Distance Education Grants for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas

 

The purpose of the DEG program is to strengthen the capacity of institutions of higher education in insular areas to carry out resident instruction, curriculum, and teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences through distance education technology. Projects funded by the DEG program support the creation, adaptation, and adoption of learning materials and teaching strategies to operationalize what we know about how students learn. Many of these concepts are identified in the National Research Councils publication, How People Learn. DEG-funded projects shall also focus on imparting both technical knowledge as well employability skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem solving. These concepts can be found in the publication: https://www.aplu.org/projects-and-initiatives/agriculture-human-sciences-and-natural-resources/employability-skills-in-agriculture/index.html.

Active 10.322 National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Department of Agriculture B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2016 For FY 2016 $800,000 was available for DEG awards. Twelve applications were reviewed by a panel and eight (8) proposals were recommended for awards. The final eight (8) proposals range from the lowest of $115,000 to the highest of $150,000. The ratio is 67%. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 $768,000 was available for Distance Education Grants Program (DEG) awards. Twelve applications were reviewed by a panel and eight (8) proposals were recommended for awards. The final eight (8) proposals range from the lowest of $115,000 to the highest of $150,000. The award ratio is 67 percent (67%). SPECIAL NOTE: See CFDA # 10.308 for other pertinent financial information.
Fiscal Year 2017 For fiscal Year (FY) 2017, the consolidated appropriation for Insular Area Grants (CFDA # 10.308 and # 10.322) was approximately $2 million. After deductions for legislatively authorized set-asides, the distributed Payment to States amount for the Distance Education Grants for Insular Areas Grant Program (DEG) approximately $766,500 was available for awards. Project type in FY 2017 is Regular Grants only at a ceiling amount of $175,000. An eligible university system may receive up to a maximum of three (3) Regular grant awards. Ten (10) applications were received, three (3) of them were declined due to not following RFA guidelines. The remaining seven (7) proposals ranging from $129,000 to $175,000 were reviewed. As evaluated by a peer review panel and due to limited funding, only five (5) of the seven (7) proposals were funded. The funding ratio for this program in FY 2017 is 71 percent (71%). SPECIAL NOTE: See CFDA # 10.308 for other pertinent financial information.
Fiscal Year 2018 For Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, the consolidated appropriation for Insular Area Grants (CFDA # 10.308 and # 10.322) was approximately $2 million. After deductions for legislatively authorized set-asides, for the Insular Grants Program approximately $1,902,600 was available for awards. Approximately $800,000 was distributed under the DEG Program. Project type in FY 2018 is Standard Grants only at a ceiling amount of $150,000. An eligible university system may receive up to a maximum of three (3) Standard grant awards. Fourteen (14) applications were accepted for review ranging from $144,605 to $150,000. As evaluated by a peer review panel and due to limited funding, only seven (7) of the fourteen (14) proposals were funded. The funding ratio for this program in FY 2018 is 50 percent (50%). SPECIAL NOTE: Also see Assistance Listing (CFDA) # 10.308 for other pertinent information regarding the Insular Areas Program.
Fiscal Year 2019 For Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, the consolidated appropriation for Insular Area Grants (CFDA # 10.308 and # 10.322) was approximately $2 million. After deductions for legislatively authorized set-asides, for the Insular Grants Program approximately $1,902,600 was available for awards. Approximately $800,000 was distributed under the DEG Program. Project type in FY 2019 is Standard Grants only at a ceiling amount of $150,000 and a Planning Activity Grant only at a ceiling amount of $30,000. An eligible university system may receive up to a maximum of three (3) Standard grant awards and one (1) Planning activity award. Seven (7) applications were accepted for review ranging from $149,224 to $150,000. As evaluated by a peer review panel and due to limited funding, only six (6) of the seven (7) proposals were funded. The funding ratio for this program in FY 2019 is 85 percent (85%). SPECIAL NOTE: Also see Assistance Listing (CFDA) # 10.308 for other pertinent information regarding the Insular Areas Program.
Fiscal Year 2020 Per the Budget Office, it is projected that approximately $1.9 million will be available for the Insular Area Grants Program (CFDA # 10.308 and # 10.322). Funds will be allocated between DEG and RIIA. For FY 2020 it is projected that the budget for the Insular Areas Program will be comparable to Fiscal Year FY 2019 and will be distributed in a similar manner. Pertinent data to be provided by Program at a future date. SPECIAL NOTE: Also see Assistance Listing (CFDA) # 10.308 for other pertinent information regarding the Insular Areas Program.
Fiscal Year 2024 Pertinent data to be provided by Program at a future date. SPECIAL NOTE: Also see Assistance Listing (CFDA) # 10.308 for other pertinent information regarding the Insular Areas Program. Distance Education for Insular Areas (Resident Instruction Grants for Insular Area Activities)., 7 U.S.C. 3363
Distance Education Grants for Insular Areas ( Distance Education Grants for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas)., 7 U.S.C. 3362 Individual land-grant colleges and universities, and other institutions that have secured land-grant status through Federal legislation, and which are located in Insular Areas are automatically eligible for awards under the DEG grants program, either as direct applicants or as parties to a consortium agreement. Individual land-grant colleges and universities, and other institutions that have secured land-grant status through Federal legislation, and which are located in Insular Areas are automatically eligible for awards under the DEG grants program, either as direct applicants or as parties to a consortium agreement. The System for Award Management (SAM) combines eight federal procurement systems, including CCR, and the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance into one new system. CCR activities are conducted through SAM (the CCR website will redirect users to SAM). Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Number and System for Award Management (SAM): Each applicant (unless excepted under 2 CFR ? 25.110(b) or (c), or has an exception approved by the Federal awarding agency under 2 CFR ? 25.110(d)) is required to: (i) Be registered in SAM before submitting its application; (ii) Provide a valid UEI number in its application; and (iii) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. It also must state that the Federal awarding agency may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the Federal awarding agency is ready to make a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant. Applicants must furnish the information required in the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs). Successful applicants recommended for funding must furnish the information and assurances requested during the award documentation process. These include, but are not limited to the following: Organizational Management Information - Specific management information relating to an applicant shall be submitted on a one time basis, with updates on an as needed basis, as part of the responsibility determination prior to the award of a grant identified under this RFA, if such information has not been provided previously under this or another NIFA program. NIFA will provide copies of forms recommended for use in fulfilling these requirements as part of the preaward process. Although an applicant may be eligible based on its status as one of these entities, there are factors which may exclude an applicant from receiving Federal financial and nonfinancial assistance and benefits under this program (e.g., debarment or suspension of an individual involved or a determination that an applicant is not responsible based on submitted organizational management information). This information collection is approved under OMB Circular Control No. 0524-0026, "Assurance of Compliance with the Department of Agriculture Regulations Assuring Civil Rights, Compliance and Organization Information." SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available as follows: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/distance-education-grants-institutions-higher-education-insular-areas-deg RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) only accepts electronic applications which are submitted via Grants.gov in response to specific Requests for Applications (RFA). Applicants must complete the Grants.gov registration process. For information about the pre-award phase of the grant lifecycle application processes see: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html. Further, applicants must follow the instructions provided in the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide, which can be assessed as follows: Adobe NIFA Applications. 2 CFR part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards and 2 CFR part 400 USDA's Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards apply to this program. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/distance-education-grants-institutions-higher-education-insular-areas-deg RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. Applications are subjected to a system of peer and merit review in accordance with section 103 of the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613) by a panel of qualified scientists and other appropriate persons who are specialists in the field covered by the proposal. Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the NIFA Authorized Departmental Officer (ADO) shall make grants to those responsible, eligible applicants whose applications are judged most meritorious under the procedures set forth in the RFA. Reviewers will be selected based upon training and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields, taking into account the following factors: (a) The level of relevant formal scientific, technical education, or extension experience of the individual, as well as the extent to which an individual is engaged in relevant research, education, or extension activities; (b) the need to include as reviewers experts from various areas of specialization within relevant scientific, education, or extension fields; (c) the need to include as reviewers other experts (e.g., producers, range or forest managers/operators, and consumers) who can assess relevance of the applications to targeted audiences and to program needs; (d) the need to include as reviewers experts from a variety of organizational types (e.g., colleges, universities, industry, state and Federal agencies, private profit and non-profit organizations) and geographic locations; (e) the need to maintain a balanced composition of reviewers with regard to minority and female representation and an equitable age distribution; and (f) the need to include reviewers who can judge the effective usefulness to producers and the general public of each application. Evaluation Criteria will be delineated in the Competitive Request for Applications (RFA). 2 CFR 200 - Subpart C and Appendix I and 2 CFR part 400 apply to this Program. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/distance-education-grants-institutions-higher-education-insular-areas-deg RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 30 to 60 days. Contact the National Program Leader (NPL), as indicated per CFDA Section # 152 - Headquarters Office regarding dates for specific deadlines, start and end dates, and range of approval/disapproval time. Information is also available via our website and may be obtained via the Grants.gov website. NIFA's respective links regarding general information are provided below: http://nifa.usda.gov/ http://www.grants.gov. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFA is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/distance-education-grants-institutions-higher-education-insular-areas-deg RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. Not Applicable. 2 CFR Part 200 - Subparts D & E apply to this program. Not applicable. 2 CFR part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards and 2 CFR part 400 USDA's Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards apply to this program. Within guidelines established for the program as described in the Competitive Request for Application (RFA). The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/distance-education-grants-institutions-higher-education-insular-areas-deg The purpose of Distance Education Grants for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas is to strengthen the capacity of Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas to carry out resident instruction, curriculum, and teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences through distance education technology. Grant funds must be used for allowable costs necessary to conduct approved fundamental and applied research, extension and education objectives to address food and agricultural sciences. The use of grant funds to plan, acquire, or construct a building or facility is not allowed under this program. With prior approval, and in accordance with the cost principles set forth in OMB Circular No. A-21, some grant funds may be used for minor alterations, renovations, or repairs deemed necessary to retrofit existing teaching or research spaces in order to carry out a funded project. However, requests to use grant funds for such purposes must demonstrate that the alterations, renovations, or repairs are essential to achieving the major purpose of the project. Performance Reports: PERFORMANCE MONITORING: See above for pertinent and specific details. Records must be available for review or audit by appropriate officials of the Federal agency, pass-through entity, and Government Accountability Office (GAO). This program is also subject to audit by the cognizant Federal audit agency and the USDA Office of Inspector General. In accordance with 2 CFR Part 400 - Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, ? 200.334 Retention requirements for records. Grantees shall maintain separate records for each grant to ensure that funds are used for authorized purposes. Grant-related records are subject to inspection during the life of the grant and must be retained at least three (3) years. Records must be retained beyond the three (3) year period if litigation is pending or audit findings have not been resolved. 2 CFR 200 Subpart D applies to this program. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. In accordance with statutory time limits, project periods, including no-cost extensions of time, are not to exceed five (5) years. Further details are provided in the Award document Form NIFA-2009 and the NIFA General Terms and Conditions Grants and Cooperative Agreements (dated October 2016) at: https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-general-terms-and-conditions-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-october-2016. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/distance-education-grants-institutions-higher-education-insular-areas-deg RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. Contact the awarding agency for specific details. National Institute of Food and Agriculture U.S. Department of Agriculture P.O. Box 419205, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-6205 Courier/Package Delivery Address: 2312 East Bannister Road, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-3061 USDA, NIFA, National Program Leader,
