Abstract
Crop growth simulation models are educational tools of great potential in distance education. A project to study the utility of models as complementary instructional material for courses in Agriculture Administration at the School of Natural and Exact Sciences of the Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED) in Costa Rica was initiated in 1989. Using the soybean crop growth simulation model SOYGRO, the initial study was carried out over two years in three stages: (1) testing of the model and getting acquainted with its applications and functions, (2) creation of examples and class practices based on the model, and (3) evaluation of these instructional materials with distance education groups. A modified Spanish version of the User’s Guide was printed in 1991 for UNED students using the model. SOYGRO has been used regularly in the Basic Grains course since 1992, and is currently viewed as an important training tool in distance education. It has provided an opening for other projects in the field of expert systems and computer-mediated teaching and learning processes at UNED.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Arrieta J, Ortiz R A (1992) Expert systems for tropical crops course teaching in distance education. Agronomy Abstracts 12.
Baker R (1978) Computer managed instruction. Theory and practice. Educational Technology Publications, New Jersey.
Benko A (1989) Algunas consideraciones sobre la aplicaciôn del microcomputador en la educaciôn. Informe de Investigaciones Educativas 3(2): 51–66.
Fielden J, Pearson P K (1978) The cost of learning with computers. Council for Educational Technology, London, UK.
Galvis A H (1987) Technology transfer in educational computing: toward a non-magical approach. Pages 11–23 in Proceedings of the Meeting on the Use of Microcomputers Applications in Education and Training in Developing Countries. Board on Science and Technology for International Development, Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado.
Gastkemper F (1990) Computer aided, learning and interactive video in distance education. Pages 82–93 in Bates A W (Ed.) Media and technology in European distance education. European Association of Distance Teaching Universities, Heerlen, The Netherlands.
Hidalgo G, Brenes F (1990) Dos enfoque de la producciôn de materiales de Instrucciôn apoyados por la computadora. Revista Iberoamericana de Educaciôn a Distancia 3 (1): 9–22.
International Benchmark Sites Network for Agrotechnology Transfer (IBSNAT) (1989) The decision support system for agrotechnology transfer: user’s guide. Department of Agronomy and Soil Science, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii.
International Benchmark Sites Network for Agrotechnology Transfer (IBSNAT) (1993) The IBSNAT decade. Ten years of endeavor at the frontier of science and technology. Department of Agronomy and Soil Science, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Jones J W, Boote K J, Jagtap S S, Hoogenboom G, Wilkerson G G (1988) SOYGRO V.5. 41: User’s guide for soybean crop growth simulation model. Department of Agronomy and Department of Agricultural Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Ministério de Educaçao (1985) Educaçao e Informâtica. Fundaçao Centro Brasileiro de Televisao Educativa, Centro de Informâtica. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
O’Shea T, Self J (1983) Learning and teaching with computers. Artificial Intelligence in Education. Prentice-Hall, New Jersey.
Ortiz R A (1990) Guia para la utilizaciôn del modelo de crecimiento del cultivo de la soya `SOYGRO V.5.41’ en educaciôn a distancia. Sistema de Educaciôn Computarizada, Universidad Estatal a Distancia, San José, Costa Rica.
Ortiz R A (1991) Using SOYGRO V5.41 soybean crop growth simulation model in distance education. Agronomy Abstracts, p 5.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1998 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Ortiz, R.A. (1998). Crop simulation models as an educational tool. In: Tsuji, G.Y., Hoogenboom, G., Thornton, P.K. (eds) Understanding Options for Agricultural Production. Systems Approaches for Sustainable Agricultural Development, vol 7. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3624-4_19
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3624-4_19
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-4940-7
Online ISBN: 978-94-017-3624-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive