Designing Educational Programs in Agricultural Settings

AEC6210

Summer 2025 – 3 Credit Hours

Instructor

R. G. (Tre) Easterly III, PhD

Assistant Professor

Email: tre.easterly@ufl.edu

Office location: 307C Rolfs Hall

Office hours: Mondays 10:00-11:30 or by appointment

https://ufl.zoom.us/j/94017151149?pwd=GRbbAAao70AhbP3PbkX98DbHwEeTza.1

Class Times & Location

This course utilizes an online delivery. Asynchronous online content must be completed each week by Sunday evening.

Course Description

This course is designed to engage students in appropriate teaching techniques, curricula and resources. Emphasis will be placed on instruction in both formal (classroom) and non-formal (extension & outreach) settings.

Course Objectives

At the completion of the course, the learner will be able to:

Describe the philosophy and theory underlying instructional design.

Develop an instructional program plan.

Create appropriate tools to assess individual learning.

Create an instructional design matrix.

Create an instructional guide.

Develop an evaluation plan for an educational program.

Course Essential Questions

How should content be organized to best affect individual learning?

How can I help every individual learn?

How can I know if my learners know the content?

Requirements

Textbook:

Students are required to purchase their textbooks through Perusall, an online platform that we will use for reading and collaborative annotation as a class. Please note that textbooks obtained from sources other than Perusall will not be compatible with the platform.

There may be different pricing options based on the duration of access you choose. For example, a perpetual access option allows you to access the book even after the course is over. Additional required readings will be provided in PDF format on Perusall at no extra cost. For further details, please refer to the Perusall Information page on Canvas.

Dick, W., Carey, L., & Carey, J. O. (2015). The systematic design of instruction (9th ed.). Pearson Merrill.

$110.02 USD | Perpetual online access

$73.34 USD | 180-day online access

Reiser, R. A., Carr-Chellman, A. A., & Dempsey, J. V. (2025). Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (5th ed.). Routledge.

$74.99 USD | Perpetual online access

$44.99 USD | 365-day online access

$37.50 USD | 180-day online access

Tyler, R. W. (1949). Basic principles of curriculum and instruction. The University of Chicago Press.

$17.99 USD | Perpetual online access

Technology:

To succeed in this course, you must have access to the following technology:

Desktop Computer or Laptop

Audio Capabilities

Webcam and Microphone for synchronous sessions

Microsoft Office Programs

Microsoft Privacy Statement

Microsoft Accessibility Information

Word - Microsoft 365 basics video training

Adobe Reader

Acrobat tutorials

Adobe Privacy Statement

Adobe Accessibility Statement

Zoom

Zoom Privacy Policy

Zoom Accessibility Information

Internet Connection with access to Canvas

Canvas is the course management system at the University of Florida in which students will find course content, links to video lectures, assignments, quizzes, discussions, and grades. The use of this system will vary by instructor, but the following videos describe the most common tools in Canvas. The full student guide is provided if you have additional questions.

Canvas Privacy Policy

Canvas Accessibility Standards

Web Browser - Chrome is the preferred browser for Canvas. If you do not have Chrome, you can download it.

University of Florida Email

Students are expected to check their my.ufl emails daily. View the Student Computing Requirements page for information on technology requirements and expectations.

Prerequisite Knowledge:

A basic understanding of program planning and development is beneficial for this course.

Expected Technical & Digital Literacy Skills:

Minimum skills required:

Proficiency in utilizing Canvas and navigating the internet effectively.

Competence in using email for communication purposes, including sending and receiving messages and managing attachments.

Familiarity with commonly used word processing applications (such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs), including the ability to create, edit, and format documents.

Basic computer skills, including understanding fundamental operations like file management, using menus and toolbars, and navigating between different applications.

Using online search tools for specific academic purposes, including the ability to use search criteria, keywords, and filters.

Analyzing digital information for credibility, currency, and bias.

