Learning Without Boundaries: Distance Learning At Its Finest

11/14/2014

If you are a student looking for an alternative way to pursue your master’s degree, the Agriculture Course Exchange Program (AgCEP) may be the perfect fit for you.  The Agriculture Course Exchange Program is a collaborative effort of participating Texas A&M University System institutions. The AgCEP allows students to continue their education by providing continuous access to distance education opportunities.

Dr. Jane Packard, an associate professor in the department of wildlife and fisheries sciences, is one of many professors involved with the Agriculture Course Exchange Program. “The AgCEP embodies the vision set forth by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Distance Education Advisory Council Report,” Dr. Packard said. “Through the leadership provided by the office of Dr. Kim Dooley, Associate Dean for Academic Operations for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, this opportunity demonstrates how the recommendations of the report will be implemented, first on a pilot basis, then supporting diffusion through a wider network.”

Dr. Packard had nine students participate in her Behavioral Ecology course in the spring and said that the mix of the College Station and Kingsville students provided a wider diversity of topics for the students to engage and discuss. “The Kingsville students were actively engaged in their field research and brought that  “boots on the ground” perspective that the College Station students really appreciated,” Dr. Packard said. “The academic perspectives made much more sense to them when they were challenged to think about how this applied to the real world.”

“As more faculty, students and institutions buy into AgCEP, the success of the program will grow exponentially,” Dr. Packard said. Dr. Packard discussed that there is a need for additional courses at sister institutions within the TAMU system.

“Together we can meet some of the challenges we face in shaping the educational landscape for the 21st Century:  expanded course enrollment, shorter average time to graduation and upholding national standards of quality education,” Dr. Packard said.

By Tara Hale

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