Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
This RIIA: Education/Teaching project will focus on increasing student experiential learning opportunities and re-connecting two insular institutions, the University of Guam (UOG) and College of Micronesia-FSM (COM) for enhancement of agriculture education. The project supports two Project Need Areas of RIIA FY2023: (a) Student Experiential Learning and (b) Faculty Preparation and Enhancement for Teaching. For (a) Student Experiential Learning, we will support two different student activities. First, we will provide UOG students off-island travel opportunities to visit two COM campuses on the islands of Yap and Pohnpei. During the trip, students will observe the unique culture and have hands-on experiences working in the islands' agroecosystem. The second activity is to provide a training program for students to gain experiences with research projects working under the PDs' supervision. Student trainees will develop scientific and professional competencies with opportunities to solve real-life problems.For Project Need Areas of RIIA (b) Faculty Preparation and Enhancement for Teaching, we propose to broaden and develop our skills in improving agricultural education curricula at UOG and COM-FSM by sharing and standardizing curriculum between our programs and developing student advisement and recruitment skills among our faculty. PDs will visit COM with students and offer workshops on sustainable agriculture on Yap and Pohnpei. Instructors and students of COM will also visit UOG to learn about the different agriculture practices in Guam. The proposed project will identify obstacles and opportunities in building stronger linkages among our higher education institutions by visitation of each island and continuation of on-line conversation for agriculture education improvement.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Resident Instruction (RI) in Agriculture and Life Science Division (ALSD) of College of Natural and Applied Science at the University of Guam (UOG) offers the Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture and Life Science (ALS) and the Master of Science degree in Sustainable Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (SAFNR). Previously granted USDA/NIFA RIIA projects have supported improvement of our Resident Instruction (RI) activities to create the only graduate (SAFNR) and newly modified 4-year undergraduate (ALS) degree programs in agriculture and food sciences in the Western Pacific islands at UOG. Most of the student population at UOG is composed of Pacific islanders and Asians according to the UOG FACTBOOK 2021-2022. Among Pacific islanders, we receive either transferred students from 2-year community colleges of other insular institutions or freshmen from island nations. One of the challenges of our RI program is that many transferred students or new students from other islands often have difficulty adapting to UOG's 4-year U.S. style university system in addition to the language barriers. They often struggle to meet the requirements for a bachelor's degree within the planned period. Moreover, the recent 2-3 years isolation due to the pandemic and changes in collaborating faculty/coordinators/administrators of RI program at UOG and other neighboring insular institutions, have created a need to re-establish linkages among educators from insular institutions in Pacific islands. This is critical for improving students' educational success and experience in our RI programs. The goal of the project is to rebuild linkages between UOG ALS programs and College of Micronesia-Federated State of Micronesia (COM-FSM) RI agricultural programs. The new linkage will focus on knowledge exchange and curriculum sharing on tropical sustainable agriculture practices. Our island cultures place a high value on interpersonal communications and relationships. Another goal of the project is to provide students hands-on research experiences practices in sustainable agriculture in the tropics.The proposed project has three (3) objectives:Objective 1: Increase opportunities for UOG students to participate in experiential learning programs in sustainable agriculture at College of Micronesia.The students will broaden their view, through hands on experiences, and start to recognize differences and commonality of issues surrounding tropical island agriculture systems between Guam, Yap, and Pohnpei islands.Objective 2: Increase in opportunities for faculty and coordinators of RI programs at UOG and COM to exchange knowledge and curriculum on sustainable agriculture practices to enhance the quality and relevance of our agricultural degree programs.This objective aims for faculty and coordinators engaging FANH science education at both UOG and COM to have better understanding of students through these intensive travel programs and learning experiences and to prepare the students for successful pursuit of their agriculture and food science studies. This objective also aims to link (start dialog on common curriculum) the instructors of UOG and COM in food and agriculture around a focus on sustainable agriculture.Objective 3: Increase opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to conduct agriculture and food science research projects at UOG:The objective will provide undergraduate and graduate students opportunities to engage and to conduct research project under supervision of ALS research and extension faculty. This objective aims to provide students hands-on research experiences practices in RI, research and extension of Sustainable Agriculture Training Program.
