Adult learners\u27 perceptions of MOOC motivation, success, and completion: a virtual ethnographic study

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have been credited with disrupting the traditional classroom and challenging distance education models in higher education. MOOCs were developed with the intention of opening up education to the masses, specifically those in developing countries who could not readily access educational resources or opportunities. However, early quantitative reports have shown that MOOC participants tend to be adult learners who already possess bachelor\u27s or master\u27s degrees. Additionally, MOOC completion rates have been reported to be significantly low with less than 15% of enrolled students actually completing them. This has led to questions about who the true target learners are and whether completion is the proper measure for gauging the effectiveness of MOOCs. Qualitative research has the potential to demystify questions about MOOC learners\u27 motivations and perceptions of success and completion. However, ethical issues of conducting qualitative research in open online environments present challenges and require a thoughtful research design regarding consent, privacy, and intellectual property. This study used virtual ethnographic, