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If Nobody Hears Us, Do We Really Make A Sound? Investigating Agriculture Faculty Members’ Engagement In Science Communication, Shelli D. Rampold, Taylor Ruth, Jamie Greig
If Nobody Hears Us, Do We Really Make A Sound? Investigating Agriculture Faculty Members’ Engagement In Science Communication, Shelli D. Rampold, Taylor Ruth, Jamie Greig
Journal of Applied Communications
Science communication is a crucial factor for ensuring scientific work in food and agriculture reaches intended end-users. Unfortunately, research faculty may not be willing or able to engage in science communication activities. This study was organized using the Faculty Engagement Framework to evaluate the personal, professional, and institutional factors that influence University of Tennessee faculty members’ engagement in public-facing science communication. Results indicated faculty members in this study were overall not highly engaged in science communication activities. Factors that significantly predicted their degree of engagement included knowledge of and attitudes toward communicating their science to public audiences. While the results …
Exploring Identities Of Extension Faculty And Educators As Science Communicators, Klae O'Brien, Carrie N. Baker, Sarah A. Bush, Maggie Elliot, Kattlyn J. Wolf
Exploring Identities Of Extension Faculty And Educators As Science Communicators, Klae O'Brien, Carrie N. Baker, Sarah A. Bush, Maggie Elliot, Kattlyn J. Wolf
Journal of Applied Communications
This research explored the relationship between University of Idaho (UI) Extension educators and faculty’s social identity as science communicators and their most-used communication type. This non-experimental, sequential, mixed-method study with a qualitative priority utilized surveys and interviews to gather data. This paper will focus on the qualitative and mixing components of the study. We used stratified purposive sampling based on location and most used communication type to select participants for interviews and conducted interviews to understand their social identities as science communicators. We identified five main themes: continual development, technology, research dissemination, evaluation for motivation, and community relationships. We employed …
Exploring The Social Media Health Information Seeking Patterns Of Rural Residents To Provide Communication Strategies For Extension, Catherine Sanders, Kristin Gibson, Allison R. Byrd, Tatevik Markosyan, Alexa J. Lamm
Exploring The Social Media Health Information Seeking Patterns Of Rural Residents To Provide Communication Strategies For Extension, Catherine Sanders, Kristin Gibson, Allison R. Byrd, Tatevik Markosyan, Alexa J. Lamm
Journal of Applied Communications
Communication capacity development is critical for Extension professionals, who work to bring agricultural and health research to the public. With social media being an almost ubiquitous communication channel, it has immense potential as a health communication resource for diverse and rural audiences. The current study, guided by an audience segmentation framework, explored the health communication patterns on social media of rural Georgia residents across demographic characteristics through a non-probability opt-in sampling online survey. Cluster analyses of social media users revealed three distinct groups: low, medium, and high users. Descriptive characteristics of each cluster were presented, to guide Extension health communication …
Labs And Landscapes Virtual Reality: Student-Created Forest Conservation Tours For Informal Public Engagement, Whitney Stone, Jamie Loizzo, Jacqueline Aenlle, Peyton Beattie
Labs And Landscapes Virtual Reality: Student-Created Forest Conservation Tours For Informal Public Engagement, Whitney Stone, Jamie Loizzo, Jacqueline Aenlle, Peyton Beattie
Journal of Applied Communications
The following exploratory convergent mixed-methods study examined graduate students’ experiences developing and facilitating 360º photo-based virtual reality (VR) tours titled Labs and Landscapes focused on forest conservation and climate change education, as well as tour impacts on public audiences. Graduate students in an agricultural and natural resources communication course at The University of Florida used 360º cameras, mobile devices, and online software to create VR tours about the UF/IFAS Austin Cary Research Forest. Then, the students guided public participants through the tours in three physical informal learning environments including a museum, brewery, and campus tabling site within the university community. …
Perception And Conceptualization Of The Land-Grant Mission At A Land-Grant Institution, Audrey E. H. King, Quisto Settle, Dwayne Cartmell, Asya Cooley, Jeff Sallee
Perception And Conceptualization Of The Land-Grant Mission At A Land-Grant Institution, Audrey E. H. King, Quisto Settle, Dwayne Cartmell, Asya Cooley, Jeff Sallee
Journal of Applied Communications
While the three-part mission of the land-grant university has been a pivotal component of agriculture and natural resources in the U.S., the land-grant mission is not always well understood by all audiences, including faculty members who are the key deliverers of the land-grant mission. As such, it is important to understand how faculty members view the land-grant brand identity. A series of focus groups were conducted with tenure and non-tenure track faculty members at [university]. Faculty members’ perceptions of the university’s brand came out in four themes: overall description of the brand identity, connections to [City], university values, and increased …
Talking Plants: Examining The Role Of Podcasts In Communicating Plant Pathology Knowledge, Melissa Lim, Rebecca Swenson
Talking Plants: Examining The Role Of Podcasts In Communicating Plant Pathology Knowledge, Melissa Lim, Rebecca Swenson
Journal of Applied Communications