Instructor Team Communication & Feedback

Communication - The instructor and graders are committed to responding to your Canvas and email messages within 24 hours when feasible during the work week, Monday through Friday, except holidays. The major assignments will be graded, with meaningful feedback provided, within one week of their submission.

Individual Learner Interaction – Education extends beyond the mere transmission of knowledge; it involves providing valuable feedback and maintaining ongoing communication with the learner. The instructor is committed to engaging in one-on-one interactions with each student. This may manifest as detailed feedback on assignment submissions, responses to discussion board posts, or personalized Canvas messages to check in on the student's progress in the course.

Office Hours: I set aside dedicated office hours each week. This time is where I am available to answer any questions you have about the course material or assignments. My office hours are indicated in the Contact section above. But what exactly are office hours? It is time specifically set aside each week for students to physically or virtually drop in and visit with me. Whether you have questions about the course, assignments, the covered topics, or simply wish to have a casual chat to better get to know each other, these hours are reserved for you. I strongly encourage students to take advantage of these office hours as an enriching experience for academic support and personal connection. Simply send me an email and I will send you a virtual meeting link. Because this course is offered in the summer, I may have to cancel my office hours for conference travel or to provide workshops. I will notify students through Canvas when my office hours must be canceled. I also have availability throughout the week. If there is a time that is convenient for you to meet, please send me an email with your availability and I will be happy to set up an appointment to visit with you virtually or in person.

Assignments

Below, you will find information regarding the course assignments and their point values, the grading scale, and more. Visit UF's webpage for grades and grading policies. for more information regarding grading policies for assignment grade points.

Workgroup:

Curriculum design is not an individual endeavor. It requires the engagement of the community of scholars. Thus, each student will be assigned to a workgroup. The workgroup will provide support, critique, and feedback to each member to assist in the development of the major assignments of the course. Students will be evaluated on their contributions to their workgroup. This involves quality and timeliness of feedback. The workgroup discussion and feedback will be facilitated online at a time arranged by the students.

Late Assignment Policy:

To receive the maximum number of points for an assignment, it must be completed and submitted by the due date. If the work is submitted late, it will receive a 25% point deduction. No work will be accepted six or more days after its original due date, unless other arrangements have been made with the instructor.

Assignments:

Case Study: The purpose of this assignment is to help you take on the role of an external consultant, applying your instructional design knowledge to evaluate and improve an existing educational program. You will review a course by examining its syllabus and a video presentation. Your task is to prepare a 1-2 page report that identifies an appropriate instructional design model, analyzes the program's strengths, and recommends improvements based on instructional design principles.

Perusall Readings: You will read selected course texts and outside readings on Perusall, an online platform for collaborative annotation. As you read, highlight key points, add comments, and engage in discussions with your classmates. This interactive approach deepens your understanding and allows you to share insights. The purpose is to enhance your critical reading and analytical skills, foster a collaborative learning environment, and promote a deeper comprehension of the course material.

Weekly Assignments: Each weekly module has a weekly assignment included. The purpose of these assignments is to assess your mastery of the objectives for the module. They focus on the practical application of the concepts in the module. You will also find they are scaffolded to be parts of the major assignment. You may use what you submit and any feedback from your weekly assignments on your instructional design project.

Instructional Design Project: The instructional design project is the cornerstone task for this course. The project allows students to apply the instructional design components to plan an educational program. Students may choose two options for this assignment:

Designing a course or program where the designer is the primary person in charge of delivery.

Designing a course, program, or curricular resources intended to be utilized by other individuals (ie. Designing a curriculum for an Agriscience foundations course).

Part A: Instructional Program Plan - Create a document that outlines the instructional goal(s), instructional analysis, an analysis of learners and contexts, performance objectives, and evaluation plan for the course/program. This could be articulated in a course syllabus, workshop series overview, extension program informational handout, or curricular resource overview guide. A logic model or other appropriate evaluation tool will be used for the evaluation plan.

Part B: Instructional Assessment Guide - Using the criteria provided in class, create a plan for each unit that you identify in the instructional design matrix you created that includes: (a) assessment plan; (b) table of specifications; and (c) a learning plan with the content to be taught for each understanding and essential question.

