CERTIFICATION IN A MOODLEBOX

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: OTHER GRANTS
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1018152
• Grant No.: 2019-38821-29042
• Cumulative Award Amt.: $337,103.00
• Proposal No.: 2018-04851
• Project Start Date: Jan 1, 2019
• Project End Date: Dec 31, 2023
• Grant Year: 2019
• Program Code: [EWE]- Extension Project

Recipient Organization
LANGSTON UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
LANGSTON,OK 73050

Performing Department
American Inst. for Goat Res.

Non Technical Summary
Many agricultural training resources are available on the internet. However, the Pew Research Center reports that 1 in 5 (22%) US adults in rural areas do not access the internet. Smartphone data plans may be costly allowing limited amounts of data or producers may not have such devices. An alternative method of providing production, business, and marketing training to these farmers is needed. The American Institute for Goat Research (AIGR) has web-based goat training and certification programs; but, to use them a producer needs reliable internet access. Using a small computer (Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+) and MoodleBox software plus a tablet computer, AIGR can provide instruction that is normally contained on the internet to producers with no or limited internet access. A producer would be sent a package (Certification a MoodleBox) containing a Raspberry Pi 3 plus tablet. The producer utilizes the computer, tablet, and training materials, sending it back when done and receiving a completion certificate. Three certification topics will be available to producers, meat goat production, dairy goat production, or market gardening through collaboration with Oklahoma State University. Training materials will be text and video (created by Langston University students). To serve Spanish-speaking clientele, the University of Puerto Rico will translate goat certification module pre- and post-tests and videos into Spanish to use with existing Spanish language content. Community based organizations in Oklahoma will assist in identifying clientele. The program will be used in Puerto Rico, Oklahoma, and tested in Honduras through a local church.

Animal Health Component

(N/A)

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

(N/A)

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
903	3820	3030	100%

Knowledge Area
903 - Communication, Education, and Information Delivery;

Subject Of Investigation
3820 - Goats, meat, and mohair;

Field Of Science
3030 - Information and communication;

Keywords

b3 agriculture

ewe

extension delivery/methodology

rural communities for 21st century

Goals / Objectives
The overall goal of the project is to provide training in goat production and market gardening to persons with no or limited internet access. This will be accomplished through the following objectives: 1) Use the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ as an extension delivery tool to provide training and knowledge building opportunities to underserved farmers; 2) Evaluate the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ as a means of providing information to producers for future use as a means for wider university instruction, e.g., offering university courses to persons with no internet access; 3) Expand the Spanish language training offerings of the American Institute for Goat Research and horticulture training offering of Langston University; and 4) Empower Community Based Organizations (CBO's) in Oklahoma to become avenues to provide science-based training and production information to members.

Project Methods
Proposed ApproachIn brief, the activities in the grant are: develop and finalize training content for both goat production and market gardening including pre- and post-tests, reference materials, and training videos; translate the goat production tests and videos into Spanish; work with a consultant to format content for MoodleBox and use on the Raspberry Pi; meet with CBO's and UPRM to identify clientele who would benefit from this program; deploy the Raspberry Pi's; and receive feedback and make appropriate revisions on content and method. Further details on these steps are found in following sections.Training ContentMeat and Dairy Goat ProductionThe meat goat and dairy goat on-line certification courses (http://certification.goats.langston.edu/) offered by AIGR have proven to be very popular. Since the inception of the meat goat course in 2007, over 400 producers have received certification as a Quality Producer. The dairy goat course was unveiled in the fall of 2017 and over 70 people have already completed certification.Horticulture/Vegetable ProductionAIGR will work with with the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture of Oklahoma State University (OSU) and the Noble Research Institute (NRI) in Oklahoma to take existing content from a Market Gardening School presented by LU/OSU/NRI and format it for the certification package. OSU, NRI, and LU personnel will create modules with pre- and post-tests similar to the format of the goat production courses. These modules will be loaded onto the Raspberry Pi's and delivered to persons wishing training and information on market gardening.Video ContentIn each of the courses loaded onto the Raspberry Pi's (meat goat, dairy goat, market gardens), "how to" videos of procedures or processes will be created to help guide and train users. AIGR already has several videos on artificial insemination that can be used in the training. In creating videos, particular emphasis will be placed on information regarding goat production and market gardens that has potential to affect human health. In the goat production arena, this will be information on zoonotic diseases, antibiotics and withdrawal times for meat and milk use, and management techniques to minimize disease transfer. For market gardens, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizer use, etc., will be stressed as areas where particular care is needed. In addition to the videos being used on the Raspberry Pi's, they will be loaded onto websites or YouTube channels of participating institutions.To create videos on goat production, AIGR will work with LU's Department of Broadcast Journalism. Students of the department will create the "how to" videos as part of class projects. Students will work to structure the content of the videos, record content, edit and create the final product. UPRM will use undergraduate and graduate students to translate the goat topic videos into Spanish for use in the Spanish goat certification courses.OSU will create videos for the market garden school program such as soil sampling and interpretation of soil test results, hoop house construction, integrated pest management, irrigation, etc. There will be 8 to 12 videos on different topics.Spanish translationAIGR has been expanding the number of resources it has to serve Spanish-speaking farmers. Four publications, the Meat Goat Production Handbook, Dairy Goat Production Handbook, Meat Goat Production Basics, and Dairy Goat Production Basics have been translated into Spanish through partnership with UPRM and published. In this grant, the meat goat and dairy goat certification course pre- and post-tests and video soundtracks will be translated into Spanish and loaded onto Raspberry Pi's, as well as the AIGR website.Format content for use on the Raspberry Pi 3The current goat production certification courses are formatted using Moodle software that allows testing and grading to be accomplished automatically. MoodleBox, a version of the Moodle software, can be used on the Raspberry Pi 3. All course materials will be formatted in MoodleBox and loaded onto the Raspberry Pi 3.Finding those who wish training but have no internet accessTo find and identify clientele who would benefit from using the Certification in a MoodleBox for either goat production or market gardens, AIGR will work with six CBO's in Oklahoma that work with underserved African-American farmers, native Americans, veterans, and other producers. LU has two outreach specialists in different parts of Oklahoma who can identify additional clientele in areas where they work. UPRM will identify producers in Puerto Rico who wish to use the Spanish version of the goat production certification courses. The National Sustainable Agriculture Assistance Program (ATTRA) managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) will receive some of the Certification in a MoodleBox kits to use and test with its clientele. Other methods to find persons in need of such assistance include UPRM and OSU extension personnel. AIGR will also advertise the Certification in a MoodleBox on its website, social media, in the quarterly Goat Newsletter, and at its annual Field Day. While it may seem counterintuitive to advertise a program for non-internet users on the internet, this is a means of spreading information on the program to a wide audience, members of which may know persons who could benefit from such a program.

