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Delivery of Extension Educational Materials on Manure and Mortality Management Through Virtual Reality Videos
Date
2022-12-10Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This research evaluates the effectiveness of using virtual reality (VR) videos for educating the public on manure and mortality management. Virtual reality is a technology which can enable immersive distance learning. Using VR tours, we can enable the public to learn manure and mortality management technologies without in person farm visits, thus saving the traveling time and money, and also avoiding exposure to pathogens and noxious odors present in farms.
As the first part of this project, 360° VR tours were created on multiple aspects of manure and mortality management, including composting, anaerobic digestion, layout and operation of animal farms, and preliminary wastewater treatment. These videos were presented to a diverse audience consisting of agricultural producers, extension specialists and researchers through in-person and online extension events as well as Texas Manure YouTube channel. The effectiveness of the videos was evaluated using surveys, which measured the audience's awareness of the topics before and after watching the VR videos. Statistical analysis revealed that the increase in awareness after watching the videos was statistically significant, with a p-value less than 0.0001.
This study also evaluated the impact of job classification, professional experience and video topic on the change in awareness. Both job classification and professional experience had a significant impact on the change in awareness, with p-values of 0.0001 and 0.0006 respectively. Researchers, extension specialists/agents and participants with less experience in manure and mortality management had experienced a greater change in awareness compared to agricultural producers/managers and participants with more than two years of manure and mortality management experience.
Interest and impression of the audience on the VR videos were also evaluated. According to the survey data, majority of the audience rated these videos as an effective technique for educating the public about manure and mortality management. The audience found the VR videos interesting and were willing to learn more content through VR videos and were likely to recommend the videos to their colleagues. A statistically significant correlation (p < 0.0001) could be observed between the awareness change and the effectiveness rating given to the videos by the participant.
Overall, this VR platform can be effectively used to educate the public on manure and mortality management, while overcoming some of the problems associated with in-person visits.
Citation
Gunawardana Liyanage, Danadhi Pamuditha Gunawardana (2022). Delivery of Extension Educational Materials on Manure and Mortality Management Through Virtual Reality Videos. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /198716.