 1200 Unmanned Aerial Systems Basic Operations, AGR 1501 Prescription Mapping in Agriculture, AGR 1540 Introduction to GIS in Agriculture, and AGR 1600 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence/Robotics in Agriculture are in development including syllabi, presentations, assessments, and assignments and will be completed by June of 2023 The syllabus for each new course and samples of curricular assignments/assessments are publicly available at the web address noted in the other products listing. In relation to equipment acquisition during Year 2 of the grant, Rhodes State College has purchased 5 unmanned aerial vehicles (2 DJI Mavic Mini, 1 Phantom4 Pro, 1 Phantom 4 with NDVIcamera, 1 AGRIS 30); 1 John Deere Gator; 1 Ag. Leaderguidance system; multiple Verniersensors and probes which are to be used asteaching aids in the agronomy laboratory; Ag Leader SMS, ArcGIS, Drone Deploy, Real Flight, and Terra Sentia software for student and instructor use in and out of the classroom. The agricultural community has also been invited to use the software and 9 farmers and professional agronomists have done this. During 2022, RSC Ag Tech faculty and staff continued outreach to students This outreach included the development of social media posts, in-person and virtual presentations, and printed materials. Samples of these materials can be found at the Rhodes State College website address mentioned in the other products.The outreach efforts with potential traditional and non-traditional students through visits to area high schools, FFA and 4-H events, and visiting local cooperatives and suppliers. In total, the staff participated in 25 events which resulted in enrolling 14new students in the fall of 2022.

Publications

Progress 01/15/21 to 01/14/22

Outputs
Target Audience:Traditional community college students (5 enrollees met initial program target) Employer advisory committee, includes 20 members from 20 employers in the main advisory committee and sub-committees that advise curriculum content and delivery. Changes/Problems:The grant provides funding for a new faculty position. The faculty was not hired until January 2022 because of issues related to the economy rather than the execution of the grant. The College did hire an Agriculture Department Chair, outside of the grant funding, who along with an adjunct faculty member did teach the entire contingent of courses in fall semester 2021. The faculty member is teaching all courses in Spring 2022. Because of supply chain problems, some equipment purchases have been moved into the second year of the grant due to lack of availability or extended delivery dates. The extended delivery times for equipment that has been ordered is projected into sumer 2022. The College has all required equipment and materials for current course offerings in Agronomy. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In the fall 2021 semester, the Agriculture Technology program offered students the following courses: AGR 1000 (Introduction to Agriculture), AGR 1100 (Principles of Agriculture Business Management), AGR 2991 (Work Experience in Agriculture Technology), AGR 1402 (Principles of Crop Management)) and 1404 (Introduction to Pest Management). In the spring 2022 semester, the Agriculture Technology program offered students the following courses: AGR 1300 (Critical Issues in Sustainable Ag), AGR140 (Principles of Ag. Marketing and Sales), AGR 1400 (Introduction to Soils), AGR 1403(Principles of Nutrient Management). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The courses were offered and taken by five students as part of the regular offering of Rhodes State College in the fall semester of 2021. Eight students registered in the spring semester 2022. This initial enrollment meets and exceeds the grant goal of having five students in the program during the first year. The four certificates and the associate degree programs have been presented and discussed with local employers, FFA groups, local fair goers, Advisory community members, the Center for Innovation in Food Technology (CIFT) at their Agriculture Forum, local Rotary groups, as well as several middle and high school student and teacher groups. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The College plans to offer the completed courses and finish the creation of the needed courses and offer them to complete the pathway. As noted above spring semester 2022 offerings include AGR1400 (Introduction to Soils) and AGR 1403 (Principles of Nutrient Management). The College will complete the curriculum with the creation of six courses to be offered in the 2022-2023 academic year. These courses will include AGR 1515 (Introduction to GPS in Agriculture), AGR 1540 (Introduction to GIS in Agriculture), AGR 1500 (Precision Agriculture Equipment), AGR 1600 (Introduction to Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture), AVI 1000 (Introduction to Unmanned Aerial Systems) and AVI 1200 (Unmanned Aerial Systems in Agriculture). The College will incorporate a Hyflex course delivery method to meet the needs of working students and employers as a way of attracting additional students to the program. The College will continue to work with the Agriculture Technology Advisory Committee in completing the curriculum and assist in guiding the program's next implementation steps. The College will continue to meet with local employers, schools, student organizations, and growers at community and organization events to discuss the certificate and associate degree Agriculture Technology programs

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? As required by the grant, three new Agriculture Technology certificates and the associate degree program were created and sent to the Ohio Department of Higher Education and the Higher Learning Commission for program approval. Approval for the three certificates and the associate degree was received on September 3, 2021 and published in the Institutional Status and Requirements (ISR) Report at hlcommission.org/isr-request. Two courses in Agronomy were created and were first taught in fall semester 2021: AGR 1402 (Principles of Crop Production) and AGR 1404 (Principles of Integrated Pest Management). Two additional Agronomy courses were created and first taught in spring semester 2022: AGR 1403 (Principles of Nutrient Management) and AGR 1400 (Introduction to Soils). The creation of three additional courses commenced and is ongoing: AGR 1500 (Precision Agriculture Equipment); AVI 1000 (Introduction to Unmanned Aerial Systems); and AVI 1200 (Unmanned Aerial Systems in Agriculture). The Agriculture Technology Advisory Committee was created and met in March 2021 to advise the College on industry needs, training required, opportunity for graduates, and work based learning opportunities. Additional interactions with individuals and small groups from the Advisory Committee took place during certificate and associate degree program and course creation.

Publications