F.A.Q.
What is the Q-PorkChains Open Learning Platform (OLP)?
The Q-PorkChains OLP is an initiative to facilitate access to learning resources and resources about pig production and pork quality. The learning resources on the platform are free of charge to any user anywhere in the world, and users of the platform are invited to contribute by sharing their own learning resources with others by posting new material to the platform.
Who is the Q-PorkChains OLP designed for?
Target groups include: universities and others involved in teaching and training in higher education; research institutions and training companies; industrial organizations; and self-learners seeking access to learning resource in the field. Ultimately, therefore, the resources benefit students in higher education (PhD students, MSc students, BSc students and students in non-degree programmes) and individuals involved in the pork production chain (farmers and employees at farm level; management personnel and employees at slaughterhouses, meat cutting plants and meat processing plants; sales representatives and employees at enterprises that offer industrial inputs or services for the pork production chain, for example veterinarians).
What information does the Q-PorkChains OLP provide about the learning resources?
Q-PorkChains OLP provides information on the learning resources available worldwide, how to access the resources, and who to contact. The information provided allows users to make an informed decision on whether the resource is important for their needs and includes the name (title) of the module, field(s) covered, target group(s), skills needed, short description of the module, format of the resource, (CD-ROM, online/pdf/word, online/HTML, podcasting, published as a book/journal), languages in which the resource is available, producer of the product, copyright holder, PC requirements (Pentium I or II), IT literacy required, partners, year of production, web site, contact address and e-mail of the owner, producer or guardian. Information includes advice on possible need for a trainer/guide.
What is the scope of Q-PorkChains OLP?
The platform provides dynamic and classified resources covering a range of fields related to pig production and pork quality including: consumer, citizen and market, pork production, product development, chain management, molecular quality control, and knowledge synthesis.
Who can contribute to the Q-PorkChains OLP?
Contribution to the OLP is expected from a wide and varied network:
- Teachers and trainers are encouraged to submit existing resources and to add material developed by their students.
- Students and employees are encouraged to contribute to open educational resources (e.g. adding video clips, articles, comments etc.).
- The Q-PC project will develop learning resources during the project period.
How to contribute to the Q-PorkChains OLP?
You can contribute to building this platform by registering and filling in the appropriate form (one per training) with accurate information about the material you wish to submit. Besides the opportunity of submitting new training, the platform gives users the chance to express interest in a learning resource, rate the learning resource they use, register for an alert system for new material, forward pages/links to other interested persons, provide critical comments and ideas for the improvements of the platform, and join an interest-based virtual community and contribute to a Q-PorkChains Wikipedia. Finally you can contribute to the open educational resources and have the opportunity to add cases, comments and other material.
What material is included in the Q-PorkChains OLP?
The long-term goal of this initiative is to develop a sustainable database with learning resources for the pig and pork sector that will be used by teachers, trainers, students and employees in the area. The number of resources will be low in the beginning but will increase over time. In the Q-PorkChains OLP the user can contact training@q-porkchains.org and ask for CD-ROMs and published journals etc. to be sent by post.
What can people do with materials contained in the Q-PorkChains OLP?
The materials in the Q-PorkChains OLP will enable professionals, local practitioners, students and other individuals to follow online training (in local and/or online settings), access and explore learning resources in their respective fields and areas of interest, participate in discussion forums and wikipedia, and disseminate knowledge gathered through local networks in order to inform and participate in the development network.
Learning resources on the Q-PorkChains OLP can be used, copied and distributed but only for non-commercial educational purposes; they may be made freely available to other users under the terms defined by the Q-PorkChains OLP legal notice.
Learning resources on the Q-PorkChains OLP can be used, copied and distributed but only for non-commercial educational purposes; they may be made freely available to other users under the terms defined by the Q-PorkChains OLP legal notice.
What is the Q-PorkChains OLP legal notice?
The underlying premise and purpose of Q-PorkChains OLP is to make learning resources available for non-commercial educational purposes. Materials may be translated and combined with somebody else’s materials. However there are three requirements that a user must meet in order to use the materials:
- Non-commercial Use of Q-PC materials is open to all except profit-making entities who charge a fee for access to educational materials.
- Attribution Any and all use or reuse of the material, including use of derivate work (new materials that incorporate or draw on the original material) must be attributed to Q-PC and, if a faculty member’s name is associated with the material, to that person as well.
- Share alike Any publication or distribution of original material or derivate works must offer the works freely and openly to others using the same terms under which Q-PorkChains OLP first made the work available to the user.
Can I link to the Q-PorkChains OLP from my web site?
Links to Q-PorkChains OLP or to learning resources within the platform are permitted so long as the use of the materials associated with the link is permitted under the terms of the creative common licence used by Q-PorkChains.
Who is behind the Q-PorkChains OLP?
Q-PorkChains is an integrated research project within the EU Sixth Framework Programme. The team for Teaching and Training in Q-PorkChains is in charge of the development and implementation of new knowledge generated within the project, delivered by learning resources to all levels. The team consists of Anne Algers (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences), Ayona Silva-Fletcher (The Royal Veterinary College, University of London), Neville Gregory (The Royal Veterinary College, University of London) and Melvin Hunt (Kansas State University).
How can I contact Q-PorkChains OLP?
For more information on how to participate, please e-mail training@q-porkchains.org