Extension programs must constantly evaluate communication plans and platforms to determine if they are worth the investment of time, money, and resources. Podcasts are growing in popularity as a communication platform for education and entertainment. With the VARK model of learning styles and core plant pathology concepts as a guide, researchers evaluated the prevalence and type of plant pathology information in podcasts to better understand how podcasts could benefit Extension plant pathology programs. Using keywords related to plant pathology, researchers searched popular mobile podcast listening applications and evaluated relevant podcast episodes using content analysis methods. Results indicated few podcast shows …
Identifying Audience Needs To Effectively Communicate About The Cost Of Implementing Sustainable Farming Practices, Kristin E. Gibson, Alexa J. Lamm, Kevan W. Lamm
Identifying Audience Needs To Effectively Communicate About The Cost Of Implementing Sustainable Farming Practices, Kristin E. Gibson, Alexa J. Lamm, Kevan W. Lamm
Journal of Applied Communications
Water is a complex issue across the globe and is largely affected by a growing world population and higher standard of living. Within the United States, the security of the freshwater supply is an increasing concern and water resource protection may increase if residents are knowledgeable about the issue. Sustainable farming systems will lessen the impact of agriculture on water resources but may cost the end user more to ensure sustainability. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if rural, urban, and suburban audiences differ in their willingness to pay for sustainable farming practices that protect water resources …
Electronic Field Trips For Science Engagement: The Streaming Science Model, Jamie Loizzo, Mary J. Harner, Deborah J. Weitzenkamp, Kevin Kent
Electronic Field Trips For Science Engagement: The Streaming Science Model, Jamie Loizzo, Mary J. Harner, Deborah J. Weitzenkamp, Kevin Kent
Journal of Applied Communications
While institutions of higher education work to engage PK-12 youth in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) concepts and careers via in-person programming, PK-12 teachers and students face many logistical and access constraints for physically traveling to sites off of school grounds during the school day. Throughout the years, electronic field trips (EFTs) have offered a digital way for schools to engage in meaningful ways with museums, parks, laboratories, and field research sites. In order for EFTs to be effective, they should be cost effective and created collaboratively with teachers, students, subject matter experts, and instructional design and communication professionals. …
A Pilot Qualitative Case Study Of Agricultural And Natural Resources Scientists’ Twitter Usage For Engaging Public Audiences, Jamie Loizzo, Catherine Jones, Abby Steffen
A Pilot Qualitative Case Study Of Agricultural And Natural Resources Scientists’ Twitter Usage For Engaging Public Audiences, Jamie Loizzo, Catherine Jones, Abby Steffen
Journal of Applied Communications
Scientists are frequently asked to broadly share their expertise and research with a variety of audiences, beyond typical academic circles in their home disciplines. That could include developing community engagement programs, school outreach, leveraging online social networks, and other activities. The purpose of this study was to examine U.S. agricultural and natural resources (ANR) scientists’ typical science communication channels, their experiences utilizing Twitter for sharing their knowledge, research, and engaging in online public science discussion. Diffusion of Innovations theory and the model of science in-reach versus outreach guided this study. Researchers used a qualitative case study design. Data collection included …
Exploring Communication Tendencies Of Program Facilitators, Fawn Kurtzo, Leslie D. Edgar, Don W. Edgar, Donna L. Graham, Mark Russell
Exploring Communication Tendencies Of Program Facilitators, Fawn Kurtzo, Leslie D. Edgar, Don W. Edgar, Donna L. Graham, Mark Russell
Journal of Applied Communications
Audience analysis is a critical skill to forge relationships and develop effective communications. Programs provided by the Cooperative Extension Service must be aware of external and internal audiences to provide relevant information and evoke impacts. Berlo’s (1960) Source-Message-Channel-Receiver Model of Communications guided this formative evaluation of Extension staff, and horse 4-H club volunteer leaders (program facilitators) to expose internal communication tendencies in Arkansas. Findings identified that program facilitators seek horse-related information from a variety of sources, most frequently relying on personal connections and least frequently seeking Extension sources. Program facilitators share a variety of messages and most frequently relay information …
The Effects Of Online Video On Consumers’ Attitudes Toward Local Food, Shuyang Qu, Alexa J. Lamm, Joy N. Rumble, Ricky W. Telg
The Effects Of Online Video On Consumers’ Attitudes Toward Local Food, Shuyang Qu, Alexa J. Lamm, Joy N. Rumble, Ricky W. Telg
Journal of Applied Communications
Marketers rate online video as their most utilized content medium. This study used a between-subject control group post-test-only experiment to investigate the effect of three local food messages delivered via online video on U.S. consumers’ attitudes toward local food. The three 30-second videos each featured one of the documented benefits of local food: high quality, support of local economy, and strengthening of social connection. Results indicated all three video treatments yielded a positive attitude toward local food, while respondents in the control group had a neutral attitude. The video treatment featuring local food’s high quality generated a significantly more favorable …