Unit Test: Create a written Unit/Module Test to be used as part of the assessment in the course/workshop you developed. Based on the criteria presented in class, you are required to use multiple types of questions that address the understandings and essential questions you created for the unit. The Unit/Module Test must be linked to your guiding principles as well as explain how it measures your cornerstone tasks.

Alternative Assessment Tool: Create an alternative assessment tool (rubric) to assess individual learning of a portion of the content included in your course/workshop. The rubric should follow criteria presented in class.

Part C: Instructional Delivery Plan - An overview of the plan for instruction should be completed. This will vary in format depending on the final use instructional program. The plan should include an overview of the entire program and a complete description of at least five days of instruction or what is agreed upon between the instructor and student.

Course Grading:

Assignment	Points
Workgroup	73
Case Study	100
Perusall Readings (11 x 7 pts)	77
Final Instructional Design Project *Please note that the final project is divided into three parts, each of which is graded separately. However, these grades do not count towards your overall course grade. Instead, they are meant to provide you with feedback so you can improve your work. This way, when the final project is due and graded, you will be able to submit a higher quality assignment. *Instructional Design Project Part A *Instructional Design Project Part B *Instructional Design Project Part C	500 *200 *150 *150
Weekly Assignments (14x various pts)	250
TOTAL	1000

Grading Scale:

A = 930-1000 A- = 900-929 B+ = 860-899 B = 830-859	B- = 800-829 C+ = 760-799 C = 730-759 C- = 700-729	D+ = 660-699 D = 630-659 D- = 600-629 E = below 600

Reading & Assignment Schedule:

The reading and assignment schedule is found on the last page of the syllabus. It can also be found on the canvas site for this course.

Instructional materials for this course consist of only those materials specifically reviewed, selected, and assigned by the instructor(s). The instructor(s) is only responsible for these instructional materials.

Please note that the course schedule and syllabus are subject to change. The instructor reserves the right to modify the syllabus, including assignment due dates and course content, as deemed necessary. Any changes will be communicated promptly to ensure you have adequate time to adjust.

Academic Code of Conduct

UF’s Academic Honesty Statement:

As a student at the University of Florida, you have committed yourself to uphold the Honor Code, which includes the following pledge: “We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity.” You are expected to exhibit behavior consistent with this commitment to the UF academic community, and on all work submitted for credit at the University of Florida, the following pledge is either required or implied: "On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment."

It is assumed that you will complete all work independently in each course unless the instructor provides explicit permission for you to collaborate on course tasks (e.g., assignments, papers, quizzes, exams). Furthermore, as part of your obligation to uphold the Honor Code, you should report any condition that facilitates dishonesty to the instructor, department chair, college dean or Student Honor Court. It is your individual responsibility to know and comply with all university policies and procedures regarding academic integrity and the Student Honor Code. Violations of the Honor Code at the University of Florida will not be tolerated. Violations will be reported to the Dean of Students Office for consideration of disciplinary action. For more information regarding the Student Honor Code, please see: UF Student Code of Conduct Webpage.

Plagiarism:

Academic integrity is a fundamental value in our educational community and is essential for maintaining a fair and honest learning environment. As students, you are expected to adhere to the highest standards of honesty and ethical behavior in all academic activities. To ensure that you maintain academic integrity throughout the course, please ensure all sources and text are properly referenced. Familiarize yourself with the appropriate citation style for the course (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago) and consistently apply it to all written work. Properly citing sources not only demonstrates respect for others' intellectual contributions but is also crucial in avoiding plagiarism. Plagiarism encompasses using verbatim phrases without permission or proper attribution, quoting excessively from sources, and surpassing the 10% limit for direct quotes in an assignment. It extends to appropriating unique expressions, like short phrases or simple monikers.

Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) Use:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) including large language models such as Chat GPT, Baird, Gemeni etc. are useful tools. These tools can be particularly helpful in the instructional design process. You are welcome to use these tools in this course and on major assignments. If you use these tools, please provide a note that you used the tool when you submit the assignment. The statement should include:

The tool you used

A sample of the prompt or prompts you used to generate

How you edited or used the responses in your assignment

Overuse or relying on AI for large parts of the assignment (more than 25%) is considered a violation of academic integrity. Also, utilizing AI and not providing a proper citation would be considered a violation of academic integrity. For example, asking an AI tool to create a rubric for an assignment would be a violation of this policy for the course. Asking the AI tool to provide a short-term outcome for a project would be acceptable. An example AI statement is:

I used Chat GPT 3.5 for this assignment. I asked to provide ideas for an interest approach for an extension presentation to a group of adults for an introductory composting workshop. I used one of the ideas it generated and edited it to a format I found useful in the lesson plan.

Please be advised that you cannot use the platforms to create substantial parts of your Report, as this can be defined as plagiarism. Example: “Write me an introduction on xyz” is not acceptable; however, spell-checking, for example, is acceptable- also refining the style and quality of text through, as long as you generated the input.

Please be aware that any text uploaded on the platforms will feed into training data, hence, it may account for a publication of your work. This is potentially an issue for authorship and originality.

You may not, under any circumstances, use AI Tools for the peer review assignment. Because the AI tools store and use the text entered for language learning, adding someone else’s work to an AI tool is unethical and is considered a violation of the academic honesty policy.

AI tools are continuously developing. I encourage you to use the tools to improve your work and to help plan effective instruction. If you have specific questions, I am happy to discuss them with you.

Attendance Policies

Requirements for class attendance and make-up exams, assignments and other work are consistent with university policies that can be found at: UF Attendance Policies..

Institutional Policies

Recording Statement

Students are allowed to record video or audio of class lectures. However, the purposes for which these recordings may be used are strictly controlled. The only allowable purposes are (1) for personal educational use, (2) in connection with a complaint to the university, or (3) as evidence in, or in preparation for, a criminal or civil proceeding. All other purposes are prohibited. Specifically, students may not publish recorded lectures without the written consent of the instructor.
A “class lecture” is an educational presentation intended to inform or teach enrolled students about a particular subject, including any instructor-led discussions that form part of the presentation, and delivered by any instructor hired or appointed by the University, or by a guest instructor, as part of a University of Florida course. A class lecture does not include lab sessions, student presentations, clinical presentations such as patient history, academic exercises involving solely student participation, assessments (quizzes, tests, exams), field trips, private conversations between students in the class or between a student and the faculty or guest lecturer during a class session. Publication without permission of the instructor is prohibited. To “publish” means to share, transmit, circulate, distribute, or provide access to a recording, regardless of format or medium, to another person (or persons), including but not limited to another
student within the same class section. Additionally, a recording, or transcript of a recording, is considered published if it is posted on or uploaded to, in whole or in part, any media platform, including but not limited to social media, book, magazine, newspaper, leaflet, or third party note/tutoring services. A student who publishes a recording without written consent may be subject to a civil cause of action instituted by a person injured by the publication and/or discipline under UF Regulation 4.040 Student Honor Code and Student Conduct Code. UF In-Class Recording

Software Use

All faculty, staff and students of the university are required and expected to obey the laws and legal agreements governing software use. Failure to do so can lead to monetary damages and/or criminal penalties for the individual violator. Because such violations are also against university policies and rules, disciplinary action will be taken as appropriate. UF Acceptable Use Policy

Course Evaluations

Students are expected to provide professional and respectful feedback on the quality of instruction in this course by completing course evaluations online. Students can complete evaluations in three ways:

The email they receive from GatorEvals,

Their Canvas course menu under GatorEvals, or

The central portal at https://my-ufl.bluera.com

Guidance on how to provide constructive feedback is available at https://gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/students/. Students will be notified when the evaluation period opens. Summaries of course evaluation results are available to students at https://gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/public-results/."