Progress 01/01/19 to 12/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached was the members of community based organizations named in the grant proposal. The audience included goat producers and those who raised vegetables in home or market gardens. The PI held meetings with the community based organizations listed in the grant. The grant activities were discussed and an example of the main activity, the raspberry pi training computer, was presented. Feedback was requested and some changes were made based upon the feedback. Project partners in Puerto Rico contacted producers and students who were involved in the project. Changes/Problems:In the final period of the grant, there were no significant problems. Previous reports outlined issues related to COVID and the inability to hold meetings with producers that impacted activities. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Producers have gained knowledge on goat production, many of them in the dairy goat producdtion area. The PI has learned more about the MoodleBox program, learning management systems, and the Raspberry Pi though efforts to update the program. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results are disseminated at meetings at Langston University. An article on the certifications awarded in Chile was in the September edition of Extension Today produced by the Association of Extension Administrators of 1890 Land-Grant Universities. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Meetings were held with the participating community based organizations in Oklahoma. In person meetings provided training on the use of the technology provided through the grant as well as providing information through question and answer sessions. The meetings helped to maintain contact and activities with the community based organizations that led to other collaborative activities outside those of this grant. In addition to community based organizations in Oklahoma, producers in Puerto Rico used the Raspberry Pis to complete the certification courses. The Puerto Rican co-investigator also used the certification courses in classes taught at the University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez. That co-investigator was in contact with other scientists in Central and South America making them aware of the certification course offerings. Through those connections, an extension agent in the Coquimbo region of Chile was made aware of the dairy goat certification program in Spanish. She had producers in the region sign up to take the course. To date, 106 Chilean animal scientists, veterinarians, and producers have enrolled. Nineteen producers have completed the program.

Publications

Progress 01/01/22 to 12/31/22

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached is the members of community based organizations named in the grant proposal. The audience includes goat producers and those who raise vegetables in home or market gardens. The PI held meetings with the community based organizations listed in the grant. The grant activities were discussed and an example of the main activity, the raspberry pi training computer, was presented. Feedback was requested and some changes were made based upon the feedback. Project partners in Puerto Rico contacted producers and students who will be involved in the project. Changes/Problems:No significant problems were noted in the past year. The PI has tried to update the underlying MoodleBox program on the Raspberry Pi to a new version. However, the Raspberry Pi repeatedly dropped connectdion. This is a problem that was noted by other users in online forums. A decision was made to continue using the Raspberry Pi with the current version of MoodleBox as it is very stable. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Producers have gained knowledge on goat production, many of then in the dairy goat producdtion area. The PI has learned more about the MoodleBox program and Raspberry Pi though efforts to update the program. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results are disseminated at meetings at Langston University. An article on the certifications awarded in Chile was in the September edition of Extension Today produced by the Association of Extension Administrators of 1890 Land-Grant Universities. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The PI will continue holding meetings with the participating community based organizations involved in the grant. Additional students at UPRM are expected to take the course as well as additionall participants in Chile.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Meetings were held with the participating community based organizations. Through our collaborators at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, an extension agent in the Coquimbo region of Chile was made aware of the dairy goat certification program in Spanish. She had producers in the region sign up to take the course. To date, 106 Chilean animal scientists, veterinarians, and producers have enrolled. Nineteen producers have completed the program.

