"What can Adult Education academia contribute to women farmer risk management education efforts?"

John BerryAg Marketing Educator

Introduction

• What are the learning needs of women farmers?

• What are effective practices for teaching women farmers?

• How can Cooperative Extension promote more inclusive educational programs?

my world as –

whitemaleprotestant/agnosticmiddle-classheterosexualmiddle-agedin a long-term relationship

- informs my philosophy and practice as an educator

Andragogical theory

Malcolm Knowles identifies five characteristics of adult learners:

– an independent nature– increasing levels of experience– readiness to learn that is associated with their

place in society– the need for application of learning– internal motivation

FIVE PERSPECTIVES ON TEACHING IN ADULT AND HIGHER EDUCATION Daniel Pratt & Associates

• Transmission - effective delivery of content• Apprenticeship - modeling ways of being• Developmental - cultivating ways of thinking• Nurturing - facilitating self-efficacy• Social Reform - seeking a better society

Adult learning is a personal process largely informed by the current social context in which the learner is immersed.

(Merriam, & Caffarella, 1999)

Regardless of teaching style used, there will always be examples of both effective and ineffective use.

(Pratt, 1998)

• Cooperative Extension– land grant university / research

• Rural Sociology

• Women in male-dominated profession

• Women’s Learning

Literature

Findings• Societal context for women learners

• Cooperative Extension and women’s knowing/learning – not farm related

• Perceived male bias

• Types/Levels of female knowing

Societal context for women learners

Learning takes place in the home and family context as well as the broader community. What might be considered traditional women’s work is not necessarily valued. While there is no single home, family or community experience, this is the place where gender identity and role expectations and limitations are set.

The fundamental structure of society makes assumptions and uses relationships to affect females. Because of this construct women occupy a disadvantaged location in many educational settings. The family and community conditions where socialization occurs may not value the experiences and contributions they offer.

The cultural context of women learners is important if only because of its influence on how women view themselves as learners.

Cooperative Extension and women’s knowing/learning – not farm related

Cooperative Extension has experienced success teaching women as the primary recipient of information. Food preservation, food preparation and safety, nutrition, child care, household finances and budgeting educational programs are almost exclusively developed and taught by female educators and attract a largely female audience.

Obviously the cultural contexts and expectations may be different here than with an agricultural setting and the instructors gender may differ, but this knowledge on women’s learning may be transferable to other subject areas.

Perceived male bias

In gender relations it is often perceived to be easier to understand and learn when the learner and instructor are the same gender.

The predominance of instructional materials that reflect a perspective not necessarily female and the scarcity of female educational role models do not enhance the learning environment for women

Education texts and language is predominately male biased.

Types/Levels of female knowing

Women have historically received a less than equal share of Cooperative Extension efforts. This is particularly true for farm women and their agricultural business education needs.

“women farmer”

Women in agriculture groups

WIFE (Women Involved in Farm Economics)

Agri-Women

Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Women’s Committee

The Society of Farm Women of Pennsylvania

Future Farmers of America

PA-WAgN

“Kind of support needed (in descending order)”:

women’s organization

discussion groups

affordable workshops

on-farm meeting

web site

business support

Individuals may approach learning in ways that are characteristic of their preferences, yet as individuals in varying context we are likely to use any number of styles to learn.

(Ryan & David, 2003)

There is a dearth of research on women and learning outside the higher education or corporate settings. Additionally, there is not a singular category of women learners.

(Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger & Tarule 1986; Bierema, 1999; Gadzella, Baloglu and Masten, 2001; Hayes & Flannery, 2002).

Our societal expectations for our learning, our previous learning experiences, the outcome of our learning and the changes around us because of our learning can all be significant components of women’s learning.

(Hayes & Flannery, 2002)

There are tendencies of women learners, but the variation within the category of women for their preferred learning is wide.

(Severiens & Tem Dam, 1994)

Perceived women’s learning characteristics may not be sex specific.

(Brookfield & Preskill, 1999; Hayes & Flannery, 1997; Hayes & Flannery, 2002)

The difference among a sex can exceed the difference between sexes.

(Fennema, 2000)

Different people learn differently.

As women’s learning is explored and the literature critiqued there are some instances of preferences for learning that do not represent a majority of women but that may be none the less an important insight for adult educators as they seek to provide learning opportunities and experiences.

"What can Adult Education academia contribute to women farmer risk management education efforts?"

John BerryAg Marketing Educator