Institute of Youth, Family, and Community, Division of Community and Education, National Institute of Food and Agriculture U.S. Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 419205, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-6205,
Courier/Package Delivery Address:
2312 East Bannister Road, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-3061
Kansas City, MO 64141 US
Kellyann.jonesjamtgaard@usda.gov
Phone: 816-599-1916 http://nifa.usda.gov/program/resident-instruction-grants-riia-and-distance-education-grants-deg-institutions-higher 12-1500-0-1-352 (Project Grants) FY 23$800,000.00; FY 24 est $799,999.00; FY 25 FY 22$800,000.00; FY 21$800,000.00; FY 20$800,000.00; FY 19 Estimate Not Available FY 18$0.00; FY 17$768,000.00; FY 16$768,000.00; - SPECIAL NOTES: Appropriations for the Resident Instruction Grants for Insular Areas (RIIA) and Distance Education Grants for Insular Areas (DEG). See Assistance Listing (CFDA) # 10.308 for pertinent financial information. If minimum or maximum amounts of funding per competitive and/or capacity project grant, or cooperative agreement are established, these amounts will be announced in the annual Competitive Request for Application (RFA). The most current RFA is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/distance-education-grants-institutions-higher-education-insular-areas-deg As an administrator of U.S. government support, NIFA works in partnership with grantees to ensure responsible stewardship of federal funds. Our grantees and partners are required to comply with all relevant rules and regulations. The following resources are provided to NIFA's partners and award recipients to support their adherence to federal regulations governing program performance: NIFA's primary (main) website: https://nifa.usda.gov/regulations-and-guidelines The following represent specific documents and direct links: POLICY GUIDE NIFA's Federal Assistance Policy Guide describes agency policies and procedures. https://nifa.usda.gov/policy-guide CERTIFICATIONS AND REPRESENTATIONS Certifications and representations provided through the NIFA application process. https://nifa.usda.gov/certifications-and-representations ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF USDA SUPPORT BY NIFA When acknowledging USDA support in accordance with 2 CFR Part 415, grantees must use the following acknowledgement for all projects or initiatives supported by NIFA. https://nifa.usda.gov/acknowledgment-usda-support-nifa FEDERAL REGULATIONS The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) lists all regulations published in the Federal Register. https://nifa.usda.gov/federal-regulations FOIA The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides that any person has the right to request access to federal documents and information such as research data. https://nifa.usda.gov/foia NEPA POLICY AND GUIDANCE The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Policy and Guidance set the standard for identifying potential environmental impacts. https://nifa.usda.gov/nepa-policy-and-guidance OGFM ISSUED CORRESPONDENCE The Office of Grants and Financial Management occasionally issues correspondence to applicants, grantees, and/or the general public for informational or clarification purposes. https://nifa.usda.gov/ogfm-issued-correspondence RESEARCH MISCONDUCT NIFA requires that all its awardees adhere to the USDA Scientific Integrity Policy and the Federal Policy on Research Misconduct. https://nifa.usda.gov/research-misconduct NIFA'S GENERAL AWARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS Award terms and conditions are determined by statutory, regulatory, and agency requirements, as well as each grant's circumstances. Terms and conditions dictate important items related to your grant, including method of payment, reporting frequency and content, and prior approval requirements. References to the terms and conditions of awards are located on the NIFA 2009 Award Fact Sheet. NIFA's general award terms and conditions (see link below) is applicable to this program, for awards with an award date on December 26, 2014 and thereafter. https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-general-terms-and-conditions-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-october-2016. Fiscal Year 2016 The following represent recommended awards, which should be finalized prior to September 30, 2016: Developing Distance Education in Food & Agriculture Related Sciences This project’s purpose is to: 1) Encourage use of Distance Education (DE) and computer-lab equipment; 2) Enhance capacity of ACNR student lab and quality of instruction program; 3) Provide distance education scholarships; and 4) Provide funding for faculty & staff professional development Audience: American Samoan students, ACNR faculty & staff Products: a) Increase in the number and diversity of students who will pursue and complete a 