Michael K. Swan
Community of Practice
Enhancing student learning through quality practical agricultural systems education has been the focus of Dr. Michael Swan’s life for over 30 years. His vision for land-grant universities is for educators to use their knowledge of teaching and learning along with research-based classroom practices to maximize student learning and success. Graduates are equipped for effective, problem-solving, collaboration using a systems approach to complex problems while exhibiting imagination, cultural/environmental sensitivity, responsibility, and sound economic practices.
In the past 20 years, Dr. Swan has used funded research to improve agricultural systems education. He has incorporated current issues and problem-based design in all of his courses. He has collaborated with industry and educators from across the world to identify the “perfect learning environment” that reflects attributes of an agricultural system. He uses this “environment” to lift and broaden student-learning outcomes in courses and to guide development of curriculum materials and activities for student achievement in agriculture.
His research also addresses how to use and deliver distance courses to students round the world. He has included applied activities in courses which give students practical hands-on applications of agriculture, math, and science and inspire them to study and live in our agricultural world. He has collaborated with peers in the use of videoconferencing and distance education technologies to include projects and activities to motivate student learning in various multi-nationality groups.
He engages students in active “learning by doing” activities with clear student learning outcomes which target advanced achievement. He achieves skilled performances from students by expecting them to take ownership of their learning and to accept important learning challenges.
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Contact Information
Michael K. Swan, Ph.D.
Professor
Crop and Soil Sciences
Washington State University
255 Johnson Hall
PO Box 646420
Pullman WA 99164-6420
Telephone: 509-35-2899
Fax: 509-335-8674
E-mail: mswan@wsu.edu
Dr. Michael K. Swan is a professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Agricultural and Food Systems program at Washington State University and coordinator of the Masters of Science in Agriculture program. He received his B.S. (1974) degree from Washington State University and his M.Ed. (1984) and Ph.D. (1990) degrees from Oregon State University. For 13 years, he was a secondary teacher of agricultural education in both Washington and Oregon. He joined the WSU faculty in 1997, having spent three years at Oregon State University and seven years at North Dakota State University. His present work focuses on agricultural systems and distance education teaching and delivery. He has led multi-state and multi-institution distance education projects with funding from the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service and U.S. Department of Agriculture in addition to programs sponsored by state education agencies. His work has been published in over 70 articles covering agricultural education, especially with regard to distance education and methods of teaching. He has received numerous awards for teaching, research, and international development nationally including the National American Distance Education Consortium Award - Excellence in Distance Education, American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE) Research Presentation Award, and the Distinguished Service Award form the Association for Career and Technical Education Research. He has served as national president of both the American Vocational Education Research Association and AAAE. His international projects have taken him to 12 countries in Africa and the Middle East.
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