Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Professional communicators and publication relations professionals in the agriculture industry are the primary consumers of information related to Objective 1. Audiences associated with the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists and with the Association for communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences are key. For Objective 2, the target audiences include other agricultural communications faculty members in U.S. Colleges of Agriculture as well as administrators considering developing or improving existing academic programs in agricultural communications. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The Experiential Learning Laboratory provided practical learning opportunities and professional development to six undergraduate agricultural communications students in 2013. These students further developed their professional communications skills while also gaining experience in business development, consulting, and client management. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? In 2013, three articles were published in academic journals in the disciplines of agricultural communications and agricultural education. Additionally, two research abstracts were presented in the form of poster refereed poster presentations at research conferences attended by professionals and academics in these disciplines. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? This project concluded in 2013. A new, similar project, “Improving Agricultural Communications: Research and Evaluation in Practice and Pedagogy” was approved and will begin in 2014. Research will focus on improving the agriculture industry’s efforts to communicate about technologies and issues with consumers as well as agricultural producers. Also, research on how best to develop agricultural communications professionals through formal higher education academic programs will continue.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: A qualitative study describing how swine confinement was portrayed in YouTube videos was completed. Findings of the YouTube study indicated that coverage was primarily negative in tone and that the term crate was associated with negative attitudes toward confinement, while stall was associated with positive attitudes toward confinement. Settings involving outdoors and farms were also associated with negative attitudes toward confinement. Results and recommendations for public relations practitioners and researchers are now in manuscript form and have been submitted to multiple academic outlets. Objective 2: Work on the development of an Experiential Learning Laboratory for agricultural communications students continued. In 2013, the lab provided 6 undergraduate students with experiential learning opportunities and served 14 unique clients in the agriculture industry, government, and academe. Additionally, two other experiential learning programs—a study tour and a capstone course—in the discipline of agricultural communications were evaluated. The Agricultural Communications Experiential Learning Laboratory took in $11,000 in its first full year of operation and was economically self-sustaining. Two abstracts describing the pedagogical methodology of the Experiential Learning Laboratory were published in academic proceedings, and both of were recognized with awards of distinction. Further, evaluations of a study abroad experience in Belgium and a capstone course were conducted, adding to the body of knowledge regarding agricultural communications curriculum in higher education. Results of both evaluations were published this year in refereed academic journals.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Large, M. & Miller, J. D. (2013). The Experiential Learning Lab: A pathway to real-world experience. Poster abstract accepted for presentation at the 2013 Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, Orlando, FL, February 3-4, 2013. (Reviewed poster with published abstract in proceedings). (Selected as runner-up outstanding innovative poster)
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Large, M. & Miller, J. D. (2013). The Experiential Learning Lab: A pathway to real-world experience. Poster abstract presented at the 2013 AAAE National Agricultural Education Research Conference, Columbus, OH, May 21, 2013. (Reviewed poster with published abstract in proceedings). (Selected as outstanding innovative poster)
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
McKenna, S., Miller, J. D., and Jack, N. (in press). Determining the Usefulness of an Advising Video for an Animal Science Department. NACTA Journal.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Northfell, A., Edgar, L. D., Miller, J. D., & Cox, C. K. (2013). Using reflective journals to gain insight to an agricultural communication intensive study tour. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education, 20(3). DOI: 10:5191/jiaee.2013.20304. Available at https://www.aiaee.org/vol-203-fall-13/1554-using-reflective-journals-to-gain-insight-into-an-agricultural-communications-intensive-study-tour.html
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Rushing, T., Miller, J. D., Edgar, L. D., & Cox, C. (in press). Finding the five R's in exemplary agricultural publication capstone courses. Journal of Applied Communications.
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Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Objective 1: A new line of inquiry was begun to examine how perceptions of agricultural issues are affected by website design characteristics. Using focus group methodology, websites providing information about lean, finely textured beef were examined, and various design characteristics were identified and helpful or not helpful in aiding readers to understand and believe the textual content. Additionally, a project to analyze the marketing communications activities of the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board entered its first phase in late 2012, with research findings expected to be available in mid 2013. Objective 2; Research on agricultural communications academic curricula culminated with the dissemination of findings related to an examination of successful agricultural communications magazine capstone courses at three Land Grant Institutions. Also, in terms of improving student learning in the discipline of agricultural communications, a new laboratory was established in which undergraduate and graduate students provide communications services for agricultural researchers, supporting their efforts to transfer their research findings and recommendations to end users in agricultural production. PARTICIPANTS: Leslie Edgar, University of Arkansas Agricultural and Extension Education; Chase Hundley, University of Arkansas Agricultural and Extension Education; Kathi Jogan, University of Arkansas Animal Science; Traci Rhodes Rushing, University of Arkansas Agricultural and Extension Education. TARGET AUDIENCES: Professional communicators and publication relations professionals in the agriculture industry are the primary consumers of information related to Objective 1. Audiences associated with the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists and with the Association for communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences are key. For Objective 2, the target audiences will include other agricultural communications faculty members in U.S. Colleges of Agriculture as well as administrators considering developing or improving existing academic programs in agricultural communications. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Focus group results indicated the importance of key website design characteristics in communicating about controversial consumer issues like lean, finely textured beef (pink slime). Key characteristics included quality graphics, proper fonts, hyperlinks to credible sources, and links to social media. Ultimately, the results indicated that perceptions of credibility are linked closely to cleaner, more aesthetically pleasing, and more modern designs. Results of the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board communication evaluation project are forthcoming and will directly impact the actions of the ASPB in the future. Further, related to research on improving academic educational efforts in agricultural communications programs, an article in NACTA Journal provided a revised model for instructors of agricultural communications magazine capstone courses. The model incorporates key characteristics that are common among the three most prestigious magazine capstone courses in the United States.
Publications
- Hundley, C. T., Rhodes, T. N., & Miller, J. D., & Jogan, K. (2012). Clients perceptions of the quality of services provided by agricultural communications students in a service learning project. Proceedings of the 2012 Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists Agricultural Communications Research Conference, Mobile, AL, February 5-6, 2012.
- Hundley, C. T. & Miller, J. D. (2012). Using focus groups to evaluate perceptions of agriculture through the web. Poster presented at the 2012 Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists Agricultural Communications Research Conference, Mobile, AL, February 5-6, 2012. [Refereed Abstract]
- Rhodes, T. N., Miller, J. D., & Edgar, L. E. (2012). Evaluating capstone courses: Employing the Five Rs Model to analyze an agricultural communications magazine class. NACTA Journal, 56(10), 9-16.
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Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Objective 1: Dissemination of research findings related to agritourism business owners' communications training needs culminated in the form of an article in the Journal of Applied Communications. Objective 2; Research on agricultural communications academic curricula progressed with the development of qualitative investigations describing the characteristics of successful agricultural magazine capstone courses and the integration of agricultural communications into curricula in other disciplines. PARTICIPANTS: Dan Rainey, UA Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness; Biswa Das, Kansas State University Agricultural Economics; Stacey McCullough, Arkansas cooperative Extension Service; Traci Rhodes, University of Arkansas Agricultural and Extension Education; Leslie Edgar, University of Arkansas Agricultural Education; Don Edgar, University of Arkansas Agricultural and Extension Education. TARGET AUDIENCES: Professional communicators and publication relations professionals in the agriculture industry are the primary consumers of information related to Objective 1. Audiences associated with the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists and with the Association for communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences are key. For Objective 2, the target audiences will include other agricultural communications faculty members in U.S. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: None
Impacts
Survey results regarding communications training needs in the agritourism industry bolstered grant-writing efforts. Two grant proposals were submitted in 2011 in support of projects that would include integrated research and extension efforts addressing the educational needs of agritourism business operators. A statewide workshop attended by more than 90 agritourism professionals also was fueled and guided by the original research effort.
Publications
- Edgar, D. W., Edgar, L. E., & Miller, J. D. (2011, January-February). Putting it all together! Capstone experiences and projects. Agricultural Education Magazine, 83(1), 21-22.
