TLT Symposium


Going to the TLT symposium was an interesting and fun experience. Attending talks about different ways professionals are using technology to help their students learn was very informative. While I did know that technology is useful for education, I didn’t realize how many uses there were for technology. There are also so many ways to use the same type of technology for slightly different purposes. I enjoyed getting to learn how technology has been used to create a better learning environment. Both by providing easy access to educational material and the opportunity for students to experience what they are learning about. Similarly, to the professionals presenting at the TLT symposium, professionals in the agriculture field also use technology to spread awareness for what they do. By using some of the technologies presented at the symposium I think that we can further agricultural outreach, literacy and awareness. While none of the technologies discussed were directly related to agriculture, they could all be used to promote agriculture.

The first type of technology I listened to a presentation about was 3D printing. This technology has been used for various purposes since it was first created, it has been used for everything from creating scale models and new designs to making prosthetics. There are other possible uses for 3D printing within the agricultural field as well. For example, 3D printing could be used to create miniature models for farm equipment or construction projects. 3D printing could possibly also be used to create splints and braces from animals with injured legs that can be healed. The second type of technology that I listed to a presentation about was a free online resource for students. By creating more easily accessible information about agriculture we would be able to further promote, and advocate for, the importance of agricultural sciences. I think that both of these methods could benefit agriculture, but I don’t know how they would be implemented on a larger scale, a smaller scale would be relatively easy but it would also reach fewer people. However, no matter the scale of this technology it is likely to cause an impact, and this impact can be spread farther through word of mouth.

            I also feel that while technology can help spread agricultural awareness it cannot replace hands-on experience. Due to this I think that we should find a way to combine technology with a hands-on component to help increase agricultural literacy and awareness. With the current rate of technological advances, we are bound to continue to find new ways to use technology and hands-on experience to teach future generations.


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