Remove the ‘distance’ from Learning at a Distance, and all that’s left is Learning.

If it sounds too simple to work, rest assured, it is working, and working well in other parts of North America. Now an Ontario farm organization is adapting the ‘Web Classroom’ concept and technology to bridge the gap between producers and experts.

The Ontario Agricultural Training Institute, based in Guelph, Ontario, is in the process of completing the development of four web classroom courses. With financial assistance from the Agricultural Management Institute (AMI) program, which is administered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council, OATI will offer the courses during a five to six week period in January and February, 2006. On average, for one day a week and two to three hours in the evening, a facilitator will deliver the course and be available to answer questions and provide specialized training, particular to producers.

Also helping with the program development and delivery is Cory Galbraith of Galbraith Communications in Ottawa. He has worked previously with the Canadian Farm Business Management Council and its Agri-webinar system, and brings the same format to OATI’s project.

“This is a two-way, voice-interactive type of learning,” explains Ian Barrett, executive director with OATI.  He refers to the concept as a ‘Web Classroom’ and not webinars. The latter is known for its one-way delivery format, but the OATI approach is different. “It’s like being in the classroom,” says Barrett.

Another strength of the program is its availability; Barrett emphasizes the courses will be available on dial-up as well as high speed internet connections, meaning greater accessibility across the country. Participants in the course will be able to communicate using an interactive microphone -- a $10.00 expense, or via keyboard messaging. Video interaction was considered, but with a wide range of technologies existing across the province, it was decided to avoid that approach, altogether.

“From what we can gather, we’ll probably be the first in North America to deliver farm-based courses on a web classroom-based concept,” says Barrett. “In theory, we can hold the courses anywhere in the world which is really an advantage.”

The four courses include an Introduction to Commodity Marketing and an Intermediate/Advanced Commodity Marketing session. These separate sessions will be presented by Tino Breuer, general manager of the Ontario Bean Producers’ Marketing Board. The third course is Managing for High Performance, a human resources session designed for producers who have a number of employees working for them in agri-businesses. The facilitator on that course will be Blake Bexon from Ailsa Craig. The fourth course is an Introduction to Farm Succession Planning, with Peter Coughler from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, providing the expertise.

A fifth course, on Advanced Farm Succession Planning is being developed. It will provide farm advisors with more in-depth training on the subject of succession planning. The introductory course is open to producers as well. Advanced Farm Succession will not be offered via the web-classroom route, but is instead a face-to-face course.

“When you think of the many levels of expertise this brings, literally right to your doorstep, the possibilities are endless,” says Bette Jean Crews, chair of the Agricultural Management Institute program. “Farmers’ lives and livelihoods often don’t allow for comprehensive learning opportunities; they’re restricted by time, expense and geography, and this program will remove all of those barriers.”

From Barrett’s perspective, the concept is a ‘can’t miss’ prospect. It’s cost-effective, minimizes unnecessary travel and delivers clear and consistent training. But most important, it draws together those people in more isolated rural regions of the province.

If there is a challenge it will be to continue to convince producers across the country of its benefits. It’s learning at a distance but it is intensive learning, says Barrett. The other challenge is the uptake, which Barrett concedes has been slow, thus far. Corporations, especially in the United States, have embraced this new way of holding meetings and training courses. It is said that IBM saves between $24 and $36 million annually using technology of this sort.

This Agricultural Management Institute (AMI) project is supported by funding under the Renewal chapter of the Canada-Ontario Agricultural Policy Framework agreement. The Agricultural Adaptation Council administers the AMI on behalf of the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario.

For further information and for registration, contact Ian Barrett at barrett@oati.com or at 1-800-668-6284, ext. 224.

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Nadine Buitenhuis
Communications Coordinator
Agricultural Adaptation Council
Phone: 519-822-7554 Fax: 519-822-6248
E-mail: nbuitenhuis@adaptcouncil.org
Website: www.adaptcouncil.org