68 research outputs found
Samverkan mellan skola och lantbruk
Syftet med denna litteraturstudie var att undersöka vilka erfarenheter av samver-kan mellan lantbruk och skolor som i första hand finns vetenskapligt publicerade. Hur har samarbetet bedrivits och vad blev resultatet? Vilka Ă€r argumenten för ett sĂ„dant samarbete? I Sverige finns idag inga mĂ„l i lĂ€roplanen som direkt pekar pĂ„ behovet av att lĂ€ra om lantbruk och livsmedelsproduktion. Kravet pĂ„ att barn skul-le odla i skolan försvann pĂ„ 60-talet i samband med den ökade vĂ€lfĂ€rden. Intresset för utomhuspedagogik och erfarenhetsbaserat lĂ€rande Ă€r dock stort, framförallt med tanke pĂ„ lĂ€rande om hĂ„llbar utveckling. Forskning visar att vuxna som Ă€r vil-liga att ta miljöhĂ€nsyn ofta hade mycket kontakt med natur som barn. För att en person ska vara beredd att ta miljöhĂ€nsyn krĂ€vs kunskap, engagemang och kĂ€nslan av att kunna pĂ„verka. Forskare anser att skolbarn bör arbeta med lokala miljöfrĂ„-gor som gĂ„r att överblicka, pĂ„verka och ger egna erfarenheter. Odling under lĂ€ngre tid ger barn insikter om sin roll och delaktighet i naturen och naturen blir dĂ€rmed nĂ„got som berör och gĂ„r att pĂ„verka. Odling ger ocksĂ„ övning i samarbete, lĂ„ngsik-tighet, förstĂ„else för Ă„rstidsvĂ€xlingar och kretslopp samt ett ökat intresse för att Ă€ta grönsaker. Kontakt med djur trĂ€nar empati, kommunikation, ansvar, tĂ„lamod och ger personen en kĂ€nsla av att betyda nĂ„got för en annan varelse. Maten Ă€r central, alla Ă€ter och maten och vĂ„r livsmedelsproduktion pĂ„verkar miljön. Ett lantbruk kan erbjuda en plats för utomhuspedagogik med kontakt med djur och vĂ€xter samt praktiska Ă€mnesövergripande uppgifter. Matematik, sprĂ„k, naturvetenskap och historia Ă€r nĂ„gra exempel pĂ„ Ă€mnen vars lĂ€randemĂ„l kan uppnĂ„s genom Ă„terkom-mande besök pĂ„ en gĂ„rd via praktiskt arbete i en verklig miljö. DĂ€rutöver tillkom-mer ocksĂ„ mĂ„nga allmĂ€nna mĂ„l i lĂ€roplanen som kan vara svĂ„ra att uppnĂ„ i en klassrumssituation. PĂ„ gĂ„rden lĂ€r eleverna av egna erfarenheter och med alla sin-nen. Utomhuspedagogik startar ofta för att lĂ€ra Ă€mneskunskaper, medan stor vinst i form av social utveckling blir tydlig i efterhand. GĂ„rden som pedagogisk resurs (GSPR) startades i Norge som en följd av en ny lĂ€roplan med krav pĂ„ erfarenhetsbaserat lĂ€rande 1995. Ursprungstanken var "hur kan man skapa hopp och fĂ€rdigheter hos barn sĂ„ att de kan delta pĂ„ ett produktivt och konstruktivt sĂ€tt i utvecklingen av sin omgivning". Som en följd av detta ut-vecklades samarbeten mellan skolor och lantbruk. Elever besöker gĂ„rden vid flera tillfĂ€llen under sin skoltid. Det kan vara hela klasser eller enstaka elever. Lantbru-ket fĂ„r nya affĂ€rsmöjligheter, men ocksĂ„ en viktigare roll i lokalsamhĂ€llet. Elever-na fĂ„r lĂ€ra i en verklig miljö dĂ€r större sammanhang kan tydliggöras och barn med svĂ„righeter i klassrumssituationen fĂ„r ökade möjligheter. Studien visar att den norska modellen Ă€r unik. Samarbeten mellan skolor och lantbruk förekommer pĂ„ andra hĂ„ll, men oftast inte med samma helhetsperspektiv. MĂ„nga anser att dagens barn behöver mer kunskap om livsmedelsproduktion, lantbruk och markanvĂ€nd-ning. Lantbruksorganisationer erbjuder studiebesök pĂ„ gĂ„rdar och skolmaterial. I USA och England satsas pengar pĂ„ skola/lantbrukssamarbeten med elevhĂ€lsa i fokus genom bĂ€ttre och nĂ€rproducerad skolmat. Att utveckla en svensk variant av "GĂ„rden som pedagogisk resurs", med den nors-ka modellen som förlaga kĂ€nns angelĂ€get ur flera olika aktörers perspektiv, den enskilde elevens, samhĂ€llets, skolans, samt lantbrukets. Alla skulle vara lĂ„ngsikti-ga vinnare i ett sĂ„dant scenario. Det optimala vore att utöver att lĂ„ta eleverna delta i arbetet pĂ„ en gĂ„rd ocksĂ„ koppla samman skolmaten och skolrestaurangen med pedagogiken och med producenter i nĂ€romrĂ„det. Genom att erbjuda nĂ€rodlad mat i skolrestaurangen och lĂ„ta elever och skolpersonal uppleva produktionen, skulle diskussioner om mat, hĂ€lsa, djuromsorg och livsmedelsproduktion pĂ„ ett naturligt sĂ€tt kunna genomsyra skolans vardag. Det skulle ocksĂ„ kunna ge incitament för eleverna att Ă€ta nyttigare, i större utstrĂ€ckning laga mat frĂ„n grunden samt se vĂ€r-det av att Ă€ta tillsammans. Ăkat samarbete mellan skola och lantbruk skulle ge lantbruk, stora som smĂ„, möj-lighet att utveckla en ny verksamhetsgren, fĂ„ större kontaktyta i nĂ€romrĂ„det, möj-lighet till dialog och förankring i nĂ€rsamhĂ€llet samt öka möjligheterna att utveckla kunskap och förstĂ„else för livsmedelsproduktion hos morgondagens beslutsfattare och konsumenter. Om skolor satsade pĂ„ att köpa nĂ€rodlat skulle nya möjligheter för mĂ„nga lantbrukare öppnas. Genom ett aktivt deltagande i arbetet att fostra kommande generationer skulle det svenska lantbruket kunna Ă„terta sin tydliga och viktiga roll i samhĂ€llet, som delvis gĂ„tt förlorad i diskussioner kring EU-stöd, djur-fabriker och miljöpĂ„verkan. Lantbruket och livsmedelsproduktionen skulle Ă„ter kunna fungera som den stomme den Ă€r i vĂ„rt gemensamma arbete för en hĂ„llbar samhĂ€llsutveckling