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Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Objective 1: Data collected in 2009 on agritourism businesses in Arkansas were analyzed and reported on in 2010, as a funded project from the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service Public Policy Center came to a close. Objective 2: The PI has joined with agricultural economics and agricultural policy researchers and Extension educators to develop and deliver educational programming for agritourism business owners. Collaboration with the Arkansas Agritourism Initiative has resulted in the development of a two-day workshop to be delivered in 2011. A portion of the workshop will focus on media relations skills and tactics for agritourism business owners. Also, a series of short workshops focusing on social media marketing skills were delivered to selected small business owners across the state in 2010. In the classroom, the PI developed and evaluated a new capstone experiential learning course in publication production, which is leading to the development of a new model for capstone courses in agricultural communications. PARTICIPANTS: Dan Rainey, UA Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness; Biswa Das, Kansas State University Agricultural Economics; Stacey McCullough, Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service; Kim Magee, Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service; Leslie Edgar, UA Agricultural and Extension Education. TARGET AUDIENCES: Professional communicators and public relations professionals in the agriculture industry are the primary consumers of information related to Objective 1. Audiences associated with the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists and with the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences are key. For Objective 2, especially the ongoing research and educational efforts related to agritourism, the target audiences will include young small- and mid-sized farmers who are or who aspire to be agritourism business proprietors. The social media workshops specifically target rural small business owners. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: No modifications to report at this time.
Impacts
Results related to research on marketing communications in the agriculture industry continued to be well received by academicians as well as practitioners. Survey results showed the need for the development of more educational programming targeting marketing skills among agritourism business owners. As a result, more research is being developed in 2011 that will include a deeper examination of the industry and its economic impact across the state. Outreach program planning is also underway help agritourism business owners improve their business management and marketing practices. Also, as a result of their participation in social media workshops in 2010, participants in the social media workshops who had no previous skills in social media developed skill with Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Flickr.
Publications
- Miller, J.D., McCullough, S.W., Rainey, D.V., & Das, B. (2010). Arkansas agritourism business Operators: Who they are, how they communicate, what they want to learn, and how they want to learn it. Proceedings of the 107th Association of Agricultural Scientists Agricultural Communications Section Annual Meeting, February 8, 2010, Orlando, FL. (Selected as Outstanding Faculty Research Paper Presentation)
- Rainey, D.V., McCullough, S., & Das, B.R. (2010). Agritourism Development in Arkansas: Economics and Associated Constraints. Final report prepared for the Public Policy Center, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Little Rock, AR.
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Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Objective 1: New research focusing on communications in Arkansas' agritourism industry is resulted in a collection of data that will impact the development of educational materials for the industry. A manuscript based on initial data was shared at the National meeting of the Association for Communications Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences. Additionally, a journal article from previous research on a focus group study to identify barriers for the agritourism industry in the U.S. Virgin Islands was published in the Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education. Findings demonstrated how focus groups could be a useful technique to build linkages between the agriculture and tourism industries in developing countries. Objective 2: The PI has joined with agricultural economics and agricultural policy researchers and Extension educators to develop pilot materials for a workshop on using social media to market rural small businesses. A grant from the Extension E-commerce Initiative helped fund the project. The 6-day modular pilot workshop will be evaluated and the results of the pilot project and its evaluation will be used to develop larger-scale non-formal educational materials. PARTICIPANTS: Francis Mwaijande, UA Public Policy Graduate Student, Eric Wailes, UA Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness; Louis Peterson, Commissioner of Agriculture, U.S. Virgin Islands; Dan Rainey, UA Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness; Biswa Das, Kansas State University Agricultural Economics; Stacey McCullough, Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service; Leslie Edgar, UA Agricultural and Extension Education TARGET AUDIENCES: Professional communicators and public relations professionals in the agriculture industry are the primary consumers of information related to Objective 1. Audiences associated with the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists and with the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences are key. For Objective 2, especially the ongoing research and educational efforts related to agritourism, the target audiences will include young small- and mid-sized farmers who are or who aspire to be agritourism business proprietors. The social media workshops specifically target rural small business owners. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: There were no modifications.
