Face-to-Face versus Online Agricultural Courses: An Analysis of Preferences, Challenges, and Non-Adaptability

Abstract

Short-term agricultural courses equip participants with marketable knowledge through an amalgamation of theoretical lectures and hands-on workshops. As time has progressed, many courses have transitioned heavily away from traditional classroom settings and into digital mediums. A survey was conducted at Convocation Expo during the Agricultural Clinic session at the UPM Bintulu Sarawak Campus. About 156 surveys were evaluated, and the results showed that, despite the potential challenges and lack of adaptability, our participants preferred online agriculture courses over face-to-face learning. Many respondents (34.88%) agreed they would not sign up for an online farming course because they didn't believe in the outcomes (34.88%), the fees were too high (30.23%), the learning platform was inefficient (16.28%), and there was a lack of relevance to current agricultural practices (16.28%). Moreover, the lack of hands-on sessions (61.54%), a preoccupation with marketing strategies (11.54%), and a lack of familiarity with the internet's functionalities (11.54%) were all cited as reasons for the inadaptability and impracticality of online learning. Nearly half (47.44%) of respondents indicated a preference for free face-to-face training, but just 37.18% would be willing to do so (provided the fee was less than RM100). The proliferation of online classes across several platforms has made education more accessible than ever before, so long as the recorded sessions are archived online. However, without the appropriate information or the referral to professional experts, their agricultural operations would continue to be plagued by technical difficulties.