Citrus Prevention and Decontamination Compliance Course

The University of Florida in association with the state of Florida requires compliance training for the proper handling of citrus plants due to the possible spread of Citrus Canker disease. This disease can be devastating for plants and ultimately the citrus industry. The compliance course prepares workers and their managers with decontamination procedures to prevent the spread of the disease and to reduce plant damage. This leads to better crops through a more knowledgeable worker.

THE CHALLENGE

Citrus plant management is essential in the hopeful eradication of the harmful citrus canker disease. Discovered in the United States in 2005, Citrus canker can cause great harm to plants and the citrus industry. Due to this, federal and state government regulations have been put into place.

There was no training available that could explain these rules and regulations to the full audience who needed it. The educational materials that was available was not consistent and did not frame the issue and the solution clearly.

It was clear that a training program was needed that could educate and prepare managers and workers on the dangers and how to follow rules and regulations as well as how to recognize the disease and the steps to take once it is recognized.

Florida has a large English and Spanish population and it is important that all of those working within the citrus industry can comprehend the rules and regulations.

THE SOLUTION

Illumen worked with the University of Florida to understand the rules and regulations and through instructional design and creative design processes, defined an approach that would best prepare the audiences to be the most effective. Illumen defined three key areas that would help the audience develop their understanding; History, Biology, and Prevention / Decontamination. These micro-lessons would act as building blocks to quickly create the foundations, and add on top of those foundations, what the learner must know to follow protocol and make decisions.

Throughout the course, the learner must complete knowledge checks which allow them to check their understanding and retention of the material, and provide additional information if needed through the course before they continue on.

The course ends in a final assessment. If the learner completes the assessment with a high enough score, they are marked as having completed the course. This information is then sent to both The University of Florida, and the worker’s manager.

Both an English and Spanish version of the course material was created to reach and educated the largest audience possible. Illumen translated and implemented the Spanish version. The final outcome is one course with a language selector at the beginning.

Articulate Storyline was determined as the best development tool to meet the project goals and objectives. It also allows the University of Florida’s team to make some changes to the project when needed.

The University of Florida has a custom programmed learning management system for this project. It was not SCORM, AICC, or Tin Can compliant, and so Illumen worked with the University of Florida’s team to send the data from Storyline to their system to track learner scores and completion status.