Strengthening Farms and the Rural Economy through Agricultural Mechanics

犹他州斯诺学院的这个项目将通过将现代计算机驱动技术的机械教育和培训与传统的农业机械机械培训结合起来，促进农业机械领域的知识。精准灌溉设备的维护和维修是一项重要的创新，它在干旱地区实现节水的同时实现有利可图的农业，需要学生在使用最先进的设备时发展先进的技能。无人机和GPS的使用使识别和监测直接影响农业生产力的问题成为可能，无人机还需要非常专门的维护和维修技能。该项目的精准灌溉部分将支持更有效地利用稀缺的水资源。企业主和农民将通过在农业机械咨询委员会任职，为项目和课程设计提供意见。将采用形成性和总结性的评估过程，不断加强项目活动，并为研究和评估项目和交付成果的成功提供机会。该项目旨在开发一个新的农业机械学(农业机械学)计划，以满足在安装、维护、诊断/故障排除、使用和维修复杂和综合农业设备方面日益增长的教育和培训需求。多学科课程将侧重于传统的汽油和柴油动力设备，以及新的计算机驱动技术，包括精密灌溉设备，以及用于作物监测和测绘的无人机和GPS。新计划将包括与农业机械相关的现有课程、为融入新内容而修改的现有课程以及新创建的课程。丰富的课程将面向计划在农业工作的学生，包括在家庭农场和商业农场工作的学生，以及准备成为维修、销售和服务农业设备的服务行业熟练技术人员的学生。AG机械师将提供两个证书和一个助理学士学位。对更高级学习感兴趣的学生将能够转到犹他州州立大学农业系统技术四年制学位项目。该项目的一个重要组成部分将是开发一个途径计划，将农业课程的高中生与农业机械计划联系起来。大学教职员工将与高中教师合作，推广这条途径，并开发一门同时招生的课程--《农业机械》。参加该计划的地区高中将能够为他们的学生提供更广泛的教育体验。因为他们的高中课程是通往证书、两年制学位和四年制学士学位的道路的开始，参与其中的学生将被激励完成高中并寻求大学水平的教育。该项目将为其他技术学院提供一个模式，因为专注于传统和现代设备的方法可以在全国各地的大学复制。多学科设计将现有课程与新课程和修改后的课程相结合，为其他缺乏财力和人力资源创建全新课程的小型学校提供了一个极好的模板。

The project at Snow College in Utah will advance knowledge in the field of agricultural mechanics by integrating education and training in the mechanics of modern, computer-driven technologies with traditional farm equipment mechanics training. Maintenance and repair of precision irrigation equipment, an important innovation that conserves water while enabling profitable farming in drought-ridden areas, requires advanced skills that students will develop as they work with state-of-the-art equipment. The use of drones and GPS makes it possible to identify and monitor problems that directly impact agricultural productivity, and drones also require very specialized maintenance and repair skills. The precision irrigation component of the project will support more efficient use of scarce water resources. Business owners and farmers will provide input into program and curriculum design by serving on the Ag Mechanics Advisory Committee. A formative and summative evaluation process will be employed to continuously enhance the project activities and provide opportunities for researching and evaluating the success of the project and deliverables.This project is designed to develop a new Agricultural Mechanics (Ag Mechanics) program that will meet the growing need for education and training in installing, maintaining, diagnosing/troubleshooting, using, and repairing complex and integrated agricultural equipment. A multidisciplinary curriculum will focus on both traditional gasoline- and diesel-powered equipment and on new computer-driven technologies, including precision irrigation equipment, as well as drones and GPS for crop monitoring and mapping. The new program will consist of existing courses that are relevant to Ag Mechanics, existing courses that are modified to integrate new content, and newly created courses. A rich curriculum will serve students who plan to work in agriculture, both those working on family and commercial farms, and students preparing to become skilled technicians in service industries that repair, sell, and service farm equipment. Ag Mechanics will offer two certificates and an A.A.S. degree. Students who are interested in more advanced studies will be able to transfer to a four-year degree program in Agricultural Systems Technology at Utah State University. An important component of the project will be the development of a pathway program that connects high school students in agricultural courses to the Ag Mechanics program. College faculty will work with high school instructors to promote the pathway and develop a concurrent enrollment course in Ag Mechanics. Area high schools that participate in the pathway program will be able to provide their students with a broader educational experience. Because their high school classes are the beginning of a pathway that can lead to a certificate, a two-year degree, and a four-year baccalaureate degree, participating students will be motivated to complete high school and seek college-level education. The program will provide a model for other technical colleges as the focus on both traditional and modern equipment is an approach that can be replicated at colleges throughout the nation. The multidisciplinary design, which combines existing courses with new and modified courses, is an excellent template for other small schools that lack the financial and human resources to create completely new curricula.