I TOO HAVE A VOICE: THE LITERACY EXPERIENCES OF BLACK BOYS ENGAGING WITH AND RESPONDING TO AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE DEPICTING BLACK MALES

This study examined how the use of African American literature that depicts Black males influences the reading comprehension and the reading motivation of Black boys as demonstrated through oral, written, and creative expressions. Studies have been conducted using children’s literature with Black boys to examine their social interaction with the literature. However, there is limited research with Black boys interacting with African American literature depicting African American males. This research built upon and extended previous studies to determine the impact of the use of African American literature depicting Black males as an instructional strategy to influence the reading comprehension and motivation of Black boys. This study considered the use of creative responses to this literature, such as drama, writing, and visual arts. A qualitative case study design was employed. A purposeful sample of third, fourth, and fifth grade Black boys were recruited to participate in this study. The research took place in a northeastern city at a local community center from July 2011 to August 2011. Data were collected using several instruments. These instruments included a reading motivation survey, a reading inventory, semi-structured interview questions, interactive read-aloud book discussions, with oral and written responses from the boys. Triangulation of methods was utilized (survey, interviews, book discussions, and boys’ written and illustrated artifacts). Field notes were kept, and interviews were transcribed. All data were analyzed, and coded to identify patterns and themes that emerged from the data. Those themes were: The boys experienced new texts, had new reading aspirations and learned about their culture; the boys demonstrated comprehension of text through active engagement, discussions, drawings, and written responses; the boys experienced racial inequalities through literature; the boys were exposed to new mentors; the boys were empowered and could envision their futures through their summer reading; and, the boys demonstrated spiritual awareness. The result from the study indicate that using African American literature depicting Black males is a valuable tool that can lead to increased comprehension and motivation

Supporting Scholars in Training: A User Needs Survey of a Graduate Study Space

A separate study area reserved for faculty and graduate students was established at Auburn University’s Draughon Library in 2008, but, for many years, there was no formal effort to study the use of the space. In 2016, recognizing that the needs of these user groups differ in significant respects from those of undergraduates, the presenters developed a questionnaire to gather information on the faculty and graduate students using the area and the adequacy of the space to support their work practices. For two weeks in the summer and four weeks in the fall of 2016, users visiting the area were asked to complete a survey that asked about their departmental/college affiliation, how often they used the space and the length of time they spent there, the type of work they were doing, and whether anything was preventing them from accomplishing their goals. The questionnaire also invited users to provide additional feedback they had about the space. The presenters will share the results of their research, the steps they took to improve the study area based on the feedback they received, and the campus partnerships they forged to support the graduate “scholars in training” who are the primary users of this space. At the outset of the talk, audience members will be asked to lend their voices to the question of what elements are most important to library environments that aim to facilitate the academic work of graduate students

Narrowing the Farm-to-Plate Knowledge Gap through Semiotics and the Study of Consumer Responses Regarding Livestock Images

It has been suggested that a farm-to-plate knowledge gap exists between farmers and consumers. In addition, previous studies have concluded that U.S. citizens do not have accurate knowledge or perceptions about agriculture. It is thought that this absence of knowledge and existing misconceptions may be due to the images consumers see regularly through the media. In this research study, researchers used a directly administered questionnaire to evaluate consumers’ responses regarding the comparison of two livestock images. The study was conducted at the 2009 Ohio State Fair. Through voluntary participation, research participants answered questions regarding their perceptions of traditional and conventional livestock housing methods by viewing two images. In addition, participants were asked to justify each of their responses through oral reasoning. Questionnaires were completed by 508 participants, of which 502 were deemed usable. Results indicate participants are somewhat knowledgeable about livestock housing methods, but the perceptions and justifications of the respondents are not always accurate. The results also indicate agricultural images, as well as images regularly seen in the media, may influence such perceptions. In order to narrow the farm-to-plate knowledge gap, it is important for the agriculture industry to effectively improve the knowledge and perceptions of agriculture amongst consumers

“You Call that Meat?” Investigating Social Media Conversations and Influencers Surrounding Cultured Meat

Cultured meat has yet to reach store shelves but is nonetheless a growing issue for consumers, producers, and government regulators, many of whom have taken to social media to discuss it. Using a conceptual framework of social cognitive theory and issues management, this qualitative content analysis investigated social-media discourse surrounding the topic of cultured meat in the United States by describing the content of the discussion in late 2018 and identifying individual influencers and communities of influencers engaged in the discussion. Data were collected from Twitter using listening platform Sysomos MAP. The thematic analysis revealed eight themes: legality and marketing, sustainability, acceptance, business, animal concerns, science and technology, health concerns, and timeline, and indicated that conflicting views and questions about cultured meat exist among conversation participants. Top influencers included philanthropists, government officials, journalists and writers, and animal-welfare advocates. These influencers were grouped into four distinct communities based on interactions with each other and other users. The topics identified in the analysis provide insight into ways in which communicators can enter these conversations, and influencer communities represent groups of users whose broad reach could more easily transmit pro-agriculture messages

Should livestock images provide historical reference or modern reality? An examination of the Influence of Livestock Communication on Attitude.

