The article discusses the layout and organization of the new website for the Buckeye Yard and Garden onLine (BYGL) Newsletter. The new site [ bygl.osu.edu ] was designed by the OSU inVirtual Perspective Team. Weekly content is provided by members of the Ohio State University Extension Nursery Landscape Turf team, assisted by Cheryl Fischnich who handles the posting of all content into the BYGL’s new content management system.

The new site, was developed using the content management system, JOOMLA!. This system has been used by the inVP team to design new online homes for OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program, OSU Buckeye Turf Program, Ohio Bioproducts Innovation Center, Center for Multifunctional Polmer Nanomaterials and Devices, and the American Society for Horticultural Science. The new site complements the timely news stories being written by the authors through the use of attractive photos, RSS news feeds, and direct links to various bookmarking and news story tagging services.

Link: Educational Update for May, 2008

As a prolific web design innovator, the inVirtual Perspective (inVP) Technology Team designs, develops and implements systems for authoring, publishing and archiving digital content. Tim Rhodus and his team primarily develop system tools in two areas: information management and communication. These robust systems help Ohio State faculty and staff author, publish, distribute and archive educational content and information, including news, technical tips, notes, career profiles and courses. The online systems provide 24/7 access to pertinent information while saving money though the elimination of printing and mailing costs. The team’s work adds value to the department through is ability to manage, publish, and distribute content efficiently and effectively.

Communication Systems

The Horticulture & Crop Science (H&CS) Department currently benefits from the use of two communications systems for increasing outreach while lowering costs. A number of H&CS research and outreach programs also benefit from communications systems designed by the team.

The inVP Team developed an online communication system for authoring and publishing illustrated news stories about people, places and programs across the department. The “From The Chair” News system has replaced the traditional printed and mailed industry newsletters. H&CS is now able to maintain communications with over 6,000 stakeholders, alumni and friends across numerous commodity groups for a fraction of the cost of designing, printing, and mailing a comprehensive monthly newsletter. In addition to lowering the costs of staying in touch with our clients, the fully illustrated “From The Chair” News (now called Ohio State HCS News) is accessible to everyone on the Internet.

The News communication system replaces the production of an 8-page monthly newsletter that would cost $6,000 to design, print and mail to the current 6,000 stakeholders. The shift of News from print to online production and delivery thus saves the department over $70,000 per year and has saved H&CS over $350,000 in the past five years.

A second communication system developed by the inVP team publishes H&CS recruitment materials for prospective students. The enPlant - Awesome Plant Science Careers website introduces prospective students to the careers opportunities afforded to graduates of plant science programs. This online communication system delivers over 100 career profiles of Ohio State alumni and friends in ten different career categories. The equivalent of creating ten different 8-page glossy brochures featuring OSU alumni profiles, the enPlant website is a dynamic, multimedia resource that Outreach Specialist Mary Rose Molinaro uses to attract students to H&CS. Instead of packaging costly mailers, Molinaro directs over 1,000 prospective students per year to the website. This communication system has saved the department $20,000 of design, print and mailing costs in five years time.

The inVP team also developed an online timely technical tips system for use by various members of the H&CS Turfgrass Science program. This Internet-based communication system is an educational platform that provides the equivalent information of a 4-page monthly newsletter. Karl Danneberger has been using the system since March 2001 to distribute over 350 illustrated TurfNotes articles to a list of 800 subscribers who are turfgrass professionals on golf courses throughout Ohio and around the globe. To communicate with this audience via a newsletter would cost Dr. Danneberger over $7,200 per year in printing and mailing costs. As such, the TurfNotes communication system has saved him over $35,000 during the past five years. Because this communication system is public and available via the Internet many other turgrass professionals access these educational postings throughout the year.

Another outreach program that benefits from a similar communication system is SportsNotes, an Sports Turf Extension effort led by Pam Sherratt. Since August 2001, Sherratt has published over 250 illustrated SportsNotes articles via the communication system built by the inVP team. By using the online system instead of a printed newsletter, Sherratt has reached a wider audience that spans the globe. She currently saves $6,000 per year by authoring content on through the online communication system. Her total savings over five years equals $30,000.

Information Management Systems

In addition to communication systems, the inVP Team also designs information management systems that help clients organize, catalog and archive records, documents, and collections.

A significant number of information management systems have been implemented by the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS). As Editor of Digital Information Resources for ASHS, Dr. Rhodus has guided the society toward better management of information. Along with a system wide upgrade to the Macintosh platform, Rhodus has transitioned ASHS away from paper-based systems to online elections, membership renewals, conference management, and member services. In addition to saving on the costs of printing and mailing numerous communication pieces throughout the year, ASHS saves money in personnel costs by using the tools Rhodus developed. ASHS Executive Director Mike Neff estimates the savings to be more than $100,000 per year. ASHS has saved in excess of $300,000 in the three years since Rhodus was tapped to help streamline the information management of the society.