2- or 4-year postsecondary degree in the food and agricultural sciences, or other STEM fields closely related to the food and agricultural sciences. Also to encourage study in areas that contribute to any of the five NIFA Priority Areas listed above; and b) Enhance the quality of postsecondary instruction in order to help meet current and future national food and agricultural sciences workplace needs Promoting Distance Education by Offering Out-of-Classroom Experiences for Students The purpose of this project are to improve wireless networking capability in the University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez (UPR-M) AES and the University of Puerto Rico - Agricultural College (UPR-Ag), and acquire distance education technology for UPR-Ag and the AES (mobile and portable videoconference systems, respectively). On- and off-campus faculty will be trained in the use of portable videoconference systems, and instructional material will be developed for synchronous delivery of agricultural practices to supplement our courses from the AES. In addition, the portable systems will be used to increase off-faculty mentoring in our undergraduate research program, and to promote AES learning experiences at open houses in UPR-M and UPR-Ag. This project perfectly aligns with DEG goals because it will contribute to better undergraduate students’ education and research experiences by providing support for the proposed DE technology. Use of DE technology during open houses for online synchronous promotion of agricultural experiences (e.g. AES) will motivate more high school students to apply to our academic programs; therefore, increasing student recruitment to agricultural sciences. Collectively, this proposal will also improve efficient use of resources (faculty, facilities and transportation) at UPR-M and UPR-Ag; therefore, enhancing cost-effectiveness at both institutions. Developing a High Quality Human Capital in Agribusiness through a Long Distance Program This proposal requests funds under the DE Program to design a Long Distance Program in agricultural economics and agribusiness. This project is based on Goal 2 of the DEG RFA: “Develop and enhance educational services (including faculty development) to prepare students or faculty seeking a degree or certificate that is approved by the State or a regional accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of Education.” This project works on the Needs Areas such as “Curricula Design, Materials Development, and Library Resources” and “Instruction Delivery Systems”. This project will developing inter-institutional and inter-disciplinary cooperative linkages with the Department of Economics and the College of Business Administration (hereafter, CBA) of the UPR-M and the Chamber of Marketing, Industry and Distribution of Food of Puerto Rico (MIDA) in order to develop sound online master degrees in agricultural economics and agribusiness. Hispanics are underrepresented in graduate student population in the U.S. (American Community Survey, 2015). Developing Distance Education Capacity in Food and Agricultural Related Sciences The College of Micronesia-FSM (COM-FSM) project will provide a resource base of at least 30 agriculture and food science related training materials for students, agents and the lifelong learners of the region through training lessons made available on-line. Training programs based on tropical small island examples is not readily available. In addition, the training programs would add to the eXtension resource base. COM-FSM requires a strong internet service to facilitate instructional sharing across the six campuses. The project will provide web management assistance and improved connectivity at the two most limited campuses. Through the improved internet services, COM-FSM will be able to provide distance learning capacity to faculty and teachers of the local schooling system. For this, the project also designates scholarships for qualified professionals. Innovative Educational Approaches to Addressing Climate Change in the Caribbean This project will develop an innovative hybrid online/in-class course addressing climate change in the Caribbean. The project will develop will facilitate communication and collaboration among a multidisciplinary mix of faculty and outside experts working in consultation with the regional and local agencies working on climate change adaptation. The course will develop a cadre of students well versed in the issues of climate change and how agricultural, marine, and environmental sciences can help inform the development of adaptation strategies. These students will be prepared to help their communities respond and adapt to the impacts of climate change in the Caribbean. The course will be offered as an undergraduate and graduate level course, developed as a multidisciplinary and multidepartment collaboration with faculty at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) in agriculture, marine, and environmental sciences. The course will be developed in consultation with leading subject matter experts across the U.S., including leading scientific originations such as the American Society for the Advancement of Sciences. The course will be developed in interactive consultation with local and regional stakeholders. Developing Distance Education in Food & Agriculture Related Sciences This project’s will: (1) Encourage use of Distance Education (DE) and