As our population continues to grow, the demand of a more efficient agriculture system heightens. We work to produce the highest yield possible to cover demands. Are we compromising our water quality for mass food production? In past years, the West Coast growers had been facing increasing struggles to farm with their allotted water often turning…

Though universities have offered online education options since the 1990s, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led to increased online course development and implementation worldwide. Transitioning to online learning during the pandemic created challenges and opportunities for instructors and students alike, especially in the soil and…

This article examines the impact of emergency remote learning and draws on both current and prior research to suggest ways forward in teaching and learning in higher education. Synchronous online learning was the primary delivery method during the COVID-19 pandemic, but research has identified many limitations in this form of delivery, as well as…

Beginning abruptly in the second half of the Spring 2020 semester at Purdue University, we modified our teaching approach in Introductory Soil Science and Forest Soils courses (AGRY 255/270) with a combined annual enrollment of [approximately]370 students to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. In that semester, we went to entirely virtual lecture,…

Undergraduate students enrolled in ecology courses read peer-reviewed, scientific literature to learn how hypotheses are tested and to understand conclusions from research. This technical material can be difficult to understand for many students, thus inhibiting learning processes and reducing interest in courses or associated content. Using…

Enrollment in soil science courses at land grant universities in the United States has been stagnant or declining for the last 20 years and this trend is expected to continue in the foreseeable future. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a newly developed course in drinking water and human health (DWHH) that was designed to widen soil science…

A dynamic and diverse workforce of agricultural professionals and scientists is needed to develop sustainable and innovative solutions for the challenges of food production for a growing population under the threat of climate extremes. One path to developing workforce talent is through summer research and extension experiences. The Applied Plant…

As the use of online education increases, technologies to improve the quality of learning have been improving alongside it. One method of information dissemination is virtual learning environments (VLE), in which educators can tailor digital lessons according to their subject and the needs of their students. For soil science, and field-based…

The teaching strategy of blended learning (incorporating both online and experiential education) was used to design a university course covering multiple aspects of maple syrup and sugar history, ecology, management, production, and consumption to attract students. A key aspect of the course is to introduce students with little-to-no previous…

This article presents a synopsis of an interdisciplinary asynchronous online science service-learning course for upper undergraduates and graduate students. The design process, structure of the course, pedagogical approaches, and specific goals are described. Discussions, analyses, and evaluations from both students and university faculty…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, preexisting soil science laboratories were redesigned for self-guided learning (SGL). The SGL laboratories occurred on-campus during the fall 2020 semester in two introductory soil science courses at the University of Tennessee at Martin and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Students carried out the…

Drones are a technology being implemented to provide additional information to farmers about their production systems. It is important for agricultural educators, researchers, and other agricultural service professionals to engage in using drones to help provide answers to farmer questions and help expand farmer awareness of their potential uses.…

Controlling unwanted annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) in desirable turfgrass species often relies heavily on herbicide use. As a result, increasing populations of herbicide-resistant annual bluegrass have become a concern. In 2018, a university research and extension initiative began addressing the increasing herbicide-resistant annual bluegrass…

Group projects enable students to build valuable critical thinking and communication skills that are increasingly required for success in the agricultural industry. Group projects provide well-documented benefits; however, associated challenges lead to student and instructor reluctance to engage in group work in the college classroom.…

Soil judging contests are important activities to explore the soil science and its relation to the natural world. They have been held for many years and proved to be very efficient for the student's engagement, field practice, and learning. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the soil science societies worldwide had to adapt this activity to the virtual…