Progress 09/15/01 to 09/30/05
Outputs
All objectives were accomplished. Four on-line professional development short courses in Food Safety Risk Analysis have been developed and piloted. All four are now offered by the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN). The 2006 schedule is posted at www. jifsan.umd.edu/pd. The most recent courses included synchronous learning opportunities utilizing Centra webconferencing. Guest lecturers from industry and government lectured on relevant and current topics and participated in class lectures. Sessions were also recorded and made available to students who were not able to participate in the live events. The four courses are: Overview of Risk Analysis (includes an orientation to distance learning); Food Safety Risk Management; Food Safety Risk Communication; and Food Safety Risk Assessment. In addition, JIFSAN has developed a blended learning program that utilizes the on-line courses in combination with face-to-face training. Enrollment Statistics
(including pilots) in Enrollments (number of students) and Percent: Academic, 37, 19%; FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 33, 16%; FDA Field (Consumer Safety Officers), 8, 4%; Other FDA, 5, 2%; U.S. Federal (non-FDA), 12, 6%; U.S. Industry, 15, 7%; U.S. State Government, 6, 3%; U.S. Local Government, 8, 4%; International (all types), 77, 39%; and Totals equal to 201, 100%, respectively. Participating Countries included: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Grand Cayman Islands, India, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Papau New Guinea, Portugal, South Africa, St. Lucia, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, U. S.A., and Venezuela. Awards received: ACE Silver Award in Distance Education and Instructional Design, Educational project, non-credit category, 2004 (Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Natural Science), Kansas City, MO.
Impacts
All proposed objectives were accomplished. Four on-line professional development short courses in Food Safety Risk Analysis have been developed and piloted. All four are now offered by the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN).
Publications
- Synchronizing a Global Asynchronous E-learning Program. Paleg, B., and Long, W.; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland; Abstract of Papers; Association for Communication Excellence, San Antonio, Texas, June 3, 2005.
- Online Risk Education: Potential, Problems, Promise. Long,W., Paleg, B., Yoe, C., and Lei, D.; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland; Abstract of Papers; Society for Risk Analysis National Conference, Baltimore, Maryland, December 8, 2004.
- Food Safety Risk Analysis E-learning Program. Paleg, B., and Varley, E.; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland; Abstract of Papers; Society for Risk Analysis National Conference, Baltimore Maryland, December 8, 2004.
- JIFSAN Food Safety Risk Analysis Professional Development Training Program. Trachewsky, D., and Long, W.R.; Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Liaison Staff, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, Abstract of Papers; Society for Risk Analysis National Conference, Baltimore Maryland, December 8, 2003.
- Just Say Yes: Be Careful What you Wish For! Paleg, B., and Varley, E.; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland Abstract of Papers; Association for Communication Excellence, Kansas City Missouri, June 17, 2003.
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/30/04
Outputs
Year three of the grant-funded Food Safety Risk Analysis E-learning Program built on the success of the previous years. Roughly half of the enrolled students are participating from outside of the United States. Experiences from the pilot and early deliveries of the Overview of Risk Analysis course and the Orientation to Distance Learning course demonstrated a need for tools to help further engage the diverse student audience. Using the developed course platform, the project team researched the implications of a multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary, multi-lingual student population and reported on the lessons learned at the Society for Risk Analysis Annual Conference In addition, year three focused on the design, development, and pilot delivery of the Food Safety Risk Assessment course, and the development of the Food Safety Risk Communication course. Significant efforts were also initiated to examine various synchronous technologies. Based upon these efforts, a decision
was made to pursue acquisition of such a tool in our asynchronous-based program. Plans for the upcoming year include the completion of the development of the FSRA Risk Communication course and the pilot delivery in April 2005, the development and pilot delivery of the FSRA Risk Management course, and the testing, documentation, and recommendations for the use of synchronous technologies.
Impacts
The Food Safety Risk Assessment course is 85 percent complete at this time , with completion targeted for April 2004.
Publications
- "Synchronizing a Global Asynchronous E-learning Program" B.* Paleg, W. Long; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland; Abstract of Papers; Association for Communication Excellence, San Antonio, Texas, Friday, June 3, 2005.
- "Online Risk Education: Potential, Problems, Promise" W.R.* Long, B. Paleg, C. Yoe, D. Lei; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland; Abstract of Papers; Society for Risk Analysis National Conference, Baltimore Maryland, December 8, 2004.
- "JIFSAN Food Safety Risk Analysis Professional Development Training Program" Trachewsky, D.*, Long, W.R.; Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Liaison Staff, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration Abstract of Papers; Society for Risk Analysis National Conference, Baltimore Maryland, December 8, 2003.
