On-line Distance Learning for improving socioeconomic status of farming community in Sri Lanka

Institute for Agro-technology & Rural Sciences, University of Colombo Sri Lanka

Background of the Institute University of Colombo Magampura Agro-technology and Community Service Centre (1998)

Institute for Agro-technology and Rural Sciences (2008)

INFRASTRUCTURE

Agro-technology and community service centre

Upgrading the centre as an Institute

Newly established NAC centre in the Institute

Current Programmes
Currently the Institute has introduced two levels of study programs with the UGC approval; Diploma level, Certificate level in Agro-technology through Online Distance Education with blended mode. The Diploma Program in Agrotechnology was commenced in November 2008 and three batches of farmer students are following the

Current programs They are successfully following the Diploma program and there is a continuous demand for the course as the knowledge the farmers gain could be immediately applied resulting in a tenfold increase in income.

Low producti vity

Background

Solution

Lack of updated knowledg e on new techniques

lack of informatio n to improve farm managem ent

Just in time knowledge and information through online distance learning in the blended mode for farmers While being engaged in cultivations

Why?
Agriculture extension has dwindled

A Distinctive Online Agro-technology Diploma course

The first online higher education opportunity to grass root farm community by using Who are Farming the their local language. community learners ?

Challenges faced
Heterogeneity of farmers : age, schoolings Majority of them did not have computer skills Ability to learn only with local language Lack of connectivity in remote areas Ability of interaction with others was 01 very low months induction programme on use of Distance from the home to institute computer, internet, email ,etc

How institute is facilitating the learning for farming community through this

personal learning -online lesson contents http://iars.nodes.lk

Online learning

collaborative learning- peer interaction experiential learning- Lab practicals and guided learning on their own fields Face to face learning
Lab practicals

Peer interactio

Field

Learner support
The students are supported by dedicated on-line tutors and mentors using discussion forums in LMS. Tutors and learners are discussing problems and comments relating to the course and also regarding their cultivations through online forums in the LMS in local language. Face to face discussion at least once a month

NODES Access Centre Locations

Access
Farmers are accessing for the Lessons through NAC s located all around the country and also by their own computers.

22 7

14

11

9 18 13 20 8 21 10

15 1 2 16 19

6 17 12 4

Network Operation Centre

Ensuring Quality The Institute follows a well organized plan of on-line course development, delivery and evaluation The QA Tool kit in Distance Higher Education(Published by COL, UNESCO and DEMP) is used for ensuring quality in the process and the systems of the Institution

Trends
Farmers forming their own learning groups and continuously interacting through online discussion forums resulting in horizontal flow of information among the farmers- Self directed learning Online education has proven as a new path of disseminating knowledge for the poverty stricken rural sector that could use only the local language.

trends cont..........

Knowledge based agriculture has proven to give several fold increase of income to farming community (Rs 1.6 million from 1 ha) This gives an opportunity for rural farming community to pursue higher education while being in cultivation

The Institute demonstrates that it is possible to impart quality higher education using information communication technologies(ICTs) to the farming community. Among farmer students ICTs now becomes the most powerful tools of improving agricultural productivity

Bachelor of Agrotechnology
The first batch of the Diploma programme has already completed the Diploma and the course is upgrading to a Degree (Bachelor in Agro-technology).

Target group
The Degree program is only for the farming community who are involved in agriculture and does not open for any other employment. This is solely for the farming community who is willing to go for knowledge based agriculture.

Objectives
To provide opportunity of higher education to those who are involved in agriculture so that they could be involved in knowledge base cultivations. Farming community to become agro entrepreneurs to be on par with international farmers. To allow lifelong learning to the farming community thereby to enhance the

Objectives
To provide opportunity of higher education to those who are involved in agriculture so that they could be involved in knowledge base cultivations. To assist farmers to become agro entrepreneurs on par with international farmers. To allow lifelong learning to the farming community thereby to enhance the

Course Structure
Total duration 04 years 02years Diploma leading to 01 Y Higher Diploma and another 01 for the Degree Course work: A total of 120 credits (04 y) Student Thesis Research: 08 credits

Course Structure
Certificate Courses. Eight courses are offered during a period of 2 years. Diploma in Agro technology. Those who successfully complete all 8 Certificate courses. Higher Diploma in Agro technology. Diploma qualified students could follow four (04) Certificate courses during a period of 01 year. Bachelor of Agro-technology (4 years). Higher Diploma qualified

 Each course goes as a Certificate course. Duration of each Certificate course is 3 months having 300 h of which 160 h is for theory and the balance for field and laboratory classes. All theory is online Practicals and field classes are face to face. Each course identified subject matter experts in Universities

 The entire course is put into an online interactive form. All the courses are learner oriented and the students are supported by trained online tutors and mentors.

Successful farmer students produced by the institute

Success fields Mr Jesuss field Puttlam

Sepalikas Eco-tourism site Dambulla

Franks Coconut and Papaya FieldKurunegala

Awantis Gerbera project- Mathale