Exploring the Potential of Mobile Learning for Farmers in Remote Regions – Dr Julia Bello-Bravo, Purdue University

Nov 24, 2021 | earth and environment, education & training, health and medicine, Purdue University

Original Article Reference

This SciPod is a summary of the paper ‘An 89% solution adoption rate at a two-year follow up: evaluating the effectiveness of an animated agricultural video approach’ from Information Technology for Development. doi.org/10.1080/02681102.2019.1697632

About this episode

Despite advances in agricultural science, communicating best practices to farmers in remote areas remains difficult. Although mobile learning tools, such as animated videos, have the potential to effectively present new information to diverse, isolated audiences, their long-term efficacy is poorly understood. A team of researchers from the Agricultural Research Institute of Mozambique, Michigan State University and Iowa State University followed up with farmers in Mozambique two years after receiving video-based, mobile instruction. Their findings suggest these methods are just as successful as in-person teaching styles in improving farmers’ ability to retain and use new information.

 

 

 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International LicenseCreative Commons License

What does this mean?

Share: You can copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format

Adapt: You can change, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.

Credit: You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.

More episodes

Dr Michael Egnor – Dr Racheed Mani | When the Brain’s Plumbing Is Not the Problem

Dr Michael Egnor – Dr Racheed Mani | When the Brain’s Plumbing Is Not the Problem

For decades, doctors have puzzled over a strange and often misunderstood condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus. People with the disorder may begin to shuffle when they walk, struggle with memory, or lose bladder control. Brain scans reveal enlarged fluid-filled spaces called ventricles, yet the pressure inside the skull often appears surprisingly normal. It is a medical paradox that has challenged neurologists and neurosurgeons since the condition was first described in the 1960s. Now, new research is offering a radically different way of thinking about what may actually be happening inside the brain. Rather than viewing normal pressure hydrocephalus as a simple problem of fluid buildup, researchers are beginning to see it as a disorder of energy, rhythm, and pulsation.

Dr Ross Wylie | When Floodwaters Rise: What Australia’s Battle with Fire Ants Reveals About Nature’s Great Survivors

Dr Ross Wylie | When Floodwaters Rise: What Australia’s Battle with Fire Ants Reveals About Nature’s Great Survivors

When most of us imagine a flood, we think of destruction, displacement, and recovery. Few would imagine that some of nature’s smallest creatures see floodwaters not only as a threat but also as an opportunity. Among these remarkable survivors is the red imported fire ant, an invasive species that has become one of Australia’s most closely monitored pests. Fire ants are notorious for their painful stings and their ability to spread rapidly across landscapes. Native to South America, they have successfully established themselves in several countries around the world. In Australia, where authorities have invested heavily in an ambitious eradication program, understanding how these ants move and survive is critical. One of the most fascinating questions researchers have explored is whether floods help fire ants spread into new territory. The answer turns out to be more complicated than many people might expect.

Dr Fay Betsou | The Missing Piece in Medical Diagnostics: Why the Right Samples Matter

Dr Fay Betsou | The Missing Piece in Medical Diagnostics: Why the Right Samples Matter

When a new medical test reaches a clinic or laboratory, most people focus on the technology itself. They think about the machine, the test kit, or the scientific breakthrough that makes diagnosis possible. Yet behind every successful diagnostic test lies something far less visible but equally important: the biological specimens used to develop and validate it. Without the right samples, even the most promising diagnostic innovation can fail. A test may appear accurate in the laboratory but perform poorly in real-world settings. It may work well for one patient population but struggle in another. It may detect a disease in some regions of the world while missing important variations elsewhere.

Dr. Daniel Kroeger | Sleeping More Than Ever Before: The Surprising Science of Extra Sleep and Anxiety

Dr. Daniel Kroeger | Sleeping More Than Ever Before: The Surprising Science of Extra Sleep and Anxiety

For centuries, sleep has remained one of humanity’s greatest biological mysteries. We spend roughly a third of our lives doing it, yet scientists are still trying to fully understand why the brain insists upon sleep. It seems clear that sleep restores the body, sharpens memory, regulates emotions, and keeps countless internal systems in balance. But one major problem has always complicated sleep research: most experiments focus on what happens when sleep is taken away. That approach has taught researchers a great deal. Sleep deprivation has been linked to poor concentration, weakened immune function, emotional instability, and a long list of health problems. Yet asking what happens when sleep is removed only tells part of the story. It is a little like studying hunger by starving people without ever exploring what happens when they are exceptionally well fed.

Increase the impact of your research

• Good science communication helps people make informed decisions and motivates them to take appropriate and affirmative action.
• Good science communication encourages everyday people to be scientifically literate so that they can analyse the integrity and legitimacy of information.
• Good science communication encourages people into STEM-related fields of study and employment.
• Good public science communication fosters a community around research that includes both members of the public, policymakers and scientists.
• In a recent survey, 75% of people suggested they would prefer to listen to an interesting story than read it.

Step 1 Upload your science paper

Step 2 SciPod script written

Step 3 Voice audio recorded

Step 4 SciPod published