Online shedmeetings: Experiences producing video webcasts that showcase sugar industry best practice

Abstract

Can the YouTube phenomenon be replicated in next generation extension? There is a groundswell of interest within the Australian sugar industry in using video webcasting as an extension tool, and rightly so; advances in technology are already transforming the adult education and training landscape. With video webcasting, growers have a unique opportunity to learn first-hand from other growers' experiences. Nevertheless, it is easy to underestimate what is involved. Video-sharing websites like YouTube have created a misplaced perception that any old raw footage will do. Yet audiences have a lifetime of experience watching professionally produced films and television shows, so while they may not know how professional-looking programs are produced, they easily detect the telltale signs of amateurs. I argue that extension providers need to invest in the right equipment and use the right techniques, or risk devaluing this significant technology as an extension tool. There is presently no training resource available to guide content developed for extension, and no standard by which to assess the quality of material being produced. Therefore, in this paper I present a guide to video webcasting for e-extension, reflecting personal experience and insights gleaned from creating over 60 video clips for the Shedmeeting website. These video clips were designed to highlight grower experiences, research recommendations, and the economic benefits of adopting sugar industry best practices.