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How Agriscience PACs Work

• Introduction to the Applied Technologies PAC Format
• Overview
• Assessment
• Instructor Aids

Introduction

Every Agriscience PAC (Pathways for Agriscience Careers) Unit comes complete with all of the necessary equipment and materials.  Each PAC also comes with enough consumable materials for at least 24 students.

The PACs are 15 activities long, which equals approximately 15 hours worth of work.  Generally, a pair of students spends the first 10 activities following step-by-step instructions while the final five activities are spent on problem-solving "Challenges."

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Overview

Virtually all of the PACs are delivered via a Student Guide notebook, however, a few are delivered exclusively via Media Cruiser, Applied Technologies' computer-based delivery system.  Either way, Media Cruiser is a large part of the delivery of the curriculum, and the layout and format is consistent from PAC to PAC.

For example, every activity begins with an inventory of the PAC materials, and ends with a re-inventory, ensuring both student and instructor that all materials are in the PAC area and in working condition.  At the end of each activity, students are to complete a "critical thinking" step where they respond to a scenario or question.  This consistency keeps students from having to learn different formats as they rotate from PAC to PAC.  This means less time is spent navigating the system and more time is spent learning the material.

Whether the PAC has a Student Guide or not, students use Media Cruiser to launch software, watch videos, take tests, and more.

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Assessment

Each PAC starts with a Pre-test and ends with a Post-test, both of which are taken on the computer.  These tests help access how much material the student learned by the end of the PAC.

As the students work through the activities, they will define 20 vocabulary words and complete numerous computer-based quizzes.  These quizzes offer a variety of question styles including multiple choice, multiple-multiple choice, fill in the blank, matching, hot spot, and true and false.  Each question must be answered correctly before the student can continue through the quiz.  Help screens are displayed when a student answers a question incorrectly.

PACs also make use of "Checkpoints," which are computer-based "tests" the instructor takes to verify that students are properly completing hands-on activities.

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Instructor Aids

Each PAC comes with an Instructor's Overview (IO).  The IO contains answer keys and source locators to the Pre- and Post-test, quizzes, and vocabulary words; a Notes to the Instructor section that outlines important information the instructor needs to know and implement in order for the PAC to run smoothly; and each activity's objectives.  The IO also contains any work sheets that may need to be passed out.

Customization is one of the key features of Applied Technologies' products.  For example, suppose you found a new piece of software you wanted to add to the Animal Science PAC.  Simply open Media Editor (Media Cruiser's "behind the scenes" counterpart) and tell it where to find that new program's executable file.

But wouldn't modifying Media Cruiser make a change in the curriculum necessary too?  Yes!  And that's easy to do as well because each Agriscience Media Cruiser PAC CD contains the Adobe PageMaker files for that particular PAC's Student Guide and Instructor's Overview.   Using PageMaker, the instructor can modify any part of the Student Guide or IO to fit the needs of the lab. 

Each Agriscience Media Cruiser PAC CD also contains the Student Guide and Instructor's Overview in Adobe Reader's .pdf format.   Using Adobe Reader (located on the Media Cruiser Program CD), an instructor can open any Student Guide or IO and reprint pages that might have been lost or damaged.   The .pdf file can also be used by the students as an "electronic book."

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