The livestock industry has repeatedly struggled to effectively communicate livestock care and handling practices in order to promote awareness and acceptance. Many consumers still hold on to the historically picturesque view of production agriculture instead of the modern reality. It is necessary for the industry to identify how much is too much to tell or show consumers. Therefore, this study sought to understand the influence of two communication treatments on attitudes toward livestock care and use. Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) served as the theoretical framework for this study. A sample of 1,049 respondents was obtained through non-probability sampling. To fulfill the purpose of this study, the development of an online survey was informed by ELM and measured prior beliefs, personal involvement, and knowledge. An experimental treatment, consistent with persuasive communication within ELM, presented respondents with one of two images of cage-free egg laying housing and accompanying text. One image could be described as “historically picturesque” and the other as “modern reality.” Attitude toward livestock care and use was measured after exposure to one of the images. Respondents held favorable prior beliefs, demonstrated neutral involvement, and answered three or less knowledge questions correctly. Respondents exposed to the modern reality treatment displayed slightly lower attitudes than those exposed to the historically picturesque treatment. The results indicated that both prior beliefs and image exposure had a significant impact on attitude, while personal involvement was not found to be significant

Bridging the Skills Gap: A Boot Camp for Graduate Students

Graduate students have information literacy needs that are distinct from those of undergraduates and faculty. As they prepare for academic and professional careers, graduate students must acquire skills needed to conduct scholarly research; organize and work with information sources; and effectively communicate research findings. These competencies are often not addressed by the curricular content of their graduate programs. To help bridge this gap, library faculty at a public land grant university organized a one-day research skills boot camp. The boot camp’s workshops include sessions on locating scholarly sources, writing literature reviews, organizing citations, managing data, creating engaging presentations, and increasing scholarly impact. Student response to the weekend boot camp has been overwhelmingly positive, with 550 students attending six boot camps during 2019-2020. The presenters will share results from two studies they conducted to better understand the research needs of graduate students. The first study examines survey feedback from boot camp participants, and the second analyzes focus group interviews to gain additional insight about two subgroups of interest: international graduate students and non-traditional graduate students. Panel attendees interested in sponsoring a similar event will receive practical tips on event programming and registration, branding and promotion, and assessment. The presenters will also report on successful collaborations with campus partners focused on student success (e.g., graduate school, writing center, and teaching and learning center)

The Role of Dissonance and Schema: An Exploration of Florida Public Perception after the DWH Oil Spill

The agricultural and natural resources industries are no stranger to crises, particularly, large-scale crises such as the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in 2010. Crises have an impact on how consumers view a product, and ultimately, can impact their decisions to buy or not buy products from an industry that has experienced a crisis. This qualitative study sought to evaluate consumer perceptions of Gulf seafood after the DWH oil spill, and explored the influence of schema and cognitive dissonance on consumers’ intent to consume or purchase Gulf seafood after the DWH oil spill. Focus group discussion with seafood consumers revealed participants had a pre-existing schema associated with local seafood, seafood origin, health benefits of seafood, and the safety of seafood. Dissonance was observed when participants balanced their pre-existing schemas with knowledge of the DWH oil spill as the participants discussed buying seafood, not buying seafood, and buying seafood with fear. From the findings of this study, researchers and communicators may have a better understanding of the decision-making process associated with buying a product after a crisis. Recommendations were made for agricultural communicators to develop personal messages and stories to help consumers overcome any remaining fear or dissonance associated with Gulf seafood

ZOOM Lite: next-generation sequencing data mapping and visualization software

High-throughput next-generation sequencing technologies pose increasing demands on the efficiency, accuracy and usability of data analysis software. In this article, we present ZOOM Lite, a software for efficient reads mapping and result visualization. With a kernel capable of mapping tens of millions of Illumina or AB SOLiD sequencing reads efficiently and accurately, and an intuitive graphical user interface, ZOOM Lite integrates reads mapping and result visualization into a easy to use pipeline on desktop PC. The software handles both single-end and paired-end reads, and can output both the unique mapping result or the top N mapping results for each read. Additionally, the software takes a variety of input file formats and outputs to several commonly used result formats. The software is freely available at http://bioinfor.com/zoom/lite/

Performing heritage: the use of live 'actors' in heritage presentations

This paper investigates the phenomenon of 'living history' presentations of heritage, using live 'actors' to portray historical characters. Its aim is to discuss these presentations in the context of what may be understood as 'heritage', and of the nature of 'performance'. Four case studies of heritage sites, each important as a tourist attraction, have been selected for detailed study, together with a number of other examples of heritage performance. It is clear from the empirical work that different performance strategies are employed within the heritage industry and by individual 'actors'. Most of the performers take part as a leisure activity, and many do not consider themselves to be 'performing' at all. The greatest concern of participants lies in the degree of authenticity of the performance. Through 'living history', the 'actors' are drawn into an experience of heritage which has real meaning for them, and which may contribute both to a sense of identity and to an enhanced understanding of society, past and present. The popularity of such presentations with visitors also indicates that similar benefits are perceived by the 'audience'

Consumers’ Purchasing Intent Regarding Conventional, Plant-Based, and Cultured Meats

In today’s market, there are a growing number of meat options, from conventional to plant-based to cultured meat. As a result, agricultural and food companies need to understand what influences consumer purchases in order to communicate about these options and understand future changes in the marketplace. This study surveyed a \ sample of Ohio consumers (n = 1,250) 18 and older, which was matched to the state population. Data were collected on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) attributes of consumer attitudes toward purchasing, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control to understand purchasing intent toward conventional, plant-based, and cultured meats. Descriptive results of these TPB attributes showed significant differences between meat options. The biggest difference was observed between the subjective norms of conventional and cultured meat. Additionally, logistic regression showed consumers’ current and future purchasing intent, with conventional meat, to be most affected by subjective norms. Current and future buying intent of plant-based meat, and future buying intent of cultured meat, was found to be most affected by consumers’ attitudes. The food and agricultural industry should use this information to better shape advertising and messaging with consumers about meat options. For conventional meat, agriculturalists should pay attention to consumer interests and perhaps include some social elements in advertising since it is influenced by subjective norms. Further research should explore all attributes of TPB with consumer purchasing intent, but especially with attitudes and subjective norms