Andy’s Project—Computer Education for Farm Men
Situation
Many farmers in their fifties feel inadequately trained to use computer technology. They were
out of school before personal computers became standard office equipment and opportunities for
technology exposure are limited. Andy is a mid-life farmer who feels left out of the computer
generation. He is exposed to decision making tools that he can’t use and he breaks into a sweat
when it comes time to switch records from paper to computer. His fingers are calloused from
work, stiff from the beginning stages of arthritis, and seem a little too fat to fit on a keyboard.
His family and friends run circles around him when it comes to the computer. He is not
comfortable in traditional computer education classes where students half his age are flying
through assignments and what is taught in class rarely relates to his farming occupation. These
very successful farmers are very aware of the potential advantages computer-literate farmers
have over them, and they would like to join the ranks of regular computer users.
To Meet This Need
University of Illinois Extension, in partnership with Illinois Risk Management Agency, North
Central Risk Management Education Center, and Cooperative State Research, Education, and
Extension Service has developed a basic computer education course for middle-aged Illinois
farmers, who left schools before computers became a part of our culture. The Program is called
Andy’s Project—Computer Education for Farmers.
Class Structure
Andy's Project is a four meeting workshop, each meeting lasting 2 hours. Farmers are hands-on
from the minute they walk into class. Homework will require that they begin to use the skills
they learn in each class on their computers at home. Farmers are placed in groups of five and
work on laptops with wireless connection to the internet. This style of education is experiential,
open to questions from participants, and interactive with instructors.
What They Learn
Farmers enrolled in Andy’s Project learn:
 computer terminology
 about computers in terms of speed, and storage capacity
 very practical uses for spreadsheets that they can apply immediately
 how to navigate the internet
 how to manage files
 email set up and use.
Topics include:
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Computer hardware and software, basic terminology
Setting up e-mail accounts (needed for setting up EGov accounts)
How to search the internet for valuable resources
How to put simple spreadsheets together and navigate the more complicated preprogrammed spreadsheets available from farmdoc and other websites.
 File management and where “things go” in a computer.
Farmers are supplied with a USB memory stick which they learn to use for storing and retrieving
information.
Funding
Registration fee for Andy’s Project is $20 per person. The North Central Risk Management
Education Center provides funding for purchasing USB memory sticks and covering expenses
such as lab rental, and instructor travel.
Instructor Recruitment
Andy’s Project is designed to put confident computer users in front of a group of farmers, who
are eager to learn, but unsure of where to start.
Instructors can be recruited from a number of sources including extension educators, community
college ag instructors, ag suppliers who are frequent users of computers for ag applications, and
lenders. It is recommended that this program have a minimum of two instructors for each class.
The targeted audience comes with very low skills, lots of questions and requires a high level of
coaching and interaction. Instructors must remain open to questions, checking frequently that
participants are gaining in skills and confidence to use computers.
Cost Recovery and Sponsorships
Each participant will pay a registration fee of $20 to join an Andy’s Project. Payment is made to
University of Illinois and deposited to revolving accounts to handle expenses such as instructor
travel and meeting facilities expenses. Illinois Risk Management Agency and the North Central
Risk Management Education Center provide $8,500 in a partnership agreement for conducting
Andy’s Project in Illinois. Meeting facilitators are encouraged to seek local sponsorships for
breaks (snack items).
Class Syllabus 2007
Andy’s Project—Computer Education for Farmers
First day:
Class introduction and overview of course
Instructor asks each person to grade themselves for their computer Skills. Record these
responses as they are part of the evaluation for this program.
Discussion about computer hardware, software, and terminology
Examples:
 desk top style of computers vs laptop
 IBM platform and Mac platform, (this class focuses solely on IBM
platform. . .sorry Mac users.)
 learning how to read computer specs for speed and storage capacity.
Hands-on learning how to navigate the desk top
Click and Drag functions
Tab key for navigation
(Hint: while farmers are using computers observe their ability to use mouse and their
ability to read screens) You may have to demo other means of navigation like a joy stick
or roller ball for the big-fisted fellow.
Second day:
Internet
Research and navigation
Search keys & sites
Bookmarks
Set up e-mail accounts if they have internet at home
Send e-mail to class
Demonstrate permanent e-mail address i.e. Hotmail, Yahoo & others
Set up E-Gov accounts for doing business at FSA office.
Third day:
Spreadsheets
What are they
What are they good for
Software options
General data
Financial
Specific enterprise, production records
Exel—M&M exercise
Formatting cells
Data entry
Formula use
Fourth Day:
Spreadsheets & internet.
Programmed spreadsheets
Farmdoc
Cowsense
Evaluation:
Participants will be instructed to go to a web site to fill out their evaluations.
They will also grade themselves a second time to measure improvement in their skills and confidence.