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other principles to proactively control hazards before they
become problematic (19).
Outcomes and recommendations from a 2015 Artisan
Cheese Food Safety Forum (Providence, RI) suggested that
increasing the number of educational offerings in general,
specifically through online and hands-on training, would
be valuable and that stakeholders would be very likely to
participate in online training programs (9).
The purpose of the present study was to create an educational resource for artisanal cheese producers based on the
best available science and to evaluate the effect of the online
delivery of this course on the target audience's food safety
knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacies, intentions, and self-reported practices.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
An online course was developed using the analysis, design,
development, implement, and evaluation framework (21).
This framework is commonly used among instructional
designers in development of online courses because it is
iterative and involves reflection throughout the experience.
Needs analysis
The mixed-methods needs analysis consisted of interviews
with three experts on artisanal dairy food products, interviews with five artisan cheesemakers, and an online survey
of 85 individuals who were part of an artisanal dairy food
safety consortium (8, 9, 11). This analysis revealed that food
safety education opportunities were somewhat available to
most artisan cheesemakers, depending on their location and
the expertise of nearby cooperative extension specialists
and/or consultants. With the exception of three states, these
opportunities were rarely tailored to the needs of the artisan
dairy community. The resources and time required to attend
a workshop, for example, were often perceived as barriers. An
online course was identified as a potential solution to these
problems because members of the artisanal dairy food safety
consortium believed that >90% of the target audience had
reliable Internet service and a computer or mobile device
(11). The needs analysis also revealed that the design of an
online course for artisan cheesemakers should be asynchronous and self-paced and should be offered on a rolling
enrollment basis (11).
Course design
The subject matter was partially based on a workshop
developed by instructors at the University of Connecticut
(Storrs) and the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese
(University of Vermont, Burlington) in collaboration with
the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy (Rosemont, IL). These
materials were converted to this online course by North
Carolina State University (Raleigh) through a collaborative
process that also included the Center for Dairy Research
(University of Wisconsin, Madison), Dairy Foods Extension

program (Cornell University, Ithaca, NY), and an artisan
advisory group that included representatives from Jasper
Hill Farm (Greensboro, VT), Clock Shadow Creamery
(Milwaukee, WI), The Ice Cream Club Manalapan, FL), Dairy
Connection (Madison, WI), Schreiber Foods (Green Bay,
WI), the American Cheese Society (Denver, CO), SYSCO
Foodservices (Houston, TX), and Whole Foods (Austin,
TX). The content selected for inclusion in the online course
was based on an analysis (11) that revealed a lack of basic food
safety knowledge of relevant regulations such as GMPs and
various food safety practices in artisan cheesemaking facilities
(e.g., environmental monitoring for pathogens).
The course content was modified and redesigned for
asynchronous online delivery and to enhance retention by
the specific target audience-artisan cheesemakers. The
course consisted of five modules. A conversational tone was
used, and a professional voice talent recorded the scripts. The
design of each module was based on the Gagne et al. (12)
model of instructional events for how adults process information. The subject matter was customized to the context of artisan cheesemaking environments (not general terms of food
safety) and followed up with knowledge checks that stimulated scenario-based decision-making questions. Examples
and counterexamples were used throughout, and guidance,
interaction, and feedback were included in every module.
These edited modules were subjected to rigorous peer review
by a collaborative group of artisan dairy food safety experts
who represented the academic institutions, artisan dairy
foods companies, specialty food retail companies, and the
nonprofit organizations.
Course development
E-learning modules were produced using Articulate Storyline
e-learning software (4). Each module was narrated with professional voiceover and provided a linear user experience, meaning
that participants navigated through the material by clicking a
" next " button at the end of each screen until they reached the
end of the module. Knowledge checks (multiple-choice questions that do not count toward a course grade) were integrated
throughout each lesson with videos, pictures, and links to more
information. Short quizzes were placed after each module, and
participants were required to obtain at least a 70% correct score
before continuing to the next module.
Course implementation
The course was hosted by a learning management system
(Moodle, Perth, Australia; https://moodle.com/about).
Before fully implementing the course, a beta test was
conducted with 25 participants who represented the target
audience and were selected based on convenience sampling
(the artisan advisory group identified a list of prospective
volunteers based on their preexisting relationships with
cheesemakers). Feedback was collected on both the course
design and the evaluation instrument, and edits were made

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