computer-lab equipment; (2) Enhance capacity of ACNR student lab and quality of instruction program; (3) Provide distance education scholarships; and (4) Provide funding for faculty & staff professional development. Audience: Insular Area students, faculty & staff Products: a) Increase in the number and diversity of students who will pursue and complete a two (2) or four (4) year postsecondary degree in the food and agricultural sciences, or other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields closely related to the food and agricultural sciences. Also to encourage study in areas that contribute to any of the five (5) NIFA Priority Areas listed above; and b) Enhance the quality of postsecondary instruction in order to help meet current and future national food and agricultural sciences workplace needs Promoting Distance Education by Offering Out-of-Classroom Experiences for Students This project will improve wireless networking capability at the institution and acquire distance education technology (mobile and portable videoconference systems, respectively). On- and off-campus faculty will be trained in the use of portable videoconference systems, and instructional material will be developed for synchronous delivery of agricultural practices to supplement our courses from the Agriculture Experiment Station (AES). In addition, the portable systems will be used to increase off-faculty mentoring in our undergraduate research program, and to promote AES learning experiences at open houses. This project perfectly aligns with DEG goals because it will contribute to better undergraduate students’ education and research experiences by providing support for the proposed DE technology. Use of DE technology during open houses for online synchronous promotion of agricultural experiences (e.g. AES) will motivate more high school students to apply to our academic programs; therefore, increasing student recruitment to agricultural sciences. Collectively, this proposal will also improve efficient use of resources (faculty, facilities and transportation); therefore, enhancing cost-effectiveness at both institutions. Developing a High Quality Human Capital in Agribusiness through a Long Distance Program This project supports the design of a Long Distance Program in agricultural economics and agribusiness. This project is based on Goal 2 of the DEG RFA: “Develop and enhance educational services (including faculty development) to prepare students or faculty seeking a degree or certificate that is approved by the State or a regional accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of Education.” This project works on the Needs Areas such as “Curricula Design, Materials Development, and Library Resources” and “Instruction Delivery Systems”. This project will developing inter-institutional and inter-disciplinary cooperative linkages with the Department of Economics and the College of Business Administration (hereafter, CBA) of the institution and the Chamber of Marketing, Industry and Distribution of Food in order to develop sound online master degrees in agricultural economics and agribusiness. Hispanics are underrepresented in graduate student population in the U.S. (American Community Survey, 2015). Developing Distance Education Capacity in Food and Agricultural Related Sciences The Insular Institution will provide a resource base of at least 30 agriculture and food science related training materials for students, agents and the lifelong learners of the region through training lessons made available on-line. Training programs based on tropical small island examples is not readily available. In addition, the training programs would add to the eXtension resource base. The institution requires a strong internet service to facilitate instructional sharing across the six (6) campuses. The project will provide web management assistance and improved connectivity at the two (2) most limited campuses. Through the improved internet services, the institution will be able to provide distance learning capacity to faculty and teachers of the local schooling system. For this, the project also designates scholarships for qualified professionals. Innovative Educational Approaches to Addressing Climate Change in the Caribbean This project will develop an innovative hybrid online/in-class course addressing climate change in the Caribbean. It will facilitate communication and collaboration among a multidisciplinary mix of faculty and outside experts working in consultation with the regional and local agencies working on climate change adaptation. The course will develop a cadre of students well versed in the issues of climate change and how agricultural, marine, and environmental sciences can help inform the development of adaptation strategies. These students will be prepared to help their communities respond and adapt to the impacts of climate change in the Caribbean. The course will be offered as an undergraduate and graduate level course, developed as a multidisciplinary and multidepartment collaboration with faculty at the institution in agriculture, marine, and environmental sciences. The course will be developed in consultation with leading subject matter experts across the U.S., including leading scientific originations such as the American Society for the Advancement of Sciences. The course will be developed in interactive consultation with local and regional stakeholders.
