Talk of the Towns 2/22/08

Producer/host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Topic: Agriculture Setting the Table of Maine’s Creative Economy

What were the origins of John Harker’s report on Maine’s Agricultural Creative Economy to the Maine Legislature?  What is the mission of Farms for Maine’s Future?  What resources does the university employ to assist farmers and agricultural producers?

Guests: John Harker, Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources;  Keri Sands, Farms for Maine’s Future and CEI;  Beth Calder, Food Science Specialist, UMaine Cooperative Extension;  Nanney Kennedy, Seacolors, Washington, Maine

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 2/21/08

Producer/host: Jim Campbell

Out on the primary campaign trail, every candidate is claiming he or she stands for change for the better. Back in Washington, bills making their way through Congress would cause change all right -whether for the better or not
is another question for many. We take a peek at the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007, and the PRO-IP Act, both of which will affect our lives in realms electronic. (You can find the text of both at www.loc.gov/thomas)

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 2/14/08

Producer/host: Jim Campbell

Here are addresses for sites mentioned in this week’s program that offer free college level course materials to anyone who would like to use them.

Open Courseware site at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (ocw.mit.edu).

Rice University’s Connexions courseware site (cnx.org).
University of California at Berkeley has put up videos of about 250 course segments and events on Google Video
(video.google.com/ucberkeley.html) and now also on youTube as well www.youtube.com/user/ucberkeley).

Other universities have also established youTube channels. Search for channels (not videos) using the keyword “education.”
The Open University in Great Britain has an open learning site (www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/home.php).

Open-of-Course (open-of-course.org/courses/). Courses contributed by anyone with some expertise, not necessarily college professors.

W3 Schools (www.w3schools.com/). The focus here is on courses relating to web development.

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