Tracy Irani

The Development of an Instrument to Evaluate Distance Education Courses Using Student Attitudes

This study sought to adapt and test a methodological framework designed to produce a course evaluation that addresses the unique aspects of distance education while maintaining consistency with current evaluation instruments commonly used to evaluate an institutions on-campus courses. Using the four-step process adapted from Biner (1993), twenty items were identified for inclusion in the instrument. The authors concluded that the four-step process yielded an instrument for the evaluation of distance education courses that provides both functionality and flexibility to be used across a variety of courses.

Warming up to climate change: a participatory approach to engaging with agricultural stakeholders in the Southeast US

Within the context of a changing climate, scientists are called to engage directly with agricultural stakeholders for the coproduction of relevant information that will support decision making and adaptation. However, values, beliefs, identities, goals, and social networks shape perceptions and actions about climate change. Engagement processes that ignore the socio-cultural context within which stakeholders are embedded may fail to guide adaptive responses. To facilitate dialog around these issues, the Southeast Climate Consortium and the Florida Climate Institute formed a climate learning network consisting of row crop farmers, agricultural extension specialists, researchers, and climate scientists working in the Southeast US. Regional in scope, the learning network engages researchers and practitioners from Alabama, Georgia, and Florida as partners in adaptation science. This paper describes the ongoing interactions, dialog, and experiential learning among the network’s diverse participants. We illustrate how participatory tools have been used in a series of workshops to create interactive spaces for knowledge coproduction. For example, historical timelines, climate scenarios, and technology exchanges stimulated discussions about climate-related risk management. We present findings from the workshops related to participants’ perspectives on climate change and adaptation. Finally, we discuss lessons learned that may be applicable to other groups involved in climate education, communication, and stakeholder engagement. We suggest that the thoughtful design of stakeholder engagement processes can become a powerful social tool for improving decision support and strengthening adaptive capacity within rural communities.

ADVOCACY ADVERTISING FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY: The Effect of Public Accountability on Corporate Trust and Attitude Toward the Ad

Organizations whose position in the marketplace depends on increasingly sophisticated technologies are using marketplace advocacy ads to promote acceptance of their products and the processes used to create them. It was hypothesized that for this type of advocacy advertising, (1) public accountability, a construct developed from previous research on advertising credibility and social-psychological theory, would predict corporate trustworthiness, and (2) corporate trustworthiness and attitude toward the advertiser would predict attitude toward the ad. Two components of public accountability were significant predictors of corporate trustworthiness, and trustworthiness and attitude toward the advertiser predicted attitude toward the ad, attitude toward plant biotechnology, and purchase intention.

Extending technologies among small-scale farmers in Meru, Kenya: Ingredients for success in farmer groups

Agricultural extension is evolving worldwide, and there is much emphasis today on community-based mechanisms of dissemination in order to bring sustainable change. The goal of this study was to examine the factors that make farmer groups successful in dissemination of information and technologies. A mixed-methods, multiple-stage approach was used to obtain data, using participant observation, documentary analysis, semi-structured interviews, social mapping, and structured questionnaires. Dairy-goat farmer groups (n = 46) and individual farmers (n = 88) were interviewed. Factors that were associated with group success in dissemination included member participation, degree of jealousy within the group, homogeneity of members, group capacity, number of linkages and type of group (project-supported versus non-supported). Some interventions that may increase the success of groups in dissemination include capacity-building, increasing linkages with other extension stakeholders, providing an enabling environment for groups to form, using established groups (as compared to forming new groups), and encouraging groups to form around common interests rather than for other reasons.

Why Do Cattle Ranchers Participate in Conservation Easement Agreements? Key Motivators in Decision Making

When communicating with farmers and ranchers, land conservation professionals would be better equipped if they understood key influences on their target audiences decisions to permanently preserve their land from development. This study predicted key factors influencing rancher engagement in a conservation easement (CE) agreement. Specifically, theory of planned behavior, trust, environmental identity, past behavior, perceptions of specific CE characteristics and selected participant demographics were used as predictors. A mixed-methods approach was applied involving interviews, a two-phase pilot study, and a statewide mail-administered questionnaire. Final interview domains guided the quantitative survey instrument, which was administered to 1,000 Florida cattle ranchers. A 60% response rate was received. Multiple linear regression demonstrated ranchers were more likely to enter into a CE agreement if they 1) had a positive attitude about the outcomes associated with CEs; 2) felt influential others would positively support CEs; 3) indicated higher trust in conservation organizations and agencies; 4) believed their land had significant conservation value; 5) supported sale or donation of certain property rights; and 6) were positively influenced by financial incentives, primarily estate tax deductions. These six variables explained over 50% of intent to engage in a CE agreement. Understanding these influences will aid land conservationists in their future communication efforts with farmers and ranchers.

Prior Experience, Perceived Usefulness and the Web: Factors Influencing Agricultural Audiences' Adoption of Internet Communication Tools.