Fiscal Year 2017 Fiscal Year (FY) 2017: Water Ambassador Program This project seeks funding for two (2) years to create a Water Quality Ambassadors Pilot Program through Distance Education that promotes a synergy between researchers, youth in a public high school on and Institution’s staff. STEM centered DE seminars and presentations will focus on active research so youth may understand issues related to water quality, technology, agriculture and nutrition and weather and climate. This proposal will bridge other projects into one (1) pilot project to advance STEM education for youth and create DE pilot program. It’s connected to the Institution’s Observatory which uses climate data to build models when the observatory telescope should be opened and closed, and to the Department of Agriculture which is building a set of similar stations for data collection and water management prediction. Youth will be trained in Citizen Science research. Improving Distance Education The supporting objectives of the proposed project are to: (1) train five (5) (representing 30 percent, 30%) faculty members in online education methods and technologies; (2) develop six (6) agricultural sciences online courses; (3) evaluate the effectiveness of online courses in advancing agricultural education at the institution; (4) educate teachers and other faculty members about online education methods and technologies; and (5) improve wireless access to all laboratory areas assigned to the Department of Agricultural Technology. Developing Interactive Distance Education Curricula for Delivery with or without the Internet This project will address the following four (4) objectives, as follows: (1) develop curricula for online delivery; (2) develop a portable LMS/Moodle server; (3) assisting Online Science and Math Course Development; and (4) support teaching students and teachers about technology in the classroom. An online tropical arboriculture course will be developed that be delivered on a portable LMS server that does not require high-speed bandwidth. Lack of high-speed bandwidth is a bottleneck for delivering courses in the Western Pacific. Faculty in the Math and Science Programs at the Institution will be given technical support for developing online course materials. Increase capacity in the field of food and agriculture science by providing resident instruction, curriculum, and teaching programs through distance learning education The Institutions will use the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant funding to accomplish its goal in placing food and agriculture science courses online. This will be the first time in the institution’s history that food and agriculture science courses will be offered in an online environment. The courses are scheduled to be offered in the Fall 2018 semester through Spring 2020 semester. USDA-NIFA grant funding will be used in the development of courses, recruitment and hiring of instructors, staff training, and procuring necessary supplies to successfully launch the online courses. The main objective of this project is to give students the option to enroll in online food and agriculture science courses while achieving college credit. Additionally, the development of online food and agriculture science courses may provide a gateway for students interested in pursuing a career in food and agriculture science. Developing Distance Education (DE) in Food and Agricultural Related Sciences in the Insular Area The project goals are to encourage use of DE and computer-lab equipment; enhance capacity of the institution’s student lab and quality of instruction program, provide scholarships for students pursuing degrees in food and agricultural and related sciences, and to provide financial support for faculty and staff professional development. These objectives will help the institution meet its outcomes and overall NIFA objectives of increasing the number and diversity of students pursing degrees in food and agricultural sciences, and enhancing the quality of postsecondary instruction to help meet current and future workplace needs.
Fiscal Year 2018 Expanding Boundaries: A Distance Learning Adventure This program supports an assessment-based update of its Master program before developing online versions of its courses. Current and former students of the Program, as well as, industry representatives and government officials will be among the stakeholders included in the assessment process. The new distance education option will address factors hindering participation in the current program such as time conflicts between course schedules and work. This program will enhance curricula design, materials development, faculty preparation for teaching, and instruction delivery system. Training and Technical Support for Faculty Developing STEM Courses for Online Delivery This program will support activities that prepare individuals with skill sets in research and applied sciences to help: 1. address local food, agriculture, and environmental needs; 2. Prioritize the needs to be addressed for preparing students to successfully complete their degrees in a timely manner; 3. Identify a workflow using a portable LMS servers and the internet to enhance course delivery; 4. Increase the number of science and math courses available for online delivery in the US Insular Institutions. The emphasis of this project will be to train and support faculty on the best practices of developing science courses for online delivery. This will lead to an increase on the number of science courses delivered online enabling a greater number of students to gain knowledge in STEM subjects. Building Faculty Capacity and Enhancing Instruction Delivery Through Distance Education for Agriculture and Related Science Programs This project will strengthen curricula for Agriculture Science’s associate of science and associate of applied science degree programs, enhance quality of instructional delivery methods through various forms of distance education to broaden the students’ learning experiences and ultimately increase retention and graduation rates. This project will prepare students for the workforce and/or transition to four-year colleges and universities, enhance trained instructors with technical skills ready to embrace technology and integrate it into their instructional delivery methods making e-learning, digitized resource platform, and course pages online more engaging and appealing to students. Using Distance Education Technologies to Advance K-16 Agriculture Education This program will support a school garden initiative to increase the participation communication, horizontality and leadership among school and university participants, to make it more sustainable in the long term. The proposed project seeks to fulfill this necessity through the achievement of the project’s supporting objectives: 1) increase distance education technology knowledge among undergraduate students and faculty; 2) create educational modules on the use of distance education technologies for agricultural education in schools; 3) engage undergraduate students in the teaching of distance education technologies to teachers and students; 4) develop a web-supported school garden network; and 5) promote the interaction of students and teachers within the network and with other regional school garden networks. Overall, this program will improve agriculture education through the use of distance education technologies. Strengthening Distance Education in the STEaM Studies This program focuses on Faculty Preparation and Enhancement of Teaching through projects such as lecture capture for asynchronous access, the support of faculty professional development, the acquisition and sharing of Indigenous knowledge for Science for Sustainable Island Living, and a leadership camp to enhance the knowledge and skills of more than 60 students, teachers, instructors, and leaders.
