This planning project aims to address thelack of access to education ruralfarmers face due to theirlocation

By developing an agriculturalengineering course that may be completed using virtualreality (VR), we want to create a way for ruralfarmers to receive education while remaining on their farm, so they do notlose wages or productivity while being away, can build their skills, and may increase their economic standing. We believe virtualreality embedded into agriculturalcourses willprovide similar mastery of skills to in-person training. The overallgoalof this planning project is to develop a proposalto pilot test VR in an AG engineering course. The objectives include collaborating monthly with academic partners, developing a course curriculum that includes VR , selecting an industry partner to develop the VR modules, and drafting a proposalto pilot test an engineering course with VR. To do this, a series of meetings with academic collaborators willtake place to outline applicable and measurable courselearning objectives for in-person, online, and VR modalities. Up to five VR technology partners willpresent their technology's capabilities, and an appropriate technology partner willbe selected to develop VR modules in agriculturalengineering. With collaborator and industry partner guidance, we willdevelop a course using VR. We willalso draft a proposalto test the VR course's feasibility and measurelearner success compared to in-person training. The outcomes of this planning project include a functionalonline course with a VR interface for virtuallearning and a proposalto test its feasibility. The hope is that this provides ruraland place-bound farmers with increased access to education and the ability for them to upskillwithoutleaving their farm. With this education, ruralfarmers may be more self-sufficient, reduce costs paid to specialists, decrease time with non-functioning equipment, and increase productivity and profitability.