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Undergraduate students should be able to identify relationships between agricultural and natural resources (ANR) issues to be prepared for ANR sector jobs. The purpose of this study was to determine if communication courses focused on teaching about ANR issues influenced students' understanding of the relational nature of these issues. A pre/posttest research design was given to undergraduate students enrolled in communication courses at three universities that addressed communicating about nine ANR issues. After descriptive analysis, the data was visualized and density was calculated using social network analysis software. Prior to the course, the strongest perceived relationship was between food safety and food security, followed by water and animal health. After the course, the strongest perceived relationship was between water and food security, followed closely by water and conservation. Visually, water was central to the network of issues, followed by food security, and conservation. The density of the perceived interconnectedness of the issues indicated the respondents did perceive the nine ANR issues were more closely related after taking the course than before. In this case, courses focused on communicating about ANR issues assisted students in being able to convey how these issues are interdependent, preparing them for the workforce.

The competencies addressed by undergraduate agricultural education programs should be assessed so programs are effective in supplying a well-prepared agricultural- and natural resources-oriented workforce, and so human capital is optimized. In this study, agricultural and natural resources leaders were surveyed to determine the workforce competencies they believed graduates of post-secondary agricultural education programs should have obtained. An Internet based survey was distributed to graduates of an agricultural leadership development (ALT) group and a natural resources leadership development (NRLT) Group. The highest-rated workforce competency categories for the ALT group were being dependable (n = 103), critical thinking (n = 101), strategic planning (n = 98), and clear communication (n = 98); the highest-rated categories for the NRLT group were active listening (n = 73), clear communication (n = 72), and problem solving skills (n = 72). The personal and leadership skills subscales were not significantly different, but natural resources leaders ranked communication competencies as more important than agricultural leaders. Agricultural educators should evaluate the workforce competencies offered in their undergraduate programs and have deliberate conversations about meeting industry needs to better prepare a future workforce.

Agriculture organization (AO) members are key stakeholders within the agriculture and natural resources (ANR) sector, and their engagement in policy decisions can help direct future policy formulation and implementation. Such policies and regulations are often determined by and voted upon by elected officials, and, therefore, the decisions made by those officials have become key influencers of the functionality and future direction of agricultural operations. This study was conducted to examine the impact of AO members' perceptions, abilities, and prior efforts on their likeliness of contacting an elected official and engaging in ANR policy. AO members in this study who had greater confidence in their abilities to engage in ANR policy and had previously contacted an elected official were more likely to contact an elected official about a future policy. AO members who had more favorable beliefs about how elected officials prepare to vote, however, were less likely to engage in ANR policy by contacting an elected official. Future practice should include training and educational opportunities to enhance AO members' perceptions of their ability to engage with their elected officials and influence ANR policy decisions. Future research should be conducted to gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by AO members when contacting elected officials and engaging in ANR policy.

This study was designed to measure instructional design competencies as a result of participation in a 9-month Web-based training program called "Roadmap to Effective Distance Education Instructional Design." The researchers used a self-assessment pre- and posttest to determine participant initial and final competence in 12 areas: adult learning, understanding teaching at a distance, instructional design, course development, delivery strategies for teaching at a distance, instructional technology resources, advanced interaction methods, accessibility, planning and conducting evaluation, evaluation analysis and reporting, administrative issues, and training and support. Open-ended verification narratives were analyzed using the constant comparative method. This competency model worked well to document learning as a result of participation in the program. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)

This article provides an overview of a 6-university collaborative project, "Roadmap to Effective Distance Education Instructional Design." This project developed instructional materials and innovative approaches to better prepare instructional designers at land-grant universities and other universities with agricultural academic programs to support their universities' distance education teaching programs. Previous studies indicate that distance education faculty training is conducted by staff instructional designers, and that a large percentage of these instructional designers do not have training or knowledge of distance education instructional design methods before being hired at their universities. The case study outlined in this article describes the process the project development team undertook, research results to date, and the collaboration process among partnering institutions. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)

Quality in distance education has been studied mostly from a top-down approach, from administration and faculty to students. This study was an attempt to understand quality through the eyes of the distance learner. This study identified undergraduate and graduate students' perceptions about quality in distance education, examining factors affecting the quality of a distance education course from the student's point of view. Communication was the factor identified most as contributing to quality in distance education courses. Students also indicated effective and ineffective ways communication tools--electronic mail, discussion groups, and chats--are used. Students' responses point to the importance of building learning communities and of faculty providing timely feedback.

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 institution's 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.

A qualitative study of four faculty members serving as group leaders during a distance-learning project involving Texas A&M, the University of Nairobi (Kenya), and the University of Zimbabwe determined that extended planning time and extensive collaboration between faculty members in participating countries are essential for multinational videoconference projects to succeed. (Author/PEN)

The agricultural sector has been influenced significantly by agriculture and natural resources (ANR) policies voted in by elected officials. Many agricultural organizations and their members have sought to provide a 'voice' for the ANR industry and communicate with policymakers about emerging issues. It is necessary that such organizations and members be able to use that voice effectively. This study was conducted to examine the communication preferences of Florida agricultural organization members and factors that may encourage them to contact elected officials about an ANR policy. Respondents in this study least preferred to be contacted by their organization(s) via phone call or text message. They also identified local Extension offices and the university as the most trustworthy sources of communication regarding ANR policy. When contacting members to spur involvement in ANR policy decisions, organizational leaders should use a variety of communication mediums, including email magazines and printed newsletters and magazines, to promote engagement in ANR policy discussions. Future research is needed to examine other factors that may influence agriculture organization members' communication with elected officials, as well as the types of messaging strategies organizational leaders can use to further members' engagement in ANR policy decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millennial consumers are stepping into important roles as decision makers and consumers. A knowledge and communication gap exists between cattle producers and consumers this knowledge seeking generation. This study focused on collegiate millennials' perceptions of locally produced beef. The research design was qualitative in nature using focus groups. Participants associated the beef industry and beef products with the environment, management practices, treatment of animals, human health concerns, retail, experience with the beef industry, experience with beef, and transparency. Results of this study showed participants had minimal knowledge of the industry and relatively negative perceptions of the industry and beef products. Participants were skeptical of communication materials promotion beef and expressed particular distrust toward video messages. Participants revealed a knowledge and communication gap between producers and consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]