Finding detailed data about agriculture isn’t always easy. Erica Summerfield, a graduate teaching associate at the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), has learned this firsthand. Erica teaches Agriculture Issues in Contemporary Society for Ohio State, a second-year writing general elective course that teaches students agricultural and environmental issues in the United States and worldwide. Many of the students who enroll in this course are not from CFAES. As such, these students lack an understanding of agriculture and challenges surrounding the industry. Finding easy-to-understand information is vital, and the more aware students become, the more they can affect change in the future.
Erica decided that focusing on an interactive classroom provided maximum engagement with her students. With a higher level of involvement, students increased their critical thinking and understanding of the issues. In searching for ways to maintain high interest, Erica recalled hearing about the Ohio Food System Map from a Knowledge Exchange guest speaker. This map offered Erica a wide variety of information, from food processing and distribution to community demographics.
With all its available options, this map primarily assisted Erica in teaching both food security and natural resources to her class. Comparing a variety of data in one location aided her students in their project research. While other sources, such as USDA spreadsheets, were necessary and highly informative, many students found them challenging to follow. The map provided a visual representation containing much of the same information, resulting in a higher comprehension of the material. And the “Getting Started” featured assisted students in navigating the map for the first time.
In her final class project, Erica allowed her students to decide their own topic with her only stipulation that it must involve agriculture. Many of her students opted to use the map as a primary source of information. Manipulating it allowed the students to tweak the data provided and assisted them in expanding on their research. Some students were even able to find connections between their own major and agriculture. This resulted in a much more confident writing style throughout their projects. Many students enjoyed making these connections and expanding on their research capabilities.
While Erica may have "nerded out" (her words) on the map, she believes there's essential information contained in its functions. With easy visuals and simple processes, the map would benefit a wide variety of people. Erica hopes by sharing the map with her class, to promote the use of the Ohio Food System Map to professors and students in other departments at Ohio State.