Design and Evaluation of the Auto-tutorial for a Greenhouse Crop Production Course1

Abstract Principles of greenhouse plant culture are an important component of the college-level study of commercial crop production. The ever-increasing information from research has expanded the amount of knowledge to be taught. Thus, development of more efficient and effective methods of teaching is necessary to increase educational productivity. For example, change from a “lecture-slide-discussion” method to an “auto-tutorial supplement” method in a greenhouse crop production course may increase the course content and number of crops studied, and provide more time for discussion of production concepts and plant growth principles. Slide sets reviewed individually by students can supplement assignments in textbooks and illustrate more phases of crop production.