Using experiential learning to enhance knowledge about sustainable whole farm systems

Edly Santiago Andino (PhD candidate Ag. Extension & Education), Tracy Hoover (Ag. Extension & Education), Heather Karsten (Agronomy & Pasture),Mary Barberchek (Soil Entomology), MaryAnn Bruns (Soil Microbial Ecology), Shelby Fleischer (Entomology), Jeffrey Hyde (Ag. Economics), William Lamont (Vegetable Crops),

David Mortensen (Weed Ecology), Robert Stout (Agron. Techn. Research Asst.).

Introduction Experiential learning (EL) provides a link between theory and practice, abstract generalization and concrete instance, and between affective and the cognitive domains of learning (Miller, 2000). This type of learning occurs when students participate in activities, reflect upon the activity, use the new understanding in their daily lives.

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Student Number

Before Multiple Choice

After Multiple Choice

Before Essay

After Essay

Students' Raw Scores on Technical Questions Before and After Internship

Methods

Week one interns attended to an interdisciplinary faculty team orientation week. Pairs of interns spent 10 weeks working with host farms, and conducted research projects. Weekly, interns documented their farm experiences. Faculty and interns visited all host farms twice during the farm stay. In week 12, interns spent 10 days with the faculty team finalizing their research projects, preparing whole farm & decision case studies. A pre & post-test was administrated to evaluate learning and the internship. Interns presented the whole farm case studies and research project results during a final symposium. Educational materials, and interns experiential essays are available at: http://PAonfarminterns.cas.psu.edu

Summary Students participating in the experiential internship enhanced their knowledge about sustainable whole farm systems. The interdisciplinary faculty group reported that they obtained new knowledge outside their area of expertise and to understand whole farm systems.

Implications More experiential on-farm internship may be organized where students and interdisciplinary faculty groups interact to enhance understanding about agroecology farm systems while learning by experience.

Interns and Faculty perception of the internship impact

  Scale: (5= strongly agree; 4= agree; 3=neutral; 2=disagree; 1=strongly disagree)

  Interns            

  - orientation week was a good preparation in agroecology 4.3

  - preparing case study & working on farms enhanced  

  understanding of farm management. 4.16

  - independent research project provided good understanding  

  of how to conduct research       4.16

  - group field visits (students & faculty) were beneficial 4.5

  Faculty            

  Internship provides you opportunities to …    

  - have new knowledge on your expertise     4.4

  - obtain new knowledge outside your expertise   4.4

  - think about the whole farm aspects when teaching   4.4

  - identify farmer’s problems       4.4

  - see examples of real world farm & sustainable ag.   4.2

  - interact with colleges from other areas     4.6

  - share your knowledge       4

  - get ideas towards academic objectives     3.4

  - see how EL can teach sustainable ag. practices           3.8

Purpose & Objectives To provide an opportunity to learn by experiencing a whole-farm system. Objectives were to asses the value of interdisciplinary guided on-farm learning, and describe faculty’s perception of the internship.

Grant provided by USDA Higher Education Challenge program.