Opportunities for and Barriers to Renewable Energy Outreach in Extension: A Mixed-Methods Needs Assessment

This article illuminates the far-reaching applications of renewable energy programming for Extension\u27s rural and urban clientele. An online survey of attendees of the inaugural National Extension Energy Summit revealed the need for increased energy programming in Extension. Following survey analysis, focus group interviews were conducted at the National Extension Sustainability Summit to determine the best way to address the reported need for energy programming. The results provide readers with an understanding of how renewable energy programming can expand the role and relevancy of Extension in the 21st century

Agricultural and Natural Resources Awareness Programming: Barriers and Benefits as Perceived by County Extension Agents

The study described here assessed Extension agents\u27 perceived barriers and benefits concerning a new Florida agricultural and natural resources awareness initiative and Web site. A total of 186 agents responded to a statewide Web-based needs assessment, for an overall response rate of 58%. Results highlighted several barriers to communicating about agriculture and natural resources, including (a) a lack of interest, knowledge, and awareness among the general public, government, clientele, and media, (b) a lack of agent access to resources/contacts, and (c) inconsistent/ineffective message delivery methods. Concerning the Web site, most respondents wanted information to be presented via fact sheets, economic facts, and downloadable brochures

Building Engagement in Facebook: A Case Study with Utah State University Extension Sustainability

In order to stay relevant in an online world, Extension must properly use social networking platforms to effectively reach diverse audiences regarding agricultural and natural resource issues. However, few studies have focused on how Extension uses Facebook to effectively accomplish its goal. This study’s purpose was to explore how Utah State University Extension Sustainability uses Facebook to engage followers. The researchers conducted a quantitative content analysis of 504 messages posted to the USU Extension Sustainability Facebook page. Graphics and links were the most common post characteristics used by the organization. Text-only posts and posts containing videos were utilized the least. Food was the most common area of sustainability discussed on the page. Posts containing videos, shared content, or that tagged other Facebook pages in messages experienced statistically significantly higher user engagement than posts without those characteristics. Posts containing hashtags experienced statistically significantly lower engagement. Neutral sentiment appeared in the majority of posts. Additionally, information seeking was the most dominant communicative function among the posts. Neither the type of sentiment nor communicative functions were significantly connected to engagement. Future research should determine changes in knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and behavior as a result of exposure to, and engagement with, the Facebook page. Additionally, a qualitative study determining consumers’ attitudes toward Facebook content can provide a deeper understanding of the audience’s thought processes and content preferences. Page administrators should craft engaging content that builds community among followers

Creating Environmental Leaders through Service Learning: a Classroom Transition from Theory to Real World Application

Incorporating service learning opportunities into classroom instruction has been well documented as a successful teaching strategy in the literature. For example, service learning has been linked to outcomes ranging from increased student self esteem to enhanced critical thinking skills. Service learning provides an opportunity for reflection and community engagement in addition to classroom teaching and learning. This approach ultimately fosters a sense of community responsibility and encourages lifelong community engagement. In other words, when students are involved in service learning, they develop life skills that will benefit them well into the future. This oral presentation will introduce 1) a redesigned Sustainable Living mixed undergraduate/graduate service learning course offered at a major Land-Grant university, 2) key service learning strategies that have and have not worked well in the classroom, and 3) student life-skill assessment results from a post-then-pre assessment administered during the course. The Sustainable Living course to be discussed requires students to negotiate and collaborate with stakeholders in attempt to foster campus-wide lasting pro environmental change. Students report regularly to stakeholders, foster pro environmental change using sustainability theory and social marketing techniques, advertise and celebrate their accomplishments via an on-campus student sustainability fair designed by students, and publish the results of their efforts both academically and via a campus sustainability website. This presentation will benefit anyone seeking to learn about different approaches to service learning in the classroom, helping students become environmental leaders fostering pro environmental change, in-class research regarding life-skills gained through service learning, and candid experiences with service learning failures and successes

Emerging Trends in the Social and Behavioral Sciences: An Interdisciplinary, Searchable, and Linkable Resource

Research needs in sustainability encompass a range of topics spanning much of social and behavioral science. Sustainability requires understanding human cognition, capacity to reason and make decisions, capacity for long-term planning, understanding trade-offs, risk perceptions, communication techniques, innovation, the consequences of improvements in efficiency, energy and other resources, complexity in problem solving, and other matters. We discuss research accomplishments and needs in the four most important areas of sustainability: (i) risk perceptions; (ii) influencing behavior; (iii) resources and economics; and (iv) problem solving and complexity