Impacts
Results related to research on marketing communications in the agriculture industry continued to be well received by academicians as well as practitioners. Key findings described the demographics of agritourism operators in Arkansas, their marketing communications tactics, and their desire to learn more about marketing communications from the Cooperative Extension Service. The agritourism survey findings also had implications for Objective 2 of this project: The survey findings led to the generation of a proposal to the Southern Risk Management and Education Center to develop a video documenting best management practices for southern agritourism business operators. In addition, several small business owners in rural central Arkansas have been targeted as pilot social media workshop participants in March 2010.
Publications
- Mwaijande, F. Miller, J .D., Wailes, E., & Peterson, L. (2009). The value of focus group discussions for understanding barriers to agriculture-tourism linkages in developing regions. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education, 16(3).
- Miller, J.D. & Panach, M.A. (2009). Sources and framing in print news coverage of a water quality dispute. Proceedings of the 106th Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists Agricultural Communications Section Annual Meeting. Retrieved from http://agnews.tamu.edu/saas/ saasproceedings.html
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Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Objective 1: Results of a case-study analyzing news coverage of the Oklahoma-Arkansas water quality dispute continue to be disseminated in the form of academic manuscripts. Findings resulted in practical advice for communicators involved in the dispute. New research focusing on communications in Arkansas' agritourism industry is underway. Additionally, the PI and his team have delivered workshops for Arkansas agritourism proprieters and helped coordinate a media event publicizing agritourism in Arkansas and the newly formed Arkansas Agritourism Initiative. Additionally, a journal article from previous research on public perceptions of genetically modified food labels was published in the Journal of Applied Communications. Objective 2: The PI has joined with agricultural economics and agricultural policy researchers to create a telephone survey analyzing the educational needs of the Arkansas agritourism industry. The results of the educational needs assessment will guide curriculum and program development, including formal and non-formal training on marketing communications in agritourism. PARTICIPANTS: Dan Rainey, UA Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness; Biswa Das, Kansas State University Agricultural Economics; Macey Panach, UA graduate student; Katie Amaral, UA graduate student; Joe Foster, Winthrop Raockefeller Institute Project Director; Mary Hightower, Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service; Stacey McCullough, Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service; Courtney Meyers, Texas Tech University Agricultural Education and Communications TARGET AUDIENCES: Professional communicators and public relations professionals in the agriculture industry are the primary consumers of information related to Objective 1. Audiences associated with the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists and with the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences are key. For Objective 2, especially the ongoing research and educational efforts related to agritourism, the target audiences will include small- and mid-sized farmers who are or who aspire to be agritourism business proprietors. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Results related to the study of media framing in the Oklahoma-Arkansas water quality dispute were presented at the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists Agricultural Communications Section meeting and were well-received by the academic community. The primary journalistic frames emerging in the media related to this issue included "education" (a neutral frame) and "responsibility" (a more biased frame). Conspicuously absent as a frame was "safety," a common neutral media frame in crisis situations and usually a desirable frame from a public relations perspective. It was suggested that University scientists were a source to which reporters should have been directed more often. These findings have important implications for industry communicators as well as for University researchers and Extension personnel who have expertise on the issue of groundwater quality. Results related to Objective 2 are will emerge in 2009 as the agritourism industry survey nears completion. Grant proposals to support further research and education efforts in the agritourism industry remain under development and review.
Publications
- Meyers, C.A. & Miller, J.D. (2007). Selected consumers evaluations of genetically modified food labels. Journal of Applied Communications, 91(1&2), 15-29.
- Miller, J.D. & Panach, M.A. (2009). Sources and framing in print news coverage of a water quality dispute in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Paper presented at the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists Agricultural Communications Section Annual Meeting, February 1-2, Atlanta, GA.
- Miller, J.D., Edgar, L.E., and Amaral, K.A. (2008). The Arkansas Agritourism Intiative. Poster presented at the National Agricultural Education Research Conference, Reno, NV, May 20-23, 2008.