Project Methods
First, we will recruit a part-time Research Associate who will assist PDs in delivering the three proposed objectives as follows:For Objective 1 and Objective 2:Planning of visitation to COM by UOG faculty and students and COM faculty and students' visitation to UOGPDs and Research Associate will start with a series of on-line communication with COM collaborator (Mr. Steven Young-Uhk, Vice-president and Extension Director COM-FSM) and other instructors of COM to decide dates and the itinerary of our trip to Yap and Pohnpei campuses and Guam visit by instructors/students of COM.Recruitment of student participants to travel to Yap and PohnpeiPreparation (before the trips)Regular meetings with student participants and regular online Zoom meetings between facultyPreparation of teaching materials on sustainable agriculture for workshops in Yap and Pohnpei by PDs, facilitated by Zoom meetings prior to travel.Creation of survey questionnaire appropriate for contents of proposed student activities (Objective 1) and educators' development (Objective 2).Tour to Yap and PohnpeiPDs and student participants visit Yap and Pohnpei at separate occasions due to lack of flight schedules to visit both island during one trip.Visit and observe agricultural activities and island culture of Yap and Pohnpei, through tours guided by local agricultural professionals and farmers.PDs and UOG student participants offer workshops to local students for the sustainable agriculture program in Guam. Examples of topics are:Animal Science/Meat Science (Dr. Liu)Horticulture, Soil, Agroecology (Dr. Marutani)Sustainable agriculture, tropical soil and water conservations practices, agroforestry practices and subsistence farming for food security, Agricultural economics (differences between a cash economy and a subsistence economy) (Dr. Barber)Community Development and Agricultural Economics (enterprise budgeting) (Dr. Chen)PDs, UOG student participants, COM faculty and COM students will discuss the curricula of agricultural education at UOG and COM to identify curriculum modules needed to better prepare COM students to transfer to UOG following COM associate degree completion.Tour to Guam by instructors/students of COM.Educators and students of COM will visit UOG.Visit and participate in tours conducted by agricultural professionals and farmers on agricultural activities, various production systems, and island culture of Guam (will hold a workshop on differences between a cash economy and a subsistence agriculture based economy and adaptive strategies/available resources).PDs, UOG student participants, COM faculty and COM students will discuss the curricula of agricultural education at UOG and COM to identify curriculum modules needed to better prepare COM students to transfer to UOG following COM associate degree completion.Assessment of outcomes of activities for Objectives 1 and 2Evaluation of activities of Objectives 1 and 2 will be done by Dr. ChenReport writing (PD: Marutani)For Objective 3:Recruitment of Student traineesSend an announcement of research/extension training opportunities.Select student trainees by PDs.Conduct the training program.Regular meetings by research project advisor (ALS faculty) and student trainees. Anticipating research projects for student trainees are:Animal Science and Meat Science (Dr. Liu)Biochemical analysis and genetic studies of local vegetable crops, invasive weeds, and native plants (Dr. Marutani)Extension promotion of traditional agroforestry systems for subsistence agriculture and food security, Outreach of Federal programs promoting soil and water conservation, research on the level of food insecurity on Guam (Dr. Barber)Student presentation of their research findings at seminar or a local conferenceRegistration fees for students' presentation at conferences are budgeted.Evaluation of student performance.Student research advisors keep timesheet of students work hours.Stipend payment will be monthly with the base of the hourly payment ($12/hour)Student research advisors will have regular meetings with student trainees about their progress and any issues they have during the training program.Advisors shares progress of training program.Dr. Chen creates a survey questionnaire to evaluate students' performance and success of the training program.Report writing (PD Marutani)TimetableSeptember 2023 - November 2023:Recruit Research Associate (for all Objectives)Quarterly conference video call (Zoom), throughout the project, with educators from COM and UOG to establish a network and determine the dates and itinerary (Objective 1 and 2)Discussion and preparations for an upcoming conference from educators from their respective insular institutions. (Availability and venue location)Recruit student trainees in research and extension program (Objective 3)Create a draft of evaluation survey questionnaire for proposed activities (all Objectives)Contract an external evaluator to discuss about the proposed project.December 2023 to September 2024:Conference video call (Zoom) with educators from COM and UOG to continue a network and finalize the dates and itinerary if needed (Objective 1 and 2)Conduct preparation and implement island tours if the schedule is decided within this time frame (Objectives 1 and 2)Recruit student trainees and perform research and extension program (Objective 3)Discuss with an external evaluator about our performing proposed activities.Submit the first annual report to grantor.October 2024 or September 2025:Conference video call (Zoom) with educators from COM and UOG to continue a network and finalize the dates and itinerary if needed (Objective 1 and 2)Conduct preparations and implement island tours if the schedule is decided within this time frame (Objectives 1 and 2)Recruit student trainees and perform research and extension program (Objective 3)If schedule permitted, student participants will attend the local Conference in Guam in April (UOG regional conference)Self-evaluation of the proposed activities (all Objectives)Discuss with an external evaluator about our performing proposed activities.Submit the second annual report to grantor.October 2025 to September 2026:Continue conference video call (Zoom) with educators from COM and UOG to discuss plans to keep our network (Objective 2)Recruit student trainees and perform research and extension program (Objective 3)Summarize outcomes of proposed projectDiscuss with an external evaluator about our performing proposed activities.Submit the final report to grantor.