Session moderated by Misti Sharp

Presentation 1 - Learning Social Media Marketing Through Simulations    
Elizabeth Berner    
University of Arkansas    

Social media is a key component of integrated marketing communications taught in agricultural communications programs. Marketing communicators use social media platforms to engage with networks or communities of people based on shared values and ideas. Instructing students in the theory and data aspects of social media can be accomplished through traditional classroom delivery methods, but students must apply concepts in social media platforms to be sufficiently prepared for future jobs. Thus, the goal of this presentation is to describe how instructional delivery was expanded through the incorporation of social media simulations to prepare students for internships and job opportunities. Stukent Mimic social simulation software was used to provide an experiential learning experience for students enrolled in the class. The software package included a digital textbook with quizzes, a company description (Buhi) which included market research, a company hierarchy for role-based work, business communication simulations, and 12 rounds of social media simulations. Instruction and coursework for 14 of the 29 classes during the semester focused on social media concepts. Due to time constraints and the structure of the course only eight of the total 12 simulation rounds were completed by students. Simulations were automatically evaluated through the platform and students received a performance grade (up to 20), but no feedback regarding their performance from the software. Three graduate students and 33 undergraduate students completed the course and engaged with the software. Students were able to verbalize their successes and challenges along with developing actionable strategies to test with the next simulation through the in-class debrief sessions. Students verbalized some frustrations with the software and a few minor technical issues, but no one reported negative feedback in the course evaluations. The instructor plans to use the software simulation for future iterations of the course with adjustments based on student feedback.

Presentation 2 - Picture This: Initiating Public Reflection with Padlet    
Fisher EasleySmith    
New Mexico State University    

Reflection is often integrated into higher education classrooms to help students build knowledge and develop learning skills. In today's classroom, instructors must use strategic pedagogic interventions to develop broad-scale approaches to reflection. One method of intervention is integrating technology to change conditions for promoting reflection. The use of technology has been found to encourage deep learning and higher levels of reflection when compared to face-to-face methods. Using technologies including RocketCards for private reflection and Padlet for public reflection, we sought to determine if students found public reflection using technology to improve to their learning. During the semester, 19 students submitted reflection responses to prompts provided in class. Private reflections using RocketCards were completed in the first half of the semester, and public reflections accompanied with an image on Padlet were completed in the latter half of the semester. Padlet posts were reviewed in class to further encourage active engagement and reflection discussion among peers. We received 17 responses to a structured, open-ended survey after students engaged in both private and public reflection techniques. Seventy-six percent of students preferred using Padlet for public reflection over private reflections. Collectively, students stated they found public reflection to be a beneficial learning tool which helped them better understand course concepts. Visuals used in posts were also seen as positive learning tool helping students remember their reflections and course material. They linked course improvement to positive peer accountability as they were conscious about their reflections, knowing their peers would see them in real time. Overall, public reflections using Padlet technology were highly regarded by students. Students found the tool to be fun and engaging. After this experience, we have examples and tips for incorporating this activity into future classrooms.  We recommend this activity for course introductions and as a potential replacement for discussion boards.
 

Presentation 3 - Using the World Wide Web to Enhance Agriculture Education: How Web Sites and YouTubes Help Form Public Spheres For Sharing the Science Around Regenerative Agriculture    
Judith White    
University of New Mexico    

For the past 10 years or so, regenerative agriculture practices have gained ground among activists, farmers, producers of agricultural products, and consumers to promote farming and grazing operations that promise to "reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity - resulting in both carbon drawdown and improving the water cycle (https://regenerationinternational.org/why-regenerative-agriculture). However, many sectors of the public, including some agricultural scientists, teachers, and students, remain largely uninformed about regenerative agriculture or reject its claimed benefits. To build awareness and transfer knowledge about these practices, proponents of regenerative agriculture techniques use internet sites and YouTubes as auxiliary information channels. This presentation will share the results of a content analysis of a purposive sample of these sites, emphasizing recurrent themes, delivery modalities used, and suggestions for use of such sites in education contexts.

