FOUR CAMPUSES WITH EQUINE PROGRAMS—Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CSU Fresno and UC Davis—have pooled their resources to offer students an expanded number of equine-related courses using distance-learning technology.

Compressed video delivers live audio and visual communication among all four campuses. Students at the campuses share courses in equine nutrition, equine exercise physiology, farrier science and equine reproduction and receive class credits from their respective universities.

Anne Rodiek, professor of animal sciences and agricultural education at CSU Fresno, says, “We never really had an incentive to work together before, but we realized that while our individual resources were dwindling, together we could do something better than what we could do alone.”

The consortium’s first effort was to put on a day-long Farrier Science Workshop at each of the four campuses in October 1994. The first academic class via distance learning was offered in winter quarter 1995. The consortium has since taught four different classes, serving nearly 300 students.

The lectures are live and interactive. When someone asks a question, the voice-activated cameras focus on the speaker’s classroom. To complement the farrier science lectures, each campus offers its own lab. Instructors on each campus administer exams and assign grades. Students can also communicate with faculty by e-mail. Technical support originated at the Pomona campus, but consortium members attribute much of the success of this project to outstanding technical support from all four campuses.

Commitment of the participants to share their expertise and a mutual desire to increase access to equine programs have played a major role in the success of the project, respondents said. According to Jan Roser, animal science professor at UC Davis, this effort was a success for several important reasons, including the leadership of Robert Bray at Cal Poly Pomona, a perceived student need, and the willingness of instructors at the participating institutions to cooperate.

Another major factor that makes this project possible is financial support from each campus to cover the cost of technicians, facilities and equipment. The initial investment to convert an existing studio for distance learning at Davis was $75,000, half of which came from the Office of Undergraduate Studies and half from Creative Communication Services. Air time for distance-learning courses is provided free of charge to the participating equine programs.

To develop the course manuals and copyright material for broadcast of the first credited course, Bray used more than $4,000 from his Equine Outreach Program funds. These are nonstate monies generated through the program’s symposia and workshops. Bray and university veterinarian and professor Steven Wickler at Pomona have also used Equine Outreach Program funds to travel to the San Luis Obispo and Davis campuses to deliver lectures so students can meet them in person. One problem that the consortium members have encountered is that three of the campuses schedule classes by quarters while CSU Fresno is on a semester system.

The Equine Science Teaching Consortium has gained national visibility through peer- reviewed articles and presentations. “To the best of my knowledge,” says Bray, “this is the only equine science consortium that involves multiple universities.” Other universities have expressed interest in linking up to receive the courses, he added.

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