Project Overview
Commodities
Practices
- Education and Training: demonstration, display, extension
- Soil Management: soil quality/health
Proposal abstract:
In 2018, the PI was awarded a Southern SARE PDP grant focused on soil health called Soil SMaRTS (Specific Management and Resources Training for Sustainability) for soil health in Tennessee. This project successfully implemented an 8 module soil health curriculum with a train-the-trainer program for Tennessee Extension agents. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic showed the potential that virtual environments could have for learning and engagement. In Tennessee, this new format brought a new clientele that had not been exposed to Extension previously. Utilizing the existing Soil SMaRTS curriculum and an innovative, virtual platform could help this new population understand more about sustainable agriculture and soil health while also engaging traditional audiences.
Virtual teaching tools have been shown to enhance engagement, interest, and learning outside of traditional teaching methods. Applying these tools as an alternative delivery method can help teach new audiences about the importance of sustainable agriculture practices and can help increase the impact and awareness of SARE programs. They can also help reach the next generation of farmers through the incorporation of new, innovative uses of technology. This project seeks to create virtual farm tours (VFTs) that can provide an immersive virtual reality experience for existing and potential farmers of all ages and experience. They will provide interactive opportunities to learn from other farmers and experts about sustainable agriculture practices that can improve soil health. The VFTs will include clickable content such as video testimony from the farmer as well as other video, image, and textual information designed to interest and teach the user as they move through the tour. The VFTs will also include links to quizzes and surveys to allow users to test their knowledge and provide reporting and feedback information. Links to the VFTs will be provided to all Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension agents from Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee through a shared listserv and to farmers through an existing contact information database, social media, and relevant agricultural events. Agents and farmers will engage with the VFTs and provide information on changes in knowledge, potential changes in behavior, and overall feedback.
The short-term goal of this project is to increase agent and farmer knowledge of soil health. The medium-term goals are to enhance engagement and impacts outside of Tennessee by marketing these materials through the SARE website and to other Extension programs and farmers through the Southern Region Program Leaders Network. Another medium-term goal is to create changes in farmer behavior related to sustainable practices for soil health. Long-term goals include increasing agent and farmer knowledge of soil health principles and changes in farmer behavior throughout the Southern SARE region and for these innovative, virtual tools to be used to enhance other current and future SARE curricula.
Project objectives from proposal:
Objective 1: Identify three farms for the creation of virtual farm tours (VFTs). These will be identified through the TSU network of farmer program participants, Tennessee NRCS, and the Tennessee Association of Conservation Districts.
Objective 2: Create the VFTs. This involves touring selected farms, interviewing/videoing farm operator(s), capturing 3-D images/video, using software to stitch and incorporate clickable content from the Soil SMaRTS curriculum.
Objective 3: Create virtual farm tour fact sheet. This will provide steps for others to follow to create VFTs.
Objective 4: Evaluate the VFTs. A stakeholder advisory group of eight farmers will provide initial evaluation of the VFTs. Feedback will be used to modify the VFTs where applicable. Links to surveys within the VFTs and follow-up surveys will also be used.