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Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Objective 1 Case-study work related to the analysis of news coverage of the Oklahoma-Arkansas water quality dispute came to a close and entered the dissemination stage. Findings resulted in practical advice for communicators involved in the dispute.. Objective 2 The PI has taken a prominent role among a group of Arkansas leaders working together to promote agricultural tourism in the state. The group, calling itself the Arkansas Agritourism Initiative, is involved in developing a media campaign and a series of expositions for agritourism business owners. A USDA NRI grant proposal is under development to identify educational needs and to support educational efforts, including an agritourism business management and communications guidebook, regional workshops, and an on-line Masters-level course in agritourism business management and communications. In addition, a final manuscript related to previous research on genetically modified food labeling was accepted for publication
in the Journal of Applied Communications.
PARTICIPANTS: Courtney (Wimmer) Meyers, AECT graduate student; Sarah (Heuer) Hale, AECT graduate student; Macey Panach, AECT graduate student; Jay Mirus, AECT graduate student; Katy Amaral, AECT graduate student; Joe Foster, Winthrop Rockefeller Institute Project Director; Mary Hightower, Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service; Stacey McCullough, Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service; Jennie Popp, UA Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness faculty; Casandra Cox, AECT faculty
TARGET AUDIENCES: Professional communicators and public relations professionals in the agriculture industry are the primary consumers of information related to Objective 1. Audiences at the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences are key. For Objective 2, especially the ongoing research and educational efforts related to agritourism, the target audiences will include small- and mid-sized farmers who are or who aspire to be agritourism business proprietors.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: No modifications at this time.
Impacts
Results related to Objective 1 were disseminated in the form of a Masters thesis and have been submitted for presentation at the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences. Specifically, the two groups at odds in the issue, the Oklahoma Attorney Generals office and area poultry producers, proved to be following sound, theory-based public relations practices by appointing spokespeople to be the main communications contacts for the media. The primary frames emerging in the media related to this issue included education and responsibility. Conspicuously absent as a frame was safety, a common media frame in crisis situations and usually a desirable frame from a public relations perspective. Finally, it was suggested that University scientists were a source to which reporters should have been directed more often. These findings have important implications for industry communicators as well as for agricultural
researchers at universities. Results related to Objective 2 are forthcoming, as the Arkansas Agritourism Initiative makes headway with its needs assessment, communications campaign, and educational efforts.
Publications
- Panach, M.A., Miller, J.D., and Cox, C. (2007, May). Improving Arkansas 4-H State O Rama Agricultural Communications Events. Poster presentation at the Southern Region Agricultural Education Research Conference, Mobile, AL, May 16-18, 2007.
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Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
Objective #1 Work on the communications aspects of public acceptability of biotechnology continued and came to a close. Practical findings related to consumers' perceptions of food labels on genetically modified foods were reported. Additionally, this research project took a new direction, as crisis communication became the focus. One media study on the newspaper coverage of poultry food recalls provided valuable information about how journalists cover these types of issues. Another media study is underway to examine news coverage of a legal conflict between Oklahoma and the Arkansas poultry industry regarding water quality. Objective #2 Three projects related to academic programs in agricultural communications highlighted the year. A content analysis of the primary journal for the discipline provided good insight into the research foci of agricultural communications. Also, an employer survey of curriculum needs of the agricultural communications undergraduate program
at Arkansas provided some guidance for planning the growth of the program. Finally, a project to evaluate the Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences Web site was successful and practical and resulted in useful changes to the College's new web site.
Impacts
Results related to Objective 1 were shared with researchers and communications practitioners at various conferences. They add significantly to a limited body of knowledge about two important agricultural issues: labeling of genetically modified foods and mass communications during times of crisis. The research on food labeling led to some theoretically derived prototypical labels, which will be useful as industry and regulatory agencies work toward developing a labeling system for GM foods. The media study on coverage of poultry recalls has significant practical value to PR professionals in the poultry industry and has been shared with them through several venues. Results related to Objective 2 led to significant changes in the agricultural communications program and to the Bumpers College Web site. As a result of the employer survey, a philosophical shift has occurred in the agricultural communications curriculum, placing more emphasis on communications related
courses and less emphasis on the science and agriculture-related courses. As a result of the Web site evaluation, several changes were made to the beta version of the College Web site to facilitate ease of use for prospective students in particular.