Student Services

Health & Wellness

U Matter, We Care

If you or someone you know is in distress, please contact umatter@ufl.edu, 352-392-1575, or visit U Matter, We Care website to refer or report a concern and a team member will reach out to the student in distress.

Counseling and Wellness Center

Visit the Counseling and Wellness Center website or call 352-392-1575 for information on crisis services as well as non-crisis services.

Students experiencing crises or personal problems that interfere with their general well-being are encouraged to utilize the university’s counseling resources. The Counseling & Wellness Center provides confidential counseling services at no cost for currently enrolled students.

Student Health Care Center

Call 352-392-1161 for 24/7 information to help you find the care you need, or visit the Student Health Care Center website.

University Police Department

Visit UF Police Department website or call 352-392-1111 (or 9-1-1 for emergencies).

GatorWell Health Promotion Services

For prevention services focused on optimal wellbeing, including Wellness Coaching for Academic Success, visit the GatorWell website or call 352-273-4450.

Academic Resources

E-learning technical support

Contact the UF Computing Help Desk at 352-392-4357 or via e-mail at helpdesk@ufl.edu.

Career Connections Center

Reitz Union Suite 1300, 352-392-1601. Career assistance and counseling services.

Library Support

Various ways to receive assistance with respect to using the libraries or finding resources.

Teaching Center

Broward Hall, 352-392-2010 or to make an appointment 352-392-6420. General study skills and tutoring.

Writing Studio

2215 Turlington Hall, 352-846-1138. Help brainstorming, formatting, and writing papers.

Student Complaints On-Campus

Visit the Student Honor Code and Student Conduct Code webpage for more information.

On-Line Students Complaints

View the Distance Learning Student Complaint Process.

Services for Students with Disabilities

The Disability Resource Center coordinates the needed accommodations of students with disabilities. This includes registering disabilities, recommending academic accommodations within the classroom, accessing special adaptive computer equipment, providing interpretation services and mediating faculty-student disability related issues. Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation
0001 Reid Hall, 352-392-8565, UF Disability Resource Center.

AEC 6210 Course Calendar

Week	Topics / Learning Experiences	Perusall Readings	Assignment	Major Assignment Due
1	Pedagogical Design Capacity- Designing for Yourself	Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (Chapters 4, 6 and 7)	Preflection Discussion Board Introduction Discussion Board Backwards Design
2	Instructional Design- Designing for Others	The Systematic Design of Instruction (Chapter 1) Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (Chapters 2, 3, & 5)	Discussion Board Applying Instructional Design Models in Practice
3	Evaluating Educational Programs	The Systematic Design of Instruction (Chapter 11) Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (Chapter 15) Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction (Chapter 4)	Program Plan Evaluation Logic Model Puzzle Activity
4	Instructional Goals	The Systematic Design of Instruction (Chapter 2)	Front-End Analysis Case Studies
5	Analyzing Learners & Contexts	The Systematic Design of Instruction (Chapters 3, 4, & 5)	Learners & Context Analysis
6	Write Performance Objectives	Preparing Instructional Objectives – Mager The Systematic Design of Instruction (Chapter 6) Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction (Chapter 1)	Enhancing Instructional Objectives with AI	ID Case Study
Summer Break
7	Designing Units of Instruction	Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (Chapters 13 & 14) Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction (Chapter 3)	Instructional Design Unit Breakdown	ID Project Part A
8	Assessing Learners	The Systematic Design of Instruction (Chapter 7)	Assessing Learning	(ID Project Part A Peer Review)
9	Instructional Strategies	The Systematic Design of Instruction (Chapters 8 & 9) Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction (Chapter 2)	Instructional Session Design	ID Project Part B
10	Developing Instructional Materials	The Systematic Design of Instruction (Chapter 10)	Best Practices in Instructional Design	(ID Project Part B Peer Review) ID Project Part C
11	Instructional Materials for a Digital Environment	Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (Chapter 35)	Discussion Board	(ID Project Part C Peer Review)
12	ID Project Final