Abstract
The AG*SAT network is designed to allow sharing of instructional resources by broadcasting courses among peer institutions. In the fall of 1992 we taught the course “Landscape Management in the Interior West” by satellite over AG*SAT to students in Utah, Nevada, Nebraska, and Idaho, and on the Utah State University campus. Impetus for the course was to address the unique landscape needs of a region with few formal horticultural programs. The broadcast originated from an on-campus studio without students present, but with a two-way audio link. We encountered several unforeseen challenges during course preparation. It required a substantial time investment of approximately four hours for every hour of instruction. Marketing among peer institutions required a three-tiered consensus among faculty, deans of instruction, and telecommunication services. The initiative of peer faculty was very helpful in achieving this consensus. We were more successful in bringing the course to extension offices than to campuses. Student response varied with location and degree of involvement. On-campus students were critical of a perceived lack of face-to-face contact with faculty. Positive responses came from viewers in remote locations where access to college-level courses is otherwise limited. In lieu of personal interaction, videos and very detailed written support materials were critical in eliciting student involvement.
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