Fiscal Year 2019 Stem Ambassadors Program: Connecting Near to Peer learners to advance STEM education in the USVI This project will support the DEG goals of providing distance education in the food and agricultural sciences through curriculum planning, faculty training and technical support. This project will create a STEM Ambassadors Pilot Program that promotes a peer to peer collaboration between youth in schools in St. Thomas, St John and St Croix with college students and researchers from UVI. Furthermore, this program will introduce a variety of STEM areas of research to the participants in it and further support the Next Generation of Stem Standards in the school focusing on 10-12th grade environmental and biology classes throughout St. Croix. In addition, by adding to the STEM based college pathways and career opportunities into their high school curriculum, youth have a more concentrated opportunity to take part in field work and site visits that bring science to real time lessons with real time impacts on water and soil quality. Developing Technology and Infrastructure for Distance Learning in Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, and Food Science and Technology This project will develop technology and infrastructure for distance learning programs in agricultural economics, agribusiness, and food science & technology. This will enhance a new online master’s degree in Agricultural Economics and is expected to be the first online degree of the University of Puerto Rico. The project will use support to acquire equipment to develop new recording studios for online teaching, a distance education classroom, new equipment for off-campus recording, and support to develop 6 online courses. This off-campus recording will gather experiences from real-life practice in agricultural economics, agribusiness, and food science and technology. Furthermore, this project will provide training to graduate students and faculty in recording, editing, and studio practices for online teaching. Training Faculty in New Educational Technologies for Online Courses Creation in the UPR College of Agricultural Sciences. This project will develop human capital on online education in Agricultural Sciences by training sixteen College of Agricultural professors in Moodle platform tools and in the Camtasia software with the short term goal of helping them incorporate online education resources into their courses. In the long term, this project also aims to help them transform graduate and undergraduate courses, and extension short courses, to an online modality. UPRP Distance Education Service Facilities Improvement Instrumentation Project This project will purchase equipment, instrumentation, increase network capacity, hardware and software, digital network technology, and to update the necessary physical infrastructure. The ultimate goal is to attract and retain students and faculty and to promote educational equity. Ultimately, faculty and support staff will have the physical tools to effectively convert courses to the Distance modality and serve as a model for other University of Puerto Rico units. Developing Distance Education at the American Samoa Community College – 2019 This project will encourage the use of distance education and computer-lab equipment; enhance capacity of ACNR student lab and quality of instruction program, provide scholarships for faculty and staff pursuing degrees in food and agricultural and related sciences, and to provide financial support for faculty and staff professional development. These objectives will help ACNR meet its outcomes and overall NIFA objectives of increasing the number and diversity of students pursing degrees in food and agricultural sciences.
Fiscal Year 2020 For FY 2020, it is projected that approximately 10-20 applications will be received, and approximately seven (7) to eight (8) awards will be made. Specific data is not yet available. Pertinent data to be provided by Program at a future date.
Fiscal Year 2024 Pertinent data to be provided by Program at a future date.