Care in digital farming - from acting on to living with
Development of digital technology to handle complex situations in agriculture hasfor long time mainly been technology driven, resulting in limited adoption. Thisthesis aims to: 1) Introduce methods and theories from the research field of humancomputerinteraction in the agricultural domain to improve design and developmentprocesses of digital technology. 2) Introduce the concept of care to increaseknowledge about farmers' technology use in their socio-technical system (practice),as well as to introduce a relational perspective in agriculture. The two systemicallydescribed complex decision situations are fertilization with a decision supportsystem, that uses satellite images and automated milking systems. 3) Evaluate twodifferent theoretical lenses to study the concept of care in practice, DistributedCognition and Activity Theory. The studies of farmers' socio-technical systemsshow that farmers develop an enhanced professional vision to interpret data from thetechnology and learn more about the field/crop or the cow. New technology changesthe relationship between the farmer and the field/crop or cow, but the experiencedfarmer supplements what they see through the technology with direct contact with,for example, the cow. The need for a stockpersonâs eye is thus at least as great afterthe introduction of robots in milk production. A relational perspective involves anunderstanding of our mutual dependence with the crop or the cow in these examples,as well as nature and its ecosystem services. Introduction of the concept of care anda relational approach, meaning that farming is to live with, not just act on, cansupport the transformation of agriculture that we know is necessary. In thistransformational process, technology has an important role to play. However, it mustbe developed in cooperation and dialog with end-users to fit in their socio-technicalecologicalsystem and thus support their care
Motivations and needs for adoption of the agricultural decision support system CropSAT in advisory services
This paper presents several strategies employed by advisors in relation to the use of a Swedish agricultural decision support system (AgriDSS) called CropSAT, which is free to use and funded by the Swedish Board of Agriculture. The research questions for the study were: How is extension affected and possibly altered when provided with CropSAT? 2) How can advisory strategies in relation to PA technology use be categorised? Fourteen crop production advisors were interviewed, and the collected data were analysed thematically. The findings revealed four different extension strategies in relation to CropSAT use: 1) I do not use it, 2) I use it if I have to, 3) I use it myself and tell the farmer how to fertilise, and 4) I use it with the farmer. The obtained results indicate that the strategies selected by the advisors varied based on the requests and needs of farmers, the advisorsâ personal interests and competences, CropSAT functionality, and uncertainty about how to use it in practice. When using an AgriDSS such as CropSAT in advisory situations, the complexity increases because there are more parameters to consider, and thus it could be experienced as more difficult to make proper decisions. As a result of the combination of technology and agronomy, the advisors requested more support. We argue that this request must be met by research, the authorities and the companies responsible for developing the AgriDSS. We claim that in order to increase the use of AgriDSS to optimise crop treatment at the right time and on the smallest possible scale, there is a need for a change in mind-set by among both advisors and farmers in order to increase sustainability in agriculture
Cognition and decision-making in adoption of agricultural decision support systems