Publications

Progress 01/01/21 to 12/31/21

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience is the members of community based organizations named in the grant proposal. The audience includes goat producers and those who raise vegetables in home or market gardens. The PI held meetings with the community based organizations listed in the grant. The grant activities were discussed and an example of the main activity, the raspberry pi training computer, was presented. Feedback was requested and some changes were made based upon the feedback. Project partners in Puerto Rico contacted producers and students who will be involved in the project. Changes/Problems:The coronavirus pandemic remained an important issue in 2021. Particularly early in the year, CBOs did not hold meetings. This prevented the PI and others from visiting with the CBOs to gauge progress using the Raspberry Pi computers, problems that occurred, and ways to address those problems. At some CBO meetings, other information on goat production or hands on activities are conducted to support the computer learning. These were not able to be held. The information on market gardening remains slow to be developed. Some sections are done and work is underway to get these loaded on the Raspberry PI computers. There have also been changes in the size and makeup of the CBOs with some having lost members. Health issues of some particpants in CBOs has also prevented full deployment of the Pis. A one-year no-cost extension has been requested to complete activites. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The opportunities for training are listed in the accomplishments section. During the last year, opportunities for training of producers was expanded to include many potential international trainees. Some producers in Oklahoma completed the course. Other Oklahoman producers have been identified to receive the MoodleBox kits for training. The grant investigators enhanced their knowledge of the MoodleBox programming and Raspberry Pi. This occurred through updating the MoodleBox version and recreating some of the interface that producers see when logging on and using the Raspberry Pi. Program add-ins and other aspects of the program were completed. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results and progress is disseminated through meetings held (few this year due to Covid 19) and through the project liaison who works with the CBOs. He speaks on the phone with each CBO two to three times per month keeping them apprised of activities and getting information and feedback from the CBOs. This has been beneficial as the CBOs have expressed desire for certain types of information that can be developed by project participants. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the no-cost extension year of the grant the videos will be completed. Gardening information will be placed on the MoodleBox and given to producers. Additional MoodleBox kits will be given to producers, especially Spanish-speaking producers. Feedback on the course, Raspberry Pi use, MoodleBox use, and other aspects of the grant will be sought. The Raspberry Pi computers are a part of several other grants of the Institute and learning of ways to improve how information is presented will help the Institute,

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? In 2021, additional Raspberry Pis were given to interested producers. Some Spanish-speaking producers in Oklahoma have been identified and will be given Pis and other materials in late 2021 or early 2022. Some producers are in the process of taking the course and some have completed the course. Several producers in Puerto Rico have completed the course and been issued certificates. MoodleBox kits were sent to several countries during 2021. Dr. Abner Rodriguez of UPRM requested a presentation on the certification course to a meeting in Chile. Subsequent to that, Dr. Claudia Torres, Director of the University of Chile, Estación Experimental Agrícola in Las Cardas reported that 37 extension agents have registered for the course. Currently, they are taking the online version but the information would not have been presented to them without the MoodleBox project. Dr. Rodriguez has given information on the certification course and MoodleBox program to other Central America and South America countries. Raspberry Pis with the MoodleBox courses were hand carried to Jamaica and Tanzania. The American Institute for Goat Research has several grants with the College of Agriculture, Science and Education and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority and Raspberry Pi computers are a part of the activities to be conducted. One member of an Oklahoma CBO has a family member working to establish a goat farm in Tanzania. Two of the Raspberry Pi computers with the MoodleBox certification courses are now in Tanzania. Raspberry Pi computers have been sent to other countries but have either been returned or lost as is the case for Zimbabwe and Costa Rica. In October 2021, a veterinarian who will be traveling to work on a goat farm in Nepal spent a week at AIGR for training in goat production and health. The certification courses on the Raspberry Pi was introduced to her and a Pi was given to her to take to Nepal to facilitate training of farm workers. Collaboration has begun with a producer in Oklahoma in one of the CBOs who wishes to produce training videos on various aspects of gardening. Supplies have been purchased and some short videos have been recorded that need to be edited and checked. Other persons identified to receive MoodleBox kits are a US military veteran who wishes to begin a goat farm and some Spanish-speaking goat producers in the state.

