Methodological Reflections on Monitoring Interactive Knowledge Creation during Farming Demonstrations by Means of Surveys and Observations

Ane Kirstine Aare,Cristina Virto Garayoa,Henrik Hauggaard-Nielsen,Natalia Bellostas,Fleur Marchand,Hanne Cooreman,Esther Sótil Arrieta

doi:10.3390/su12145739

Abstract

During farming demonstrations, peer-to-peer learning is known to be more effective than technology transfer when encouraging farmers to consider adopting more sustainable farming practices. Interactive knowledge creation has the potential to create a stimulating peer-learning environment focusing on the use of hands-on activities, knowledge scaffolding, discussions and negotiation. This study investigated how insight can be gained about the interactive knowledge creation that occurs during farming demonstrations by monitoring and evaluating a diverse sample of farming demonstrations in Belgium, Spain and Denmark via surveys and observations originally designed for the AgriDemo-F2F project. The study found that the selected monitoring tools provided insight about how participants experienced specific interactive knowledge creation. However, several stumbling blocks were also identified in using the proposed tools to monitor these learning processes, including the monitoring of abstract concepts and the reluctance among farmers to respond to self-administered open-ended survey questions. Based on these learning points, several proposals were made to improve the monitoring process of interactive knowledge creation. This study confirms that the improved understanding of learning practices and their impact on actual change presents a challenge, but it is essential if the adoption of sustainable farming practices is to be increased.

Highlights

Climate change and resource degradation highlight the need for a transition towards more sustainable farming systems [1,2,3]
This study focused on the crucial dimension of interaction by investigating interactive knowledge creation (IKC) activities, as facilitated through the attendance of farming demonstrations
Building on what had already been undertaken during the AgriDemo-F2F project, the objective of the present study was to apply the tools to an even broader range of farming demonstrations, to evaluate the ability of survey and observation tools to monitor IKC activities

Summary

Introduction

Climate change and resource degradation highlight the need for a transition towards more sustainable farming systems [1,2,3]. Sustainability is widely acknowledged to include economic, social and environmental dimensions, but these are not rigorously theoretically described [5]. Each of these dimensions may be understood in various ways, depending on the domain in which they are applied [6]. The development of sustainable farming systems that still meet current market conditions is a highly complex task. It requires the development of new solutions, as well as their practical implementation by farmers and other actors in the sector [7,8,9]. Learning about and teaching sustainable farming poses an educational challenge [6]

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Conclusion