A Model of Global Learning: How Students Change Through International High-Impact Experiences

Study abroad programs are important, increasing, impactful, and influential in agricultural disciplines. Research suggests that students who participate are changed. However, we do not yet have a clear understanding for how that change is manifested. How do students who participate in a study abroad program change? One measure of student change that has been employed at Texas A&M University, as well as at institutions around the country is the Global Perspectives Inventory (GPI). Students who study abroad at Texas A&M have been shown to be statistically significantly different from the general population of seniors. As such, investigation into the manifestation of changes in each of domains measured by the GPI as a result of study abroad is warranted. The purpose of this study was to develop a model to explain the viewpoints of student changes by students who participate in a study abroad experience. To meet that purpose, three objectives were utilized. First, a qualitative phenomenology comprised by semi structured interviews was conducted. Second, a Q-methodological study was conducted to characterize the viewpoints of student change through factor analysis. Third, findings from the first two objectives were synthesized to create a model of student change. Findings for objective one listed 45 specific outcomes, categorized across each of the three domains of human development. Findings for objective two found that three distinct viewpoints on the nature of changes in students as a result of a study abroad emerged. These viewpoints were typified and characterized through factor analysis. The viewpoints were defined as “Collaboration,” “Context,” and “Confidence.” The viewpoints defined in objective two, along with specific outcomes identified in objective one, were synthesized to create a model of student development that graphically conceptualizes the viewpoints of human development. Recommendations include assignments and activities for practitioners, including team-based activities, public displays, and intense reflection. Finally, Q-methodologies are shown to be a positive and cerebral exercise that should be employed both as a tool for reflection and for measurement of operant subjectivity in global learning

Using Q Methodology in Agricultural Communications Research: A Philosophical Study

Communication rests on human experience and the uniqueness of subjectivity. Varying research methods and designs measure subjectivity, but few measure subjectivity using rigorous statistical analysis. Q methodology offers such design and rigor. Yet, agricultural communications has been slow to adopt Q methodology. Therefore, the purpose of this philosophical study was to establish a contextual and philosophical understanding of Q methodology and articulate its uses in agricultural communications research. This philosophical study was without traditional research design and methods. Thus, knowledge gained from the literature and best practices were synthesized with the intent of creating a discussion of the philosophies, concepts, and application of Q methodology. To conduct human subjectivity research, Stephenson proposed Q-methodology. It uses a small number of participants to represent the variance of perspectives about a topic. By focusing on and capturing the holistic perspectives of participants, knowledge bases and understandings of humanistic elements within agricultural communications could be enhanced. Benefits of Q methodology include harnessing subjectivity as a means for testing ideas and characterizing perspectives about an idea, limiting researcher bias, and gaining meaningful data from fewer participants. Challenges include misconceptions and misinterpretations related to terminology, concourse development, and generalizability. Agricultural communications depends on human experience and subjectivity related to food and fiber production. Thus, implementing Q methodology research into the agricultural communications discipline diversifies the research toolbox and provides researchers and practitioners with opportunities to explore perspectives related to diverse agricultural issues

A Case Study of Using Metacognitive Reflections to Enhance Writing Skills and Strategies in an Agricultural Media Writing Course

Writing is a foundational skill in agricultural communications, and metacognition the learning and understanding of such skill. Integrating reflection into a writing course is one way to enhance students’ metacognition and metacognitive awareness as reflection provides writers an opportunity to become a critic of their writing experiences. However, what happens when students reflect on their metacognitive awareness during and throughout the writing process? Using a qualitative and quantitative content analysis, we interpreted 16 students’ metacognitive writing reflections at four points in an advanced media writing course. We identified and analyzed emergent themes from the reflections and measured the frequency of each theme over the duration of the course. Three major themes emerged: a) metacognitive awareness of writing skills, b) metacognitive awareness of writing strategies, and c) metacognitive awareness of knowledge transfer. A total of 13 sub-themes were identified further characterizing the themes. Interviewing (a writing skill) emerged more in the third reflection than any other time, and revision (a writing strategy) emerged more at the beginning and end of the course than in the middle. Additionally, participants reflected less about outcomes (a component of knowledge transfer) at the end of the course and more about their plans for the future. Findings support the value of metacognitive reflections as a transformational instruction tool. Practitioners and writing instructors in agricultural communications should be cognizant of skills, strategies, and knowledge transfer as they plan and implement writing education and be adaptive and flexible to meet students’ changing metacognitive awareness

Characterizing Viewpoints of Scholars in Agricultural Communications as they Relate to Research Themes in the Journal of Applied Communications: A Q Methodological Study

Research in agricultural communications is not guided by a national research agenda. Therefore, the substantial body of research produced from scholars working in the discipline represents scattered efforts. We conducted a content analysis of journal articles published in the Journal of Applied Communications between 2000 and 2019 to identify the research themes that establish the discipline’s scholarly base. Through an examination of n = 259 journal articles, we identified N = 27 research themes, the most prevalent of which included agriculture and media relations/practices (f = 30; % = 11.58), public perceptions/understanding of agriculture and natural resources (f = 25; % = 9.65), and agricultural communications academic programs and curricula (f = 21; % = 8.11). Then, we used Q methodology to identify viewpoints of agricultural communications scholars (e.g., faculty, graduate students; n = 45) as they relate to perceptions about the importance of research. We identified four dominant viewpoints of scholars in agricultural communications: Message Framing Influencers, Extension-Focused Scholars and Practitioners, Discipline-Conscious Researchers, and Tech-Savvy Scholars. Together, these viewpoints explained 59.43% of the study variance. Although participants who represented each of these groups had unique perspectives, participants generally agreed that public perceptions/understanding of agriculture and natural resources and crisis communications in agricultural communications were important research themes. Likewise, they generally agreed that the role of agricultural communications professional organizations, agricultural communications efforts during historical events, and agritourism were not important research themes

Evaluating the Effects of Social Capital, Self-Stigma, and Social Identity in Predicting Behavioral Intentions of Agricultural Producers to Seek Mental Health Assistance

Mental illness significantly impacts agricultural producers, whose occupation puts them at increased risk for compromised mental health and related disorders. Help-seeking intention, which can be mediated by variables such as social identity, social capital, and self-stigma, can lead to improved mental health outcomes. This cross-sectional study aimed to describe the intention of agricultural producers to seek mental health assistance and determine whether these three variables are associated with help-seeking intention. Researchers administered a cross-sectional survey of agricultural producers from two regions in 32 Texas counties. Researchers surveyed a sample of Texas agricultural producers (n = 429) to understand their social identity, social capital, and degree of self-stigma, and their intent to seek help for personal or emotional problems and for suicide ideation. Researchers identified a relationship between social identity and social capital, which indicated that social identity is moderately associated with greater levels of social capital. The multiple linear regression analyses confirmed that social capital and self-stigma are significant predictors of producers’ help-seeking intention for both help-seeking types. These results signify the importance of efforts to increase social capital, increase mental health literacy and tailor training to address self-stigma and enhance positive help-seeking behavior among agricultural producers