1. Home
2. Conferences
3. 2007 National Extension Risk Management Education Conference

Andy´s Project--Computer Education for Farm Men

Ruth Hambleton

Summary

Andy´s Project—Computer Education for Farm Men was piloted with 14 farmers in 2006 in Monroe and Franklin Counties. Illinois Farm Bureau and Illinois Risk Management Agency are partners in program delivery. Andy’s Project teaches mid-life farmers how to use computers. Farmers in this age group have limited time to enroll in traditional computer education classes and they lack confidence to participate in traditional classes. Farmers have specific needs to learn how to use computers, particularly spreadsheets and internet, and they have specific conditions like arthritic hands and “big fingers” that require experimenting to find the best combinations of hardware for them. The two pilot groups highly rated this program in terms of what they learned about computers and improving their ability to use spreadsheets and the internet. Andy’s Project is named after a typical farmer left behind by the technology generation.

Details

---