The educational box consists of 3 parts:

• The online tool FarmLife is a business management tool for agricultural businesses that takes both economic and ecological aspects into account in the assessment. The tool created for farmers has undergone extensive revision and adaptation for classroom use.
• A comprehensive package of teaching material: 12 modules - divided into introductory and in-depth modules - link different subjects in the agricultural school curriculum. The former provide general information about environmental history, sustainability assessment and life cycle assessment, while the latter focus on the practical and operational use and benefits of the FarmLife tool and help develop strategies for site-adapted, sustainable agriculture. Brochures, presentations, worksheets and information sheets for each module are supplemented by in-depth literature and the necessary materials for the educational activities developed.
• “FarmLife Tactics” – a thought and role play designed specifically for FarmLife lessons – is intended to loosen up lessons and make connections visible. In addition, other games and activities are made available for lessons related to FarmLife.

The educational box, consisting of the FarmLife Tactics game and a (sustainable wooden) USB stick with all the documents for the modules, games and teaching suggestions as well as in-depth literature and an information video, was presented to the in-house teachers as part of the final conference for interdisciplinary use Rules lessons handed over. An official roll-out for the FarmLife education box by the BMLRT is planned for autumn 2020 at the Direktor conference in Elmberg.

Best possible support for teachers

Some of the agricultural schools in Austria - in the state of Salzburg, among others - act as pilot schools because they already have teaching experience with the tool and are working successfully with it and with the educational materials available online. We at the Eco-Efficiency Research Group are pleased about the active use and frequent feedback from schools in order to ensure the quality of the documents and to be able to offer the best possible support for teachers on an ongoing basis.

FarmLife Train-the-Trainer Seminar

In principle, the FarmLife education box should be presented to those agricultural schools in Austria whose teachers (at least one) have attended a FarmLife train-the-trainer seminar (or webinar). Sound knowledge and implementation ideas from our seminars, but above all the motivated implementation by committed teachers, form the foundation for the successful implementation of the teaching concept in schools. The annual dates for the training seminars (“FarmLife for Practitioners – Train the Trainer”) can be found in the HS training plan for agricultural and environmental education as well as on the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein event calendar.