This study examined 10 such sites, selected based on a cross sectional sample of static internet sites, interactive internet sites, and YouTubes and taking into account the types of organizations creating such sites. Using the lens of Habermas' conceptions of the public sphere, as well as McLuhan's theory of media ecology, the communication theory of relational dialectics 2.0, and Rogers' and Singhal's work on entertainment education, the authors sought to identify salient themes in the sites, pinpoint the modality used, and how the site creators did or did not visualize educational uses of their sites. The authors' talk will provide a window into the content and potential efficacy of internet published material and internet videos, seeking to elaborate how scientists, teachers, students, and practitioners use new media to build common ground within the public sphere concerning the science behind regenerative agriculture.
 

Presentation 4 - Student Enjoyment of a Virtual Reality Livestock Farm Industry Tour is Influenced by Past Experiences     
Lauren Underwood    
Texas Tech University, Amarillo    

The study objective was to measure the student’s experience of virtual reality (VR) in a species-specific welfare farm tour on a swine or dairy farm. A total of 71 students (32 undergraduates, 33 graduates, 6 veterinarian students) were enrolled in the study. A pre-experience survey was given to students before using the VR headset. Following the pre-experience survey, students viewed a 6-8 minute guided VR tour of one farm. Students then experienced an interactive portion at their own pace, including interactive hotspots with in-depth welfare case studies, videos with farm employees, and husbandry practice overviews. After completing the interactive portion, individuals completed a post-experience survey that assessed their experience on the VR farm tour. Surveys utilized a 1-to-5 Likert scale, with 1 representing strongly disagree and 5 as strongly agree. Students self identified as those with no experience (NONE), experience only with Augmented Reality (AR), experience with only Virtual Reality (VR), or experience with both (BOTH). Students who had used only VR in the past reported enjoying the VR compared to those with experience only in AR (VR experience: 4.39 ± 0.6; AR: 2.25 ± 0.5; P = 0.04). Additionally, VR experienced students view the tour as a good supplement to visiting a farm (VR: 4.43 ± 0.5; AR: 2.67 ± 0.5; P = 0.03). Students with experience are more likely to recommend VR to a classmate (VR: 4.83 ± 0.6; AR: 2.63 ± 0.5; P = 0.02). Despite these findings, no differences were present for those identified as NONE or BOTH (P > 0.05). These findings suggest that students who enjoy augmented reality may overestimate their comfort with technology or may not be interested in virtual reality, while those with previous VR experience find little barriers to educational use. More work is necessary to understand this relationship.
 

Presentation 5 - Online Seminars to Encourage Awareness of Roles Women Play in International Development: A Comparison of Pre and Post Survey Results    
Megan Greenwood    
Texas A&M University    

Future agriculture leaders must be gender-sensitive to promote change and address inequities. Gender-focused curriculum is a valuable tool for students, practitioners, and faculty who seek to address gender-focused gaps in their careers, communities, and classrooms. The Gender Lensed Curricula for Development (GLCD) project aims to bring awareness to roles that women play in international development by providing educational materials produced by subject experts. Virtual seminars, lasting 60 minutes, hosted by topic experts have been conducted from September 2021 through current date and are open to the public. Pre-survey and post-survey data were collected from seminar participants to capture change in topic proficiency. Survey data was analyzed across seven seminars, each consisting of a pre-survey and post-survey. One hundred nine surveys were completed by 63 individuals. Across all completed presurvey instruments, respondents averaged 67.73% correct answers. After attending the seminar, respondents averaged 74.09% correct answers, revealing an improved understanding of the topic by slightly over 6% following attendance of the seminar. These findings support the use of expert-led discussions regarding the roles of women in development to serve as valuable educational opportunities. Agriculture is embedded across international development; thus, the importance of agricultural practitioners, faculty, and students being aware of the role that women plan in international development, as well as nationally within the U.S., is critical. This presentation will include an overview of the curriculum studied and provide guidance on how to freely access it.