Publications

Progress 01/01/20 to 12/31/20

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached is the members of community based organizations named in the grant proposal. The audience includes goat producers and those who raise vegetables in home or market gardens. The PI held meetings with the community based organizations listed in the grant. The grant activities were discussed and an example of the main activity, the raspberry pi training computer, was presented. Feedback was requested and some changes were made based upon the feedback. Project partners in Puerto Rico contacted producers and students who will be involved in the project. Changes/Problems:The biggest issue in 2020 was the coronavirus. This prevented the PI from holding face to face meetings with CBOs. It also prevented videos from being produced. The information on market gardening has been slow to be developed. This should be done in 2021 and be put on the Raspberry Pi in the Moodlebox format. This has been a popular request by the CBOs. As discussed in a previous section, plans are being made to provide training on how to use the Raspberry Pi via Zoom in a mixed methodology format. One person would be the recipient of the Zoom call and cast the content to a television while those using the Raspberry Pi will be connected to that device. This should allow for trainings to continue in this grant. It is also a model that may have applicability for other extension training activities. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Thrity-one students at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez have taken the course. Four Langston Unviersity scientists have the Raspberry Pi to evaluate the course format and see if this could be a model for other information, particularly for horticulture and other extension programs. The PI and coPIs have also learned about Moodlebox course formatting and programming of the Raspberry Pi. This has been beneficial in understanding how the Pi works with the course to be able to better troubleshoot issues and provide training. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results and progress is disseminated through meetings held (few this year due to Covid 19) and through the project liaison who works with the CBOs. He speaks on the phone with each CBO two to three times per month keeping them apprised of activities and getting information and feedback from the CBOs. This has been beneficial as the CBOs have expressed desire for certain types of information that can be developed by project participants. Information is also published in the Goat Newsletter when appropriate. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, Raspberry Pis will be given to each CBO for use by producers. These will also be distributed in Puerto Rico. Meetings will be held, some of them virtually, to provide training on how to use the Pi and Moodllebox. Videos that were put on hold due to social distancing guidelines in response to Covid 19 will be made. These will then be put on the Raspberry Pi and the Pis sent to producers will have the new course materials installed. Feedback from producers and other using the Pis will be sought and compiled. This will help gauge success of the project and find areas for improvememt. New methods to hold training sessions and meetings with CBOs are being explored. Zoom will be used. However, Zoom requires an internet connection. The Raspberry Pi creates a wireless network that the user must log onto to access course material. A mixed method of training is being devised whereby one producer can be on a Zoom training call and project that call onto a television using Google Chromecast or similar techonology. The people receiving training can be on the Raspberry Pi wireless network that is not connected to the internet while watching the Zoom training call on a television. Details are being worked out and needed supplies ordered.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The Spanish version of the course was completed and posted on the American Institute for Goat Research website. Both the English and Spanish versions of the course were loaded onto Raspberry Pi computers using the Moodlebox course management software system. Instructions on how to connect to the Raspberry Pi and enroll in courses were created in English and Spanish. The instructions and Pis were tested and modifications made as needed. Several of the computers were provided to scientists and other individuals to test. Faculty at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez (UPRM) had 31 students enroll in the Spanish verson of the certification courses. They should complete the course in the fall of 2020. UPRM has also received Raspberry Pi computers and will begin working with producers in January 2021. The PI held meetings with all CBOs to discuss the project and demonstrate the Raspberry Pi. The CBOs provided feedback that led to some changes made in the formatting of the content. Covid-19 prevented additional meetings that can hopefully be done next year. The PI will begin distributing Pis in the next period.

Publications

Progress 01/01/19 to 12/31/19

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached is the members of community based organizations named in the grant proposal. The PI will discuss the grant program, objectives, and methodology during the scheduled December 2019 meetings with each organization. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The PI and Co-PI have learned aspects of programming Raspberry Pi computers and in the MoodleBox course management system based upon Moodle. Experience with the Raspberry Pi will help the PI and Co-PI when training community based organization members and leaders on how to use the system to enroll and take the courses and in troubleshooting problems when they occur. This experience also helps these individuals communicate with the programmer working on formatting the courses in MoodleBox. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Meetings with the community based organizations are planned for December 2019 at which time the grant and its aspects will be discussed. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next period focus will be on video creation, completion of course content in Spanish and loading the content on the Raspberry Pi, completing the market garden information for placing on the Raspberry Pi, testing the Raspberry Pi with student workers, and beginning to provide kits to community based organizations.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? During this period, a prototype Raspberry Pi has been created. This needs further refinement, the addition of course material on market gardening, and videos. These are in planning or prototype stages. The certification tests have been translated into Spanish for the Spanish version of the dairy goat and meat goat certification courses. These are in the formatting stage. Meetings with community based organizations will be held in December 2019 to introduce the project and plan future steps.

Publications