Publications
- Fryar, M. & Miller, J.D. (2006). Arkansas employers perceptions of curricular needs of the University of Arkansas agricultural communications program. Proceedings of the Association for Communication Excellence Conference, Ontario, Canada, June, 2006.
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
Objective #1 New projects related to risk and crisis communications resulted in research findings with important implications for marketing and public relations professionals in the food industry. A focus group study to develop and evaluate potential label designs for foods containing genetically modified ingredients concluded that consumers in northwest Arkansas prefer labels that incorporate appeals to both the central and peripheral routes of persuasion. A second project focused on crisis communications characterized in the news coverage of three poultry meat recalls and examined if the frames present in organizational news releases were present in news coverage. Results showed that two key frames identified in the news releases, consumer education and company concern for consumer safety, were, indeed, the frames chosen by print journalists. Objective #2 A study of potential employers' perceptions of curriculum needs in the University of Arkansas agricultural
communications program was completed. Findings indicated that the Arkansas undergraduate curriculum should include more emphasis on specific communications skills and possibly less emphasis on agricultural education.
Impacts
The results of this years GM labeling study were significant and were eagerly consumed by the agricultural communications academic community. Two manuscripts resulting from this study were accepted to regional and national conferences, and one manuscript won the outstanding conference paper at the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists Agricultural Communications meeting. The results will likely be of interest to industry professionals as well, and plans for communicating the results through trade publications and mainstream media are under development. Likewise, the research on poultry recall communications and on agricultural academic programs was well-received by academic reviewers. The resulting manuscripts were accepted to a national conference and will be presented in Quebec City at the Association for Communication Excellence International Conference in June 2006.
Publications
- Miller, J.D. (2005). Survey research helps us know. Journal of Applied Communications, 89(2). 5-6.
- Wimmer, C., Heuer, S. and Miller, J.D. (2005, February) Using Role-Playing to Teach Risk and Crisis Communication Skills. Poster presented at the Southern Agricultural Education Research Conference, Little Rock, AR, February 2005. (Refereed Poster)
- Wimmer, C., Heuer, S. and Miller, J.D. (2005, June) Using Role-Playing to Teach Risk and Crisis Communication Skills. Poster presented at the National Agricultural Education Research Conference, San Antonio, TX, June 2005. (Refereed Poster)
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/30/04
Outputs
Objective #1 Work on measuring public perceptions of biotechnology continued as a collaborative project with a multi-state consortium to study the social acceptability of agricultural biotechnology wrapped up. Funds are still needed to support a national survey on public perceptions of agricultural biotechnology. Results from several studies on communicating about biotechnology were shared at a Farm Foundation conference at Tennessee State University, which was attended by agricultural scientists and communicators. Objective #2 A USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant proposal was submitted to fund a national curriculum needs assessment project but was unfunded. The proposal will be submitted again and will be strengthened by a new national effort among agricultural communications faculty to develop a core curriculum for the discipline. Additionally, a curriculum needs study for the University of Arkansas agricultural communications program is in the data collection
phase. The statewide survey project focuses on the needs of potential employers of agricultural communications graduates.
Impacts
Though a national study on public acceptability of agricultural biotechnology still awaits funding, a healthy dialogue among key scientists and communications experts related to communicating biotechnology was facilitated at the November Farm Foundation conference. The conference was attended by about 35 scientists and communicators. Also, though the USDA Challenge Grant proposal for a curriculum needs assessment was unfunded, its development sparked useful discussion among agricultural communications faculty at national meetings and played a role in the current effort among U.S. agricultural communications faculty to decide upon core curriculum areas in the relatively new academic discipline.
Publications
- Miller, J.D. (2004, November). Communicating about biotechnology: Research and recommendations for practice. Paper presented at the 2004 Farm Foundation Biotechnology Conference: Communicating Biotechnology Examining the Issues, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN.
