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December 29, 2008
WSU Expands Course Offerings in Nation's First Online Certificate in Organic Ag
PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State University, the first institution in the country to offer an academic major in organic agriculture and the first to offer an online certificate in organic ag, has now expanded its online course offerings in the organic agriculture certificate program. Three new courses that lead to the Certificate in Organic Agriculture will be offered beginning spring semester, which begins January 12. Admission to WSU is required to enroll in courses and to earn the certificate, and participants may apply as non-degree seeking students. More information is available at WSU's Center for Distance and Professional Education Web site at online.wsu.edu or by calling (800) 222-4978. "The U.S. organic food industry has grown at a rate of 20 to 30 percent each year for more than a decade and is really challenged to find employees who understand the unique approaches used in organic agriculture," said Kim Kidwell, associate dean for academic programs in the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. "Those who complete the certificate will hold the credential they need to succeed in one of the fastest-growing industries in the country." Kidwell noted that many of those working in agriculture in Washington and throughout the United States already hold a bachelor's degree, but may wish to expand their skill set to include organic agriculture. "This certificate fills that need," she said. New courses being offered this spring are: Crop Science 360, "World Agricultural Systems," which surveys contemporary and historical systems of food production as well as the agro-environmental characteristics of the world's farming systems; Soils 441, "Soil Fertility," which deals with the impact of nutrients on crop productivity, and soil and water quality; and Ag and Food Systems 445, "Field Analysis of Sustainable Food Systems," an experiential course in which students visit farms, and food processing and marketing facilities in order to explore first hand the issues and relationships impacting sustainable food production. Other courses in the program focus on topics ranging from economics to resolving environmental conflicts. The program also includes an "on the ground" practicum or professional internship in organic agriculture. Center for Distance and Professional Education director Janet Kendall said offering the organic agriculture courses online makes them available to a global audience. "Anyone from around the state or around the world with an interest in organic agriculture can participate. As long as they have Internet access, they can take courses," she said.
Washington State University - Distance Degree Programs

December 2, 2008
Athabasca University: Two Athabasca University Publications Selected for Inclusion in European Science Foundation List
Athabasca University is pleased with the selection of its Journal of Distance Education and The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning for inclusion in the European Reference Index for the Humanities (ERIH) initial list. ERIH is a fully peer-reviewed reference index of the top journals in 15 areas of the Humanities. The two AU publications have been listed in the “Pedagogical and Educational Research” category. Of the five distance journals selected in this category, only the two AU publications are open-access. "Scholars, researchers and readers are presented with an ever-expanding array of publishing possibilities," said Dr. Terry Anderson, Canada Research Chair in Distance Education. "Many of the traditional citation indices services which track 'influence' of various publications are owned and managed by commercial publishers. I often think they do not index, or adequately review the Open Access journals – their major competitors. Thus, independent peer assessments of journals such as ERIH are important tools for both researchers, those who evaluate research performance and for readers." Both JDE and IRRODL have become the world's premier academic journals in the field of open and distance education.
Source: Athabasca University, Alberta