Networked learning for agricultural extension: a framework for analysis and two cases

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This paper presents economic and pedagogical motivations for adopting information and communications technology (ICT)-mediated learning networks in agricultural education and extension. It proposes a framework for networked learning in agricultural extension and contributes a theoretical and case-based rationale for adopting the networked learning paradigm.

Design/methodology/approach: A review of the literature highlights the economic and pedagogical need for adopting a networked learning approach. Two examples are described to instantiate the language for learning networks: a small community of farmers in India and large Twitter community of Australian farmers.

Findings: This paper reviews evidence that successful networked learning interventions are already occurring within agricultural extension. It provides a framework for describing these interventions and for helping future designers of learning networks in agricultural extension.

Practical implication: Facilitation of learning networks can serve to achieve efficient agricultural extension that connects farmers across distances for constructivist learning. To realize these benefits, designers of learning networks need to consider set design, social design and epistemic design.

Theoretical implication: This paper contributes a theoretical framework for designing, implementing and analysing learning networks in agriculture. It does this by integrating existing ideas from networked learning and applying them to the agricultural context through examples.

Originality/value: This paper contributes an understanding of the value of networked learning for extension in terms of economic and pedagogical benefits. It provides a language for talking about learning networks that is useful for future researchers and for practitioners.

KEYWORDS:

• Extension
• networked learning
• social-learning
• facilitation
• pedagogy
• economic

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the valuable contribution of early reviewers of the paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Dr Nick Kelly is a senior research fellow at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and adjunct senior research fellow at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). He is a transdisciplinary academic in the social sciences and has published across a range of fields such as artificial intelligence, cultural studies, education, and design. His focus is upon the way that technology and design can facilitate learning and eudaimonia through deep human connections. He is the founder of the TeachConnect project and currently leads research in design cognition and teacher education. He has published over 60 scholarly books, journals, and papers and has held a leading role in national and international grants.

Dr John McLean Bennett is an award winning Senior Research Fellow (Soil Science) with the University of Southern Queensland, where he leads the Sustainable Soils and Landscapes research group. He is also a level two Certified Professional Soil Scientist, and is currently the Federal President of Soil Science Australia. John has a PhD in soil science from The University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Science (Resource and Environmental Management) from the Australian National University. He specializes in soil structural integrity as influenced by solutes and mechanical intervention, both in rain-fed and irrigated systems. Working internationally and nationally on improving the management of soil systems, his work takes an agricultural systems optimization approach from the perspective of the soil resource. Current research approaches he employs are machine learning and networked learning, integrating both, to result in predictive and informed frameworks. The intention of these being to allow landholders to manage risk in agricultural production based on strategies optimizing production as well as ensuring longevity of landscape function. He is the author of over 60 scholarly publications and works extensively with academic, industry and government organizations.

Dr Ann Starasts is an agribusiness information specialist. She is a research fellow with the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA) at the University of Southern Queensland. She leads international research in rural livelihoods and rural communications, extension and adoption, with projects based in Cambodia, Laos and Australia. Dr Starasts has had an extensive career working in agricultural extension in Australia. Her research with NCEA and with the International Centre for Applied Climate Sciences is focussed on soil, water and climate decision tools. She has published in the areas of agricultural extension, information seeking, digital literacies and mobile learning. Her research explores the human - technology - business interface and contributes to the application of technologies within agriculture.

ORCID

Nick Kelly http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8621-105X

Notes

1 https://twitter.com/agchatoz.

2 http://www.twitter.com.

Additional information

Funding

This project is supported in part through the Australian Government’s Collaborative Research Networks (CRN) programme. The work is also supported in part by OLT project ‘Step Up’ MS13-3184.