Pioneering Extension Nutrition Education with iPad Apps: A Development Story

Technology can be an effective vehicle for Extension nutrition education. Body Quest: Food of the Warrior is a childhood obesity prevention initiative of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System that successfully incorporates technology in the classroom. With Body Quest, students learn about healthful eating through blended learning involving both classroom instruction and self-directed e-learning via apps. Seven iPad apps excite students and engage them in the learning process. Extension professionals can benefit from our lessons learned for creating a successful app

Testing a New Generation: Implementing Clickers as an Extension Data Collection Tool

Using clickers to gauge student understanding in large classrooms is well documented. Less well known is the effectiveness of using clickers with youth for test taking in large-scale Extension programs. This article describes the benefits and challenges of collecting evaluation data using clickers with a third-grade population participating in a childhood obesity prevention program

Evaluating Barriers to SNAP/EBT Acceptance in Farmers Markets: A Survey of Farmers

Farmers play a critical role in increasing access to and affordability of fruits and vegetables in low-income communities by accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits at farmers markets. However, only 40% of farmers markets nationally accept SNAP benefits. This study evaluates barriers farmers perceive in accepting SNAP in farmers markets. We recruited 134 farmers using convenience sampling from six pre-season regional growers meetings hosted in Alabama; 92 farmers met inclusion criteria and completed the anonymous, 51-question survey. The survey measured demographics, perceived barriers and promotional opportunities within constructs of the Social Ecological Model (SEM). We used descriptive statistics to summarize char­acteristics, and chi-square, Mann-Whitney U and t-tests to analyze differences in characteristics between those farmers who accept SNAP and those who do not. The most frequently cited barriers to SNAP acceptance included lack of internet access, increased burden for processing payments, increased need for bookkeeping, limited availability of information about the application process and payment system, limited support from the market for completing the application, a small customer base and limited number of SNAP clien­tele. Comparative analyses revealed statistically sig­nificant differences in demographics and perceived barriers between those who accept SNAP and those who do not. Findings from this study pro­vide a more in-depth understanding of challenges farmers face in accepting SNAP. These can be addressed through education, policy, systems and environmental solutions at various levels of the SEM to overcome barriers to SNAP acceptance, ultimately increasing access to and affordability of fruits and vegetables for low-income communities