In 2002, the inVP Team developed an online record keeping system for Master Gardener Volunteers (MGV) in Ohio to report their activities involving volunteer and continuing education service. To date, approximately 30,000 activities have been entered in the system by roughly one third of the volunteers. If all 3,576 active members throughout Ohio were utilizing the system to report their volunteer and continuing education activities, Extension would save the equivalent of a full-time staff person, estimated value of $40,000 per year and possess a fully-documented Master Gardener Volunteer program. Over the past five years, an estimated savings of $200,000 would have been realized.

Cumulative impacts of the inVP Technology Team for the past year include savings of $74,000 (HCS Department), $13,000 (Turf Program), $100,000 (ASHS) and $40,000 (Master Gardener Volunteers) for a total savings of $227,000. Over the past five years, these savings multiply to $935,000.

The article discusses the history of In Virtual Perspective, examines Web 2.0 technologies, and explores how to build online communities. This article also introduces readers to the Virtual560 curriculum taught by Professor Tim Rhodus. His efforts to train students in building online communities (Virtual Clubs) are featured, as well as the partnership with Ohionet and librarians around Ohio.

Lastly, the article explains how to add the PlantFacts search engine to your browser toolbar. This search engine also generates an RSS feed linked to any specific search. This means that you can publish the RSS feed into a website or news aggregator and get continuous updates from the search engine whenever you browse the website or refresh the news aggregator.

Allen Reichert - “Twentieth Century Literature”

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Linka McMaken - “Mary L. Cook Public Library Veterans History Project”

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Ann Hutchison - “Digital Scrapbooking”

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NEOUCOM Rootstown, Oh. 

www.neoucom.edu

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here it is:

What is WorldCat Delivery and how does it work?

For additional information, contact me, Jason Zavar, at zavarj@oclc.org

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INFOhio http://www.infohio.org

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Subscribe to this enhanced podcast feed at:

http://hcs.osu.edu/insight/podcast/Virtual_Insight.rss

“A true e-learning experience for anyone interested in turfgrass management, Buckeye Turf serves industry professionals around the globe,” explains Karl Danneberger, a professor in the Horticulture & Crop Science Department. “We invite users to download educational podcasts, read timely technical turf notes in multiple turfgrass science disciplines or sign up for a distance education experience.”

By working closely with inVirtual Perspective Technology Team leader Tim Rhodus, the OSU Turfgrass Science Team has used cutting edge Internet technologies to better communicate turfgrass science management techniques for many years. Buckeye Turf combines these technologies into one location that complements the content generated by the Ohio State faculty and staff. Rhodus and team members Bud Witney and Victor van Buchem designed Buckeye Turf using a content management system (Joomla) that boasts an extensive use of RSS Feeds, blogging software, multi-language podcasting, multifunction search capabilities and photo management archives. The site design also allows users to change the width of the content displayed on their monitor.

Buckeye Turf is the new home for longtime successful turf outreach and education initiatives, such as TurfNotes, SportsNotes and International SportsNotes, and now adds new services through enhanced podcasts, LandscapeNotes and distance education opportunities. Users are encouraged to use RSS Feeds to subscribe to a syndicated feed from Turf News, TurfNotes, SportsNotes and Podcasts sections. Additionally, users are invited to sign-up to receive e-mail notification when a new posting has been published to the website.

Via Buckeye Turf Podcasts professionals and students can access, download and watch the latest OSU research reports and presentations on turfgrass pests, cultural programs, and case studies delivered as enhanced podcasts. Since August 2006, OSU faculty, staff and graduate students have contributed over 50 presentations to this multimedia resource which delivers full-screen playback through the QuickTime player or iTunes music software.

Dr. Danneberger also developed an innovative method for creating an international turfgrass educational tool by having visiting researchers and students Aneta Studzinska, Marcela Munoz and Jia Yan perform the voice-overs for the Polish, Spanish and Chinese versions of the Buckeye Turf Podcasts. iTunes subscriptions are available for all the podcast series: English, Spanish, Polish, Chinese and Research Reports and make downloading newly published podcasts a seamless and automatic process.

Modeled after TurfNotes and SportsNotes, the new LandscapeNotes will deliver timely technical tips for turfgrass selection, weed management and lawn care maintenance. Coordinated by Dave Gardner, associate professor of Turfgrass Science, frequent contributors to LandscapeNotes include Extension pathologist Joe Rimelspach and the Bug Doc, Dave Shetlar.

With the demand for distance education increasing, Buckeye Turf will soon be launching an online Sports Turf Management Certificate Program which incorporate the lecture materials presented in a Sports Turf Management course organized by Ohio State Sports Turf Extension Specialist Pam Sherratt. This certificate program was developed for turf professionals who can not attend The Ohio State University, but still want to attain a higher knowledge about maintaining athletic fields. All of the course content was packaged as podcast files by the Digital Technology Team from lectures presented by Sherratt, Danneberger, Gardner, Shetlar, Rimelspach, John Street and Mike Boehm. Sherratt, who manages SportsNotes anticipates high school, collegiate, and recreational facilities field managers and their employees will benefit from this new educational opportunity.

