A Mediated Peer-to-Peer Prescribed Fire Outreach Program for Texas Hill Country Landowners

Abstract

Traditional range and wildlife extension programs offered to landowners and land managers provide information, knowledge, and tools for land stewardship. However, effectively educating today's landowners may require new methods. We investigated the effectiveness of the Peers and Pros 360° teaching method, which is a mediated peer-to-peer learning approach. The objective of this teaching method is to create an interactive learning exercise that builds from the group's base level of knowledge. We designed, conducted, and evaluated three workshops for landowners in the Edwards Plateau ecoregion of Texas about prescribed fire to investigate the effectiveness of the Peers and Pros 360° method. In each workshop, participants exchanged ideas within a framework (topic, themes, and statements) prepared by professionals. Our program consisted of one topic with eight themes, each with three associated statements. During the program, participants read and responded out loud to these statements. Landowners with more prescribed fire experience often led the discussions, while those who were not as familiar with the topic asked questions and learned from their peers. Following the discussion, experts contributed additional information based on a list of predetermined talking points. The workshop was favored by participants, with 93% of participants preferring the Peers and Pros 360° method over traditional teaching methods. The workshop was also effective; participants at all three workshops experienced an increase in knowledge and indicated high intent to adopt practices (mean of five practices intended to adopt). The Peers and Pros 360° teaching method can help outreach and extension professionals design and conduct relevant, engaging programs and can be modified and used for a variety of educational topics and groups.