PSVII-24 Training university undergraduates in online educational resources to strengthen school students’ understanding of animal-origin foods.

Abstract Training undergraduate students in educational materials development using distance learning technologies (TED) is one of the objectives of the Goat and Sheep Educational Program Initiative (PR-GOSHEPI), affiliated with the Department of Animal Science at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (ANSI-UPRM). Furthermore, incorporating TED is critical for communicating knowledge about animal-based foods’ origin, qualities, and sources and their human advantages to elementary (K-6) and high school (K-10 to K-12) students in public and private schools throughout Puerto Rico. This educational program aims to train ANSI-UPRM undergraduate students to create and develop online educational modules (EEM) in the form of videos focused on animal-based foods for K-6 and K-10 to K-12 students. For the execution of the program 12 undergraduate ANSI-UPRM students participated in the development of EEM focused on milk and meat production. Each module covers a specific topic on animal-based foods and includes 12 pictures, which were originally made as drawings and paintings and are complemented by scripts. After the written module is completed, the educational videos are produced and narrated. During the 24-month program, students created 18 modules on milk and meat production for K-6 students. These online educational modules cover topics such as sheep for milk production, fresh cow’s milk, milk for ice cream, piglets for Christmas, and sheep, goats, cattle, and pig breeds for meat production. Other themes include small ruminant meat production, pork consumption, fishing for food, and tuna fish. Furthermore, a video titled “Cattle: edible and non-edible products” was also produced. For K-10 to K-12 students, 6 educational modules on milk production were developed including, Milk: Our First Food, Mammary Gland Anatomy and Milk Synthesis, Is Milk Good for You?, Dairy Products, Goat Milk, and Cheese Types. Similarly, for the same audience, 3 educational modules on meat production were created; Is Meat Good for You?, Meat from Farm to Table, and Small Ruminant Meat Production. All educational videos are available on the PR-GOSHEPI program website (https://www.uprm.edu/sea/pr-goshepi), the PR-GOSHEPI YouTube channel, and social media (https://www.facebook.com/PRGOSHEPI21/). In summary, the development of online educational modules in video format has proven to be an efficient technique for knowledge transmission and instructional material creation among undergraduate students utilizing distance education technology.