Precision agriculture (PA) has a central role to play in a sustainable intensification trajectory of agriculture, including increased yields and decreased environmental impact. Although grounded in advanced technologies this still implies that the individual farmer will have to develop knowledge that is complex, diverse and local. To manage adaptation to the within-field variation in large scale agriculture, so-called agricultural decision support systems (AgriDSS) are necessary. This thesis aims to 1) investigate farmersâ naturalistic decision-making in their socio-technical system, aiming to increase their situated knowledge and care in critical, complex situations, and 2) investigate and present strategies to improve the development processes of AgriDSS. This is done by discussing the so-called problem of implementation of AgriDSS in practical precision agriculture. Aspects of the implementation dilemmas are considered within three research questions: 1) What characterises a socio-technical system that supports farmersâ decision-making in complex and critical situations? 2) How can AgriDSS support farmersâ decision-making and development of situated knowledge, in order to increase sustainability of their practices? 3) How can the development process for new precision agriculture technology, such as AgriDSS, be improved to decrease or go beyond the problem of implementation?
The research questions are addressed using the theoretical framework of distributed cognition (DCog) from the research field of cognitive science and using user-centred design (UCD) approach from the field of human-computer interaction. Two case studies were performed and the main contribution is the novel concept of enhanced professional vision, which states that both technology and intuitive experience-based knowledge are necessary in decision-making. Neither one of them is replaceable when an increased adaptation to within-field variation and complexity in farmersâ care for their local situation is needed. The thesis also reveals the importance of social interactions for technology adoption and use: 1) during the participatory development process of AgriDSS; 2) for decision-making and learning when applying these technologies; and 3) to encourage farmers to use new technology to increase sustainability.
These findings have potential implications for farmers and advisors, by changing the dominating perspective in farm technologies from knowledge transfer to participatory approaches. The discussions provided here about expertise in relation to ICT, human beings and care in the trajectory of sustainable intensification will hopefully influence how farmersâ experience and situated knowledge is acknowledged in future research and development (R&D). More studies on R&D in advisory work in relation to new technologies and strategies to facilitate their use, and social learning and decision-making among farmers are needed, as are improved possibilities for advisors to interact and exchange experiences and strategies relating to technology use
Some considerations about the development and implementation process of a new agricultural decision support system for site-specific fertilisation
Precision agriculture provides important routes toward a more sustainable agriculture. Many farmers have the necessary technology to operate site-specifically, but they do not use it in practice, and available IT systems are not used to their full potential. This paper discusses how to reduce the so-called âimplementation problemâ in order to improve the ongoing development process of a webbased fertilization project in Sweden. The intention of the project is to apply a participatory design approach, and some pitfalls on starting to use this approach in the development and implementation process are identified as well as some suggestions on how to reduce them
Lantbrukares beslutsfattande och lantbruksrÄdgivning
Syftet med förstudien var att minska kunskapsgapet gÀllande lantbrukares beslutsfattande med mÄlet att erhÄlla en djupare förstÄelse för lantbrukarnas beslutsfattande i praktiken. Lantbrukares beslutsfattande Àr en process som influeras av en mÀngd olika faktorer och som krÀver att de Àr insatta i mÄnga specialiserade omrÄden. Tidigare forskning inom omrÄdet saknar ett helhetsperspektiv dÀr bÄde biologiska, tekniska, ekonomiska, etiska och sociala faktorer integreras utifrÄn lantbrukarnas livsvÀrld.
