UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Understanding the key differences in learning styles among generations is the goal of a survey being led by agricultural safety specialists in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
“We recognize that there are various learning styles among age groups,” said Linda Fetzer, extension associate in agricultural safety and health, who is spearheading the study with Serap Gorucu, assistant research professor of agricultural and biological engineering.
“Online courses, videos, in-person workshops and one-on-one training are just a few of the methods we currently use,” she added. “The information gleaned from this survey will help us create relevant learning for teaching farm safety and health across generations.”
Fetzer and Gorucu are seeking participants 18 years of age and older in the agricultural field to take a brief online survey between now and May 15. Upon completion, participants will be entered into a drawing to win a $50 Amazon gift card.
“Farmers are at high risk for serious and life-threatening injuries by the nature of their work,” Gorucu said. “Education is key in helping farmers stay safe and healthy, so the more we adapt our curriculum to meet their needs, the more impactful learning will be.”
Penn State Extension offers an array of agricultural safety and farm emergency training programs. Courses on animal handling, farm emergency rescue, farm equipment and structures, protective gear and disaster preparedness are offered on-site and online.
Questions about the learning styles survey should be directed to Fetzer at lmf8@psu.edu. More information on farm safety and rescue training can be found on the Penn State Extension website at https://extension.psu.edu/business-and-operations/farm-safety.
The Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety in Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing has provided funding for the survey.