This study, using the Technology Acceptance Model as a theoretical framework, investigated the effect of prior experience on subjects’ perceptions of perceived usefulness and intent to use Internet communications tools. Results indicated that respondents who had relevant prior experience had the most favorable perceptions of the perceived usefulness of these technologies. Further, those subjects who had high levels of experience and perceived usefulness were most likely to use Internet communications technologies, while those subjects who scored low in both of these areas were least likely. Linear regression analysis indicated that, for all subjects, experience and perceived usefulness were the strongest predictors of behavioral intent to use Internet communications tools. This research is available in Journal of Applied Communications: https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol84/iss2/3 20 / Journal of Applied Communications, Vol. 84, No. 2, 2000 group would not be appropriate in this culture. The same procedure was used as described in stage I for the Hmong focus group. Results – focus group: first session Responses to the various questions will be summarized below. Unlike the Hmong group, the Somali subjects tended to discuss the issues less, and come to a consensus fairly quickly. Use of brochures. Most of the subjects had seen brochures and few had used brochures to attain information about health issues, housing, education, or other issues. Most of the women did not read English, and several did not know how to read. They said that they would not pick up a brochure if it was not written in Somali or did not have an image of a Somali person on it. Multilingual presentation. Like the Hmong focus group, the Somali subjects also preferred brochures printed in both English and Somali. They said that this bilingual approach would help them learn the language and that for those who speak both languages they could read both and achieve greater understanding of the content. They also mentioned that in many households the younger members would be able to read English, but the older family members would only read Somali. Layout of information. Subjects agreed that a short amount of information was most desirable. A bulleted list format was preferred. Information should be clear and succinct. They said that they would not bother to read brochures with long sections of writing. Font preference. The group was shown the same text in four different fonts in black on a white ground. Subjects preferred a san-serif font called Myriad. They preferred this font because it was bold and clear against the background. They did not like the plainness of Helvetica, nor the serifed fonts such as Garamond and Garamond italic. They did not like fonts that might stereotypically represent an African culture such as Lithos. They emphasized that the font must be bold, very clear and easy to read, and must have good contrast with the background. Journal of Applied Communications, Vol. 84, No. 2, 2000 / 49 Prior Experience, Perceived Usefulness and the Web: Factors Influencing Agricultural Audiences’ Adoption of Internet Communication Tools

Is perception reality? Improving agricultural messages by discovering how consumers perceive messages

This study assessed how consumers interpret agricultural messages typically found on commodity organizations’ websites in Florida. Four focus groups were held in the fall of 2010. Results indicate that the participants found most of the messages to be unfavorable, rather than favorable. Additionally, the conclusions made by the participants were explained as being influenced by previous experience, corporate influence, history, the creation of mental images, lack of supporting information, and media influence. Participants provided researchers with suggestions to improve the messages and create a more favorable response from consumers. Further research should be done in this area to continue to improve the effectiveness of agricultural messages. In addition, this research should be replicated in other geographic locations. The implications of this study provide valuable information for agricultural communicators, commodity organizations, industry professionals, and those wanting to tell the story of agriculture.

Trying to Relate Media Relations Training Needs of Agricultural Scientists

This study uses a descriptive survey to examine the perceptions agricultural scientists have of the news media and the perceived need for media relations skills. The results showed that respondents were more negative about national news coverage and more positive about local news coverage of agricultural and scientific stories. They also were more favorable in their perceptions of coverage of general science topics than of stories in their agricultural discipline. Significant differences were found in respondents’ confidence in communicating with the news media on the basis of gender and age. Overall, respondents were confident in their media relations capabilities; however, areas in which respondents indicated they might take training included communicating in crisis situations and writing newspaper columns.

Communicating in the Public Sphere: Attitudes Toward Different Public Instructional Communication Methods

An effective response to global environmental challenges requires analysis of communication patterns, processes and approaches. In addition, improving communication through emerging information and communication technologies (ICT) also must be explored. Understanding recipients’ perception of the innovations used in information diffusion is also necessary. This study, using a sample of 120 subjects, examined attitudes of leaders of community-based natural resources organizations toward two approaches used in public instructional communication in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. The quasi-experimental study also explored the effect of demographic variables on subjects’ attitudes. The results demonstrated more favorable attitudes toward the visualized method than the traditional verbal method, suggesting subjects’ preference and acceptance for the visualized public instructional communication approaches. Results also indicated a differential effect of age on attitude toward methods of communication. The results of the study highlight the importance for practitioners to use integrated communication approaches in the public sphere. Suggestions for future research are offered.

Framing Biotechnology: A Comparison of U.S. and British National Newspapers

Despite the potential promise of agricultural biotechnology, consumers’ trust and acceptance varies in some parts of the world. To develop a deeper understanding of the differences in news media coverage of agricultural biotechnology in U.S. and British newspapers, a framing analysis study was conducted, focusing on the news coverage of three major national “newspapers of record” during the calendar year 2002: The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian. No single frame was dominant in U.S. or British national newspaper coverage of agricultural biotechnology in 2002. Some of the prominent frames were contamination of the food supply, human risk, environmental risk, scientific progress, and world hunger. There were more different frames used in The Guardian (concepts as consumer choice, dependency, and politics) than in the U.S. newspapers. Additionally, this study reiterated findings that British news coverage included more editorial coverage of agricultural biotechnology. This research is available in Journal of Applied Communications: https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol88/iss2/2