Students often enroll in agricultural communication courses for personal and professional reasons. Frequently, students from an agricultural background tend to hold pro-production agriculture perspectives. This study examined whether pre-existing perspectives were fixed or whether exposure to alternative views may stimulate critical reflection and expand thinking. Specifically, we sought to explore students’ reactions when exposed to guest speakers with both positive and negative perceptions about agricultural issues. Speakers included faculty and professionals with supportive and critical views on agricultural production. Eighteen students submitted four reflections each, focused on reacting to individual speakers and related class materials. The reflections were deductively coded using transformative learning as a guide, specifically looking for examples in which students’ pre-existing perceptions were challenged and examples of students’ growth toward new perspectives.

Our analysis indicated at the beginning of the semester most students were uncomfortable with the speakers’ topics. For example, reflections on animal welfare were a major recurring theme. One student shared, “[The animal welfare topic was] personal to me… I had…an emotional investment in [it]… [The] presentations… required me to expand my views…” We found that at the end of the semester, students became more accepting of diverse perspectives. One student shared, “I thought I knew about animal welfare… [but this course helped me grow] my own knowledge.” Transformative learning theory indicates exposing students to differing perspectives is crucial for promoting personal growth, critical thinking, appreciation of diverse opinions, and improving active listening. The use of open reflections allowed students to document evolving perspectives and identify personal growth areas. Expanding this approach to include a broader range of topics could provide a more comprehensive understanding of how students process and adapt their beliefs in response to new information. Future research should replicate these findings in diverse classroom environments, particularly within agricultural contexts.