EXPERIENCES IN TEACHING HORTICULTURAL PLANTS AND THE USE OF ERESOURCE MATERIALS

Electronic resource materials (eResources), such as plant databases, computer-aided learning and web-based materials, are widely used to support plant materials studies in horticulture.
They can reduce resource requirements for traditional teaching and delivery modes and improve student outcomes in assessment.
How students actually use these eResources is not well described.
A study of students enrolled in horticultural plants studies in a university course was undertaken in 2010 to determine their use of eResources.
Using an online survey, the study showed that most students accessed eResources regularly each month, found them as useful to gain knowledge of plants compared to traditional resource materials, and were more useful for providing information on plant nomenclature and description, than for informa¬tion on plant cultivation.
While students use eResources in their learning, this took place at a fundamental level and a greater focus is needed on pedagogy and learning activities to fully utilise the potential of eResource materials.
A more comprehensive study over a longer time-frame of student use and interactions of eResources for plant materials learning would better answer these questions.

XXVIII International Horticultural Congress on Science and Horticulture for People (IHC2010): VI International Symposium on Horticultural Education, Research Training and Consultancy

J.P. Rayner , D.J. Kendal

e-learning, plant materials, plant databases, web-based materials, learning resources

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.920.3