The Role of Digital Storytelling in Enhancing Safety Culture in the Agricultural Sector of Yazd Province
Keywords:
Digital storytelling, safety culture, agriculture, Yazd provinceAbstract
This study aimed to examine the role of digital storytelling in enhancing safety culture in the agricultural sector of Yazd Province. This applied study employed a descriptive-analytical design based on structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of farmers and active agricultural operators in Yazd Province. Given the broad population size, a sample of 385 participants was selected according to Morgan’s table. Stratified random sampling was used to ensure that farmers from different counties, including Yazd, Meybod, Ardakan, and other agricultural areas, were proportionally represented. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire with two sections. The first section measured perceptions of digital storytelling across four dimensions: attractiveness and interaction, ease of use, educational effectiveness, and attitude and promotion. The second section assessed agricultural safety culture across four dimensions: management commitment, awareness and skills, compliance with protocols and equipment, and participation and safety climate. The questionnaire items were scored on a five-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling through SmartPLS software. The inferential results indicated that digital storytelling had a positive and significant effect on safety culture in the agricultural sector of Yazd Province, confirming the main hypothesis of the study. The t-value for the main path was 28.56, and the standardized path coefficient was β=0.886. All sub-hypotheses were also confirmed. Attractiveness and interaction had a significant positive effect on safety culture with β=0.245 and t=2.52. Ease of use also had a significant positive effect with β=0.282 and t=2.82. Educational effectiveness significantly predicted safety culture with β=0.226 and t=2.66. Attitude and promotion showed the strongest effect among the digital storytelling dimensions, with β=0.410 and t=3.60. Digital storytelling can serve as an effective, accessible, and culturally adaptable educational tool for improving safety culture, strengthening safety attitudes, and promoting safer agricultural behaviors among farmers in Yazd Province.
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