- "Just Say Yes: Be Careful What you Wish For!" Paleg, B*, Varley, E; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland Abstract of Papers; Association for Communication Excellence, Kansas City Missouri, June 17, 2003
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
Following the successful pilot offering and feedback from the first of the four distance training courses, Overview of Risk Analysis, the Food Safety Risk Analysis Content Development and Advisement Team made some significant modifications intending to increase learner performance and satisfaction. In addition to these modifications, the orientation module was removed from the course and further developed into a separate course, titled Orientation to WebCT. The development and initial piloting of the Overview course was awarded an ACE (Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Natural Science) Silver Award in the Distance Education and Instructional Design Educational Project non-credit category. While modifications based upon the pilot Overview course were being made, work was begun simultaneously on three additional courses - Orientation to WebCT, Introduction to Food Safety Risk Assessment, and Introduction to Food Safety Risk
Communication. Three separate design teams have been working with the content specialists to move these courses forward. The Orientation course is completed, the Food Safety Risk Assessment course is 85 percent complete at this time, with completion targeted for April of 2004. The Food Safety Risk Communication course is targeted for completion in September 2004. Both of the latter courses will be fully piloted via the JIFSAN Professional Development Training Program in Food Safety Risk Analysis in 2004. A segmented piloting of key course modules will precede the full pilots. The Overview of Risk Analysis distance learning course was accepted for inclusion in the pre-conference workshops of the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA). This provided worldwide exposure and recognition by the preeminent risk analysis organization in the United States. 27 learners from England, Japan, Canada, and across the United States actively participated in this workshop that took place between November 13 -
December 5, 2003. The course was the first distance learning experience for the Society and has generated considerable interest.
Impacts
The Food Safety Risk Assessment course is 85 percent complete at this time , with completion targeted for April 2004.
Publications
- "Food Safety Risk Analysis E-learning Program" Paleg, B*, Varley, E; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland; Abstract of Papers; Society for Risk Analysis National Conference, Baltimore Maryland, December 8, 2003.
- "JIFSAN Food Safety Risk Analysis Professional Development Training Program" Trachewsky, D.*, Long, W.R.; Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Liaison Staff, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration. Abstract of Papers; Society for Risk Analysis National Conference, Baltimore Maryland, December 8, 2003.
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Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
The Food Safety Risk Analysis Content Development and Advisement Team designed, developed and implemented the first of the four distance training courses, Overview of Risk Analysis. This course, as well as the other courses in the program, will reside on the University of Maryland's WebCT server. The look and feel of this course, including the selection of learning management tools, design of course icons, and decisions regarding learner/instructor communication, will serve as the model for the rest the program's courses. Eighteen learners piloted the Overview of Risk Analysis course. These volunteers agreed to actively participate in the course and provide feedback throughout the course. Learners from the United States, New Zealand and England accessed the course online from their homes and offices. All of the learners indicated that this was their first distance learning experience. This pilot of the Overview course resulted in a better understanding of the learner
and instructor interaction. At the end of each module learners submitted an evaluation, providing information that assisted with midcourse redesign. This resulted in improved performance and satisfaction on the part of the learners. Learner feedback was very positive. Those who were actively engaged in the course, benefited greatly and were pleased with the experience. Learners responded that the assignments and exercises reinforced their ability to apply course content to real life situations. Student retention is a concern as only twelve of the original eighteen learners completed the course. However, information from the summative evaluation indicated the need for an expanded orientation in WebCT, the learning management system. As a result, the module that provides this orientation is being removed from the Overview of Risk Analysis, and will be further developed into a separate required course. The Content Development and Advisement Team feels that this and other changes will
greatly improve student retention. Although the learners adapted very well to the online learning environment, streamed media presented some challenges because of firewalls and IT restrictions. We will provide alternatives for streamed media in future course development. The design and development of the second course has begun. In January 2003, the project team hired an undergraduate student to assist with development of the second course that will be offered and evaluated in Summer 2003.
Impacts
The first year effort has resulted in the production and piloting of the first distance training course in the area of food safety risk analysis.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/15/01 to 12/31/01
Outputs
Utilizing funds from this grant, the Food Safety Risk Analysis Distance Training Program, is redesigning currently offered traditional face-to-face courses for delivery in a web-based distance learning environment. To acclimate the grant's project development team to the learning management system tools, the project managers obtained space on the WebCT server of the University of Maryland (UM) and provided informal training on how to use these tools. Space on the UM's media server has been obtained to archive video clips, and other media to enrich the learning process. The grant project team met with administrators in the UM's Office of Information Technology to finalize the contract for the services of a half-time instructional designer for the project. The designer, along with project team members, attended face-to-face session of the courses. The instructional designer has joined the Content Development and Advisement Team that is currently meeting on a weekly
basis to begin the process of redesigning the first course, Overview of Risk Analysis. A graphics designer is developing banners and icons that will be used throughout the course and the program. The initial focus has been to develop the look and feel of this course, which will serve as the model for the rest of the courses. The team is also developing a pre-assessment tool, course content, learner activities and web-based communication strategies for learners and instructors. A Fall 2002 rollout of the first course, for evaluation purposes, is being planned.
Impacts
The web-based courses are expected to be able to reach more students and have a greater inpact in the field of food safety risk analysis.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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