INTEGRATION OF PRECISION AG INTO THE HIGH SCHOOL AGED

CLASSROOM

Shane Curry Davidson, OK

WARNING!

Most of the information within this presentation is simply my personal opinions and beliefs

Why Do We Need Precision Ag in the High School Classroom?

• We have to solve the world’s hunger problems

• We need to create interest in agriculture to ensure its future

•We can reach a larger audience

•Create career opportunities

•Increase the knowledge of precision ag at a younger age

•It follows the core concepts model for successful teaching

Where Can It be Integrated?

• •Ag 1

• Ag 2

• Plant Science

• Soil Science

• Horticulture

• Animal Science

• VIRTUALLY EVERWHERE!

Things to Consider When Designing Curriculum

• Students may be as young as 8th grade

• An interest must be created to create relevancy

• Remember that there is diversity among students

•Not all students have the same knowledge of agriculture

Things to Consider When Designing Curriculum

RESEARCH

• I contacted three agricultural education teachers

Shawn Jeter- Pine Dale, WY

Steve Gurley- Reydon, OK

Bill Blankenship- Frederick, OK

• They asked their 8th grade class 2 questions

Do you come from a farming background?

Have you ever heard of precision agriculture?

Things to Consider When Designing Curriculum

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Number of total students

yes noDo you come from a farming background?

Things to Consider When Designing Curriculum

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Total number of students

yes noHave you ever heard of precision ag?

What Do We Teach?• Start with the basics

• Begin with a unit covering conventional farming, ex. Use of tractors, implements, fertilizer, and different crops.

• Move on to more complex situations such as no-till and minimal till operations

• Once this basic understanding of farming has been accomplished, precision agriculture concepts and practices can be introduced

What Do We Teach?

• Start by creating interest

1. Population is growing, farmland is shrinking

2. Use the use the shocking facts

3. Wasted money and other problems with over-excessive N fertilizer usage

What Do We Teach?• These kids are young, stick to the basics!

1. The N-Rich Strip

2. The Green seeker

3. The ramper

4. OSU variable rate applicators

5. GPS and GIS

6. Satellite imagery

Successful Teaching Ideas• Make use of computer labs!

1. There are many good links to explore off of the http://nue.okstate.edu/ website

2. Let students work out scenarios with sensor based nitrogen rate calculator

3. Integrate some excel spreadsheets into coursework to prepare them for college

Successful Teaching Ideas

•Have extension agents as guest speakers

•Ask them to bring their greenseeker sensors for demonstrations

Successful Teaching Ideas

• Take field trips to OSU test sites across the state

Successful Teaching Ideas•Arrange for students who are interested to visit the OSU soil science lab and bioengineering department

Conclusions

•K.I.S.S.

•Hands-on activities usually work better

•Practice lifelong learning, students aren't the only ones learning!

QUESTIONS?

References• http://nue.okstate.edu

•http://www.thehungersite.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/CTDSites

•http://aged.okstate.edu/