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
Objective #1 Work on measuring public perceptions of biotechnology continued in the form of a collaborative project with a multi-state consortium to study the social acceptability of agricultural biotechnology. A national survey instrument was developed and pilot tested and is now ready for administration, pending funding. Also, in the process of developing the instrument, a national media content study was performed, and the results identified some trends in popular issues, tone of coverage, and terminology used to refer to the technology. The results were reported in an article in the Journal of Applied Communications (see publications). Objective #2 A collaborative project is underway to develop a set of core curricula for college-level agricultural communications programs. A USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant proposal was submitted to fund a curriculum needs assessment project, which will be followed by curriculum development and evaluation. Collaborating
faculty are at the University of Florida and Oklahoma State University.
Impacts
The national biotechnology survey instrument will provide public relations professionals, journalists, and scientists and others involved in communicating with the public about biotechnology with more evidence to use in characterizing their audiences. The curriculum development project has already sparked some useful discussion among the agricultural communications discipline at national meetings. The project will provide faculty at universities considering adding agricultural communications courses or degree programs with turn-key curriculum for the core courses in the agricultural communications discipline, as identified by academe and industry.
Publications
- Miller, J.D., Annou, M. & Wailes, E.J. (2003). Communicating biotechnology: Relationships between tone, issues, and terminology in U.S. print media coverage. Journal of Applied Communications, 87(3), 29-40.
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Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
Objective 1: Two groups of researchers in the UA Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, both with external funding to study public acceptability of new food-related technologies, recognized the need for focus group research and media content studies in their projects and invited collaboration. Two media content analyses and a focus group study helped describe public opinion and characterized past and present public communications efforts related to (1) food irradiation and (2) agricultural biotechnology. The results of the media content study on food irradiation, which showed new trends in coverage of food irradiation will be published in an upcoming issue of Dairy, Food, and Environmental Sanitation (Thomsen, Longstreth & Miller, in press). The focus group work led to the development of a survey instrument to evaluate the public acceptability of agricultural biotechnology in the United States. Possibly the most notable results to date are findings
from a content analysis of U.S. agricultural biotechnology coverage demonstrating that certain terms used in reference to biotechnology can be linked to the rhetorical tone of articles about biotechnology. These findings were shared in the Agricultural Communications section of the meeting of Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists (Miller, Annou, & Wailes, 2002). The presentation was selected as the Outstanding Presentation at the SAAS-Agricultural Communications meeting. Many of the meeting attendees were communications professionals employed by state Extension Services and Experiment Stations, which demonstrates the practical value of this project. One extramural grant proposal (Food Safety Consortium, $38,000, unfunded) was submitted in support of Objective 1, and a second is under development. Objective 2: Research relationships with faculty at universities with new and expanding agricultural communications undergraduate and graduate programs have been developed. A survey
instrument originating at Clemson University, which assesses agricultural communications professionals' perceptions of training needs for undergraduate students, is under review by faculty at the University of Arkansas and Texas Tech University. The final instrument will be used in regional surveys. The results of the regional surveys will provide information to guide further curriculum development in undergraduate and graduate agricultural communications academic programs.
Impacts
The content analysis findings that demonstrated relationships between tone and terminology used in reference to agricultural biotechnology are of particular use for communicators, who must choose terminology carefully in order to communicate most clearly. The findings are equally important for public opinion researchers, who must develop survey questions employing words that are least likely to elicit biased responses. Miller, Annou, and Wailes (2003) work demonstrated that three terms related to agricultural biotechnology are most commonly used in print media: "biotechnology," "genetically modified," and "genetically engineered." "Biotechnology" was least often associated with a negative tone; "genetically modified" was most often associated with a neutral tone; and "genetically engineered" was most often used in scientific reporting, where the tone toward biotechnology was usually positive.
Publications
- Thomsen, M.R.., Longstreth, M. & Miller, J.D. (2003). Media coverage of food irradiation. Dairy Food and Environmental Sanitation.
- Miller, J.D., Annou, M., & Wailes, E.J. (2003). Biotechnology: What's in a Name? Proceedings of the One Hundredth Meeting of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists Agricultural Communications Section. Available [online]: http://agnews.tamu.edu/saas/
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