Tre lantbrukare frĂ„n VĂ€stsverige har ingĂ„tt i studien, vilken har utförts som en multipel fallstudie, i form av arbetsplatsstudier, för att kartlĂ€gga de deltagande lantbrukarnas livsvĂ€rld, stödet frĂ„n rĂ„dgivarna och diverse externa resurser t ex IT-verktyg. Denna kvalitativa forskningsdesign har resulterat i ett flertal detaljerade beskrivningar av hur val och beslut fattas pĂ„ gĂ„rdsnivĂ„ Ă€n vad som Ă€r möjligt med mer kvantitativa metoder och statistisk analys av socioekonomiska variabler. Enligt forskare inom omrĂ„det âfarm managementâ saknas denna form av studier inom lantbruksdomĂ€nen och denna studie anses vara ett första steg i den riktningen.
I rapporten lyfts ett antal faktorer fram gÀllande lantbrukarens livsvÀrld, rÄdgivningens roll samt IT-stödens inverkan och andra materiella artefakter. Rapporten presenterar en diskussion över det erhÄllna resultatet, olika synsÀtt och förklaringar till kunskap och tÀnkande samt ger förslag pÄ fortsatt forskning. Rapporten avslutas med en mÀngd slutsatser, vilka kortfattat indikerar att lantbrukarens varande i vÀrlden Àr komplext och kan beskrivas som ett dynamiskt system utan tydliga linjÀra orsakssamband, vilket bÄde Àr fascinerande och frusterande. RÄdgivningstjÀnsten anses frÀmst vara en stödfunktion och bollplank för mer löpande beslut gÀllande grödor, sprutning och gödsling medan de mer större och strategiska besluten initialt diskuteras i andra nÀtverk. RÄdgivningen bedöms behöva utvecklas genom att gÄ lite mer utanför den ordinarie verksamheten och ta lite mer höjd pÄ ett mer strategiskt plan för gÄrden som helhet samt ytterligare ifrÄgasÀtta gÀngse rutiner och ÄtgÀrder
Prostaglandin D2-supplemented âfunctional eicosanoid testing and typingâ assay with peripheral blood leukocytes as a new tool in the diagnosis of systemic mast cell activation disease: an explorative diagnostic study
Background: Systemic mast cell activation disease (MCAD) is characterized by an enhanced release of mast cell-derived mediators, including eicosanoids, which induce a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms. Accordingly, the diagnostic algorithm of MCAD presupposes the proof of increased mast cell mediator release, but only a few mediators are currently established as routine laboratory parameters. We thus initiated an explorative study to evaluate in vitro typing of individual eicosanoid pattern of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) as a new diagnostic tool in MCAD. Methods: Using the âfunctional eicosanoid testing and typingâ (FET) assay, we investigated the balance (i.e. the complex pattern of formation, release and mutual interaction) of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and peptido-leukotrienes (pLT) release from PBLs of 22 MCAD patients and 20 healthy individuals. FET algorithms thereby consider both basal and arachidonic acid (AA)-, acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)-, and substance P (SP)-triggered release of PGE2 and pLT. The FET assay was further supplemented by analyzing prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), as mast cell-specific eicosanoid. Results: We observed marked PGE2-pLT imbalances for PBLs of MCAD patients, as indicated by a markedly enhanced mean FET value of 1.75â±â0.356 (range: 1.14â2.36), compared to 0.53â±â0.119 (range: 0.36-0.75) for healthy individuals. In addition, mean PGD2 release from PBLs of MCAD patients was significantly, 6.6-fold higher than from PBLs of healthy individuals (946â±â302.2 pg/ml versus 142â±â47.8 pg/ml; P <â0.001). In contrast to healthy individuals, PGD2 release from PBLs of MCAD patients was markedly triggered by SP (mean: 1896â±â389.7 pg/ml; Pâ<â0.001), whereas AA and ASA caused individually varying effects on both PGD2 and pLT release. Conclusions: The new in-vitro FET assay, supplemented with analysis of PGD2, demonstrated that the individual patterns of eicosanoid release from PBLs can unambiguously distinguish MCAD patients from healthy individuals. Notably, in our analyses, the FET value and both basal and triggered PGD2 levels were not significantly affected by MCAD-specific medication. Thus, this approach may serve as an in-vitro diagnostic tool to estimate mast cell activity and to support individualized therapeutic decision processes for patients suffering from MCAD
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