Continuing with the theme started in my last blog about technology in the university classroom, I recently spoke with John Scott, a Purdue University sophomore majoring in Soil & Crop Management, about the technological advances he’s noticed in his classes.

“We’re using computers more and more in all of my ag classes.” From taking lecture notes off the internet to finding video examples of lab experiments, Scott claims it is nearly impossible to be an ag major without gaining a knowledge of computers and advancing technology. When asked which class in particular he’s learned the most about technology in, he immediately chose his Soil Fertility course.

During the fall semester, John had the opportunity to use technology through his in-class assignments, his online resources and his lab portion of the class.  While each part of the class may not directly pertain to farmers, it appears that the tools his class learned from the course will bode well for them and all of agriculture in the future.

The first asset given to the students is a working knowledge of various websites related to their major. During lecture, students are taught to navigate through different web pages showing everything from maps of soil types around the state of Indiana to an online text book to simply looking at the agronomy department’s posts on Facebook. These maps allow the agronomy students the chance to understand the various physical properties of the soil around the state, preparing them for what may be seen out in the field (no pun intended).

Additionally, the students have a computer-based lab to correspond with lecture.  According to John, the students watch slide shows and videos of different experiments and are required to apply the lessons in their own experiments.  They also utilize a variety of different soil testing equipment in the class as well as on field trips.  With this hands-on approach to learning, the students are familiarized with actual day-to-day tasks of people with the careers they are working toward.

Lessons gathered from this  type of lab and lecture can be valuable to those outside of the classroom as well.  First, it is important that members of agriculture remember all the resources that are available to them over the internet.  Whether it’s a website with soil types for each farm or just access to social media sites to confer with other farmers, the internet can be incredibly useful for every facet of agriculture. Secondly, ag  will benefit from students learning how to use new soil equipment efficiently upon graduation, as well as teach it to others.

“With agriculture, everything’s changing so quickly that, by the time I graduate, some of what I’m learning now will already be outdated. The new technology should be based off what I’m learning now so I won’t need to learn new methods, just new concepts…  That’s why people in agriculture have to keep going back to school.” While Scott’s right that there will be many advances in technology for soil scientists, the foundational lessons on technology are going to continue to serve both the students and the farmers well.   How were you prepared in class for on-the-job technology use?  What are you doing to share your knowledge of technology with others in agriculture?

~ guest post by Laura Padgett, Oklahoma State University sophomore