In addition to engaging Ohio’s turfgrass industry through outreach efforts, Buckeye Turf is also an academic resource hub that highlights courses offered at OSU, student club activities, research programs, and opportunities to support OSU through endowments. The site uses integrated Google mapping for locating various facilities on the Ohio State campus and also offers an extensive plant science career resource that includes profiles of over 100 alumni. The News Feeds section of the site uses RSS feed capability to deliver live turf related content from numerous professional and academic sources around the country.

“Buckeye Turf promises to serve anyone who has an interest in acquiring turfgrass science knowledge,” says Danneberger. “This site is a resource for knowledge and current events within the Ohio State University Turfgrass Science program and the turfgrass profession. We hope to reach interested turf professionals through a visually pleasing and easy-to-navigate website that presents useful content to its users.”

View tutorial

More tutorials will be developed following the same approach.

Available at http://buckeyeturf.osu.edu/podcast, this podcasting initiative builds upon Ohio State’s strong history of delivering timely technical turfgrass tips to golf course superintendents (SK TurfNotes) and athletic field managers (OSU SportsNotes) via blog-style postings. Instead of relying on text-only publications to educate the industry, Ohio State faculty and staff experts illustrate educational turf tips with photos and graphics. The enhanced podcast learning module format allows for additional photos, synchronized audio, full-screen desktop playback, and portable playback.

“It is with a great amount of excitement that we launch this new initiative! The idea behind the website is to present turfgrass topics pertinent to our students and industry clientele both in a learning and informational format,” explains Dr. Karl Danneberger, a turfgrass science professor in the Horticulture & Crop Science Department. “The topics range from cultural practices to pests, and include case studies and research reports. The enhanced podcasts presentations are between 2 to 4 minutes long, except for some of the research reports which offer more depth. Our podcast delivery is also unique because we offer many of the presentations in multiple languages including, Spanish, Polish and Chinese.”

Dr. Danneberger began publishing Buckeye Turf Podcasts in August of 2006. The website now boasts more than thirty different presentations, many of which are available in multiple languages. By collaborating with graduate students and visiting scientists to convert the audio of the module into another language, Professor Danneberger has developed an innovative method for creating an international turfgrass educational tool. Visiting research assistants Aneta Studzinska (Poland) and Marcela Munoz (Chile) perform the voice-overs on the Polish and Spanish versions of the Buckeye Turf Podcasts. OSU doctoral candidate Jia Yan delivers the Chinese version of the podcasts.

In addition to her weekly SportsNotes and International SportsNotes educational postings, Ohio State Sports Turf Extension Specialist Pam Sherratt is a regular contributor to Buckeye Turf Podcasts who focuses on modules appropriate for athletic field managers. Sherratt has published in-depth podcasts on the renovation of Ohio Stadium, overseeding methods for cool season turf, and the effect of biomass accumulation on a Kentucky Bluegrass stabilizer system.

Podcasting uses Really Simple Syndication (RSS) technology to deliver content directly to those who subscribe to a feed of content. RSS web syndication is thus similar to a newspaper being delivered to your house each day. With automatic updating via the free subscription, turfgrass professionals can “catch” syndicated packages, instead of searching/browsing websites for new content. Subscribers to the Buckeye Turf Podcasts automatically get the latest learning module podcast downloaded to their computer.

Over the years the OSU Turfgrass Science Program has worked closely with the inVirtual Perspective Technology Team to implement new communication technologies. Team leader Dr. Tim Rhodus encourages turfgrass professionals to use Apple’s iTunes software to manage their all their podcast subscriptions. This greatly simplifies the subscription process. For example, Subscribe to Buckeye Turf Podcasts can be presented as a simple hyperlink in any news story or email message. The iTunes software allows users to organize the podcast files and through synching with an iPod, these podcasts become portable learning modules which users can access away from their desktop computer. Users can also watch a full-screen version of the learning module directly from the Buckeye Turf Podcasts posting. To play the presentation file directly from the website requires QuickTime software.

Because the Buckeye Turf Podcasts website uses blogging software, the most recently published podcast appears first on the Buckeye Turf Podcasts blog. However, all the podcast learning modules are organized under given topic areas that are archived in the Categories heading along the right hand side of the website. Categories inlcude cultural practices, diseases, insects, research reports and more. Recent postings and podcasts include presentations on Winter Overseeding of Bermudagrass Fairways & Greens, Fairy Ring, Pythium Blight and Foliar Anthracnose.

This project was partially supported through a grant given by Dr. L.H. Newcomb, College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences Senior Associate Dean and Price Chair in Teaching, Advising and Learning.

One of the goals of this project is to assist OHIONET-member libraries and librarians develop community building programs using a variety of resources, many of which are tagged or authored by patrons.

See: OSU Virtual Branch Wiki

Access the online resource directly at Franklin Remixed: Ben – the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.