Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Virginia's agricultural industry is the largest industry in the Commonwealth, with an annual economic impact of $80+ billion. Agricultural industries must evolve in order to support world population increases that are projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. In response and based on emerging and transformative technologies, agriculture is experiencing a data-driven revolution. PA is projected to transform the agricultural industry. Through PA techniques, agricultural operators do not treat the entire field equally, as agricultural inputs (including fertilizer, water, pesticides, and herbicides) are optimized through spatially-targeted applications. Inputs are based on operator-defined areas (typically grid-based) to enhance production. In addition to providing economic benefits for the producer, PA also generates environmental benefits through fewer inputs. PA practices reflect a deliberate transformative shift that requires the acquisition of and training in innovative technology, which must be fully integrated with agricultural operations.There are numerous challengesto adopting PA practices in education.Uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), with mounted sensor payloads, represent the cornerstone of PA. UAS represents a transformative technology that is changing the way in which agricultural industries data to support their day-to-day operations and business decisions. Although sUAS is widely utilized across various industries and economic sectors, PA is one of the most promising applications for UAS. sUAS-based PA provides the first level of early detection of issues in an agricultural field. While data collected from sUAS-mounted sensors showcase the spatial extent of plant stress in a field, these sensors are unable to identify the exact issue (pests, nutrient deficiencies, irrigation requirements, etc.). PA requires a knowledge of the tools, derived data, and of agricultural inputs and issues.The integration of sUAS in agricultural education can serve as an effective educational hook, not only for education in PA, but for other STEM related fields. Two sUAS DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) charts, compiled by national industry stakeholders, were developed in Virginia (2017) and California (2019). Both DACUM charts validate the need for a more broad sUAS educational framework, as there is 'much more to sUAS than merely flying a drone'. The professional development institutes and learning modules developed through the ADVANCE project will be aligned with the Virginia DACUM and VDOE course competencies and will integrate additional STEM areas that are required to bridge the data collection tools (sUAS and sensors) with the application (agriculture).For example, an essential component of PA is a general understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS), as it is essential to understand how both healthy and stressed vegetation absorb and reflect energy along the EMS differently. These data are collected by sUAS sensor platforms and guide PA, by agricultural input management schemes. The ADVANCE program will, therefore, integrate various sensors, including near-infrared (NIR), coupled with autonomous aircraft platforms. The ADVANCE Institute will also provide instruction on user-friendly, open-source image processing software coupled with data analysis and image interpretation during the professional development teacher institutes.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The overarching project goal is to build teacher and educator capacity to reach and teach the future precision agricultural workforce and increase the number and diversity of students who are trained in data-driven agricultural analysis. The goal will be accomplished through the following objectives: (1) Develop classroom-ready educational resources; (2) Provide professional workforce development opportunities to two cohorts of agricultural educators that align with the Virginia Department of Education's (VDOE) course competencies; (3) Target educators who serve large populations of underrepresented students and students associated with underserved areas of the state; (4) Provide mentoring and support to educators to ensure effective integration of PA materials; and (5) Develop and sustain a network of educators who teach and directly engage with students with PA concepts.
Project Methods
The ADVANCE program provides professional development for educators, throughcurriculm support and teaching-ready resources, a virtual course, the 5-day hands-on ADVANCE Institute, andwebinars. In addition, the project team will support participants through a mentoring network. Participants are eligible for mini-grants that can be used to purchase data sensors, software, or other supplies that will be utilized in their classrooms. Not only do participants gain a tremendous amount of knowledge and access to new resources, but they also develop professional relationships with other educators and practitioners, which enhances communication and future collaboration.In addition, participants also formulate professional networks among themselves. These networks outlive the institute, the follow-up workshops, and extend the life of the project by 'training the trainers' to the point where they can assist each other and by providing resources for them to seek assistance in the future. The partnership with the Virginia Department of Education ensures that professional development and curriculum will conform to existing and future course competencies to support educators across the state.