Objectives-Driven Soil Science Refresher Course for Extension Educators.

Oklahoma adopts the cooperative extension model in disseminating agricultural information and technologies to appropriate stakeholders. Each of the 76 county extension offices in Oklahoma has an Ag Educator through whom the Oklahoma State University channels outreach activities related to crop production. Because countless crop production-related management decisions are founded upon soil properties and processes, key concepts in soil science are therefore must-haves for Ag Educators.  A day-long soil science refresher course designed for Ag Educators was conducted. It was aimed to re-emphasize or reacquaint participants with previously-acquired soil science concepts and skills and update them with key advances. The course was built upon carefully-chosen specific objectives; each of which is in conjunction to a soil science concept or practical skill important to agriculturists. Prior to the start of the course, participants were made to gauge their level of understanding or competence on 17 particular concepts or skills. The three and a half hours in the morning session involved lectures on fundamental principles such as soil boundaries and functions, profile characterization and nomenclature, physical properties, soil reaction, ion exchange, and microbial decomposition; and more applied topics on the essentiality of elements, processes involving nitrogen and phosphorus, and soil fertility assessment. Afternoon activities involve hands-on activities or demonstrations on soil texture determination, methods of measuring soil pH, rapid soil nutrient analysis, soil charge and cation exchange, soil water flow, and the effect of residue quality on microbial decomposition. After the course, the participants re-assessed their understanding or competence on the same 17 concepts or skills that they self-assessed prior to the course. Pre-course assessment indicated that on average, participants can vaguely recall key concepts and skills. They improved to having satisfactory understanding/competence after the course. Most evaluations indicate that the hands-on activities were a vital complement to the lecture.