Interactive Learning is Key to Student Success in Online Delivery of Annie’s Project 101 Course
Extension Education
Kate Brown
County Agent III
Rutgers University
Bridgewater
Abstract
Development pressure is changing New Jersey’s (NJ) landscape, reducing acreage available for agriculture. Established NJ farms are diversifying to offer direct market sales and agritourism, while others without an agricultural background are flocking to join the industry. Effective farm business management training is essential to the viability of new and changing agricultural enterprises alike. Our objective was to develop an Annie’s Project 101 course with online delivery methods that would increase participant knowledge of risk management strategies for farm businesses, build a sense of community among participants, and inspire action. Annie’s Project is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides guidance for effective delivery of farm business management training courses focused on the five areas of risk – market, legal, financial, production, and human resource. Our course was delivered online via six synchronous, 2-hour webinars and six hours of asynchronous activities between January and February 2026. We worked with speakers to develop an interactive component such as facilitated breakout rooms to promote student engagement. Asynchronous activities aided student preparation for upcoming sessions, promoted student reflection, allowed students to practice essential skills, and introduced topics not covered synchronously. Students reported a 17.1-39.5% increase in knowledge across the twelve topics covered, with the greatest knowledge gain observed for succession planning, land access and leasing, farm insurance, and pricing strategies for agritourism. In addition to pre- and post-knowledge, each post-session survey asked students to list two takeaways, explain how they would apply the knowledge, and provide any additional feedback. One student summed up her experience by stating, “I would just like to add how much confidence this course has given me…I came into this class with no one clear path, and left with a goal, a new business, and many new connections!” Our results demonstrate that foundational best practices developed by Annie’s Project can be successfully applied to an online course delivery format through in-session student engagement and asynchronous activities with multi-faceted benefits to participants’ overall knowledge gain and personal development. Ultimately, we were able to reduce farm business risk among participants by connecting them to diverse educational opportunities, resources, and each other.
Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted for judging. It will be displayed at the AM/PIC if not selected as a State winner. The abstract will be published in the proceedings.
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Authors: Kate Brown, Kate Brown, Claudia Gil Arroyo, Claudia Urdanivia
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Brown, K. County Agent III, Rutgers University, New Jersey, 08807
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Brown, K. County Agent III, Rutgers University, New Jersey, 08807
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Gil Arroyo, C. County Agent III, Rutgers University, New Jersey, 08210
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Urdanivia, C. County Agent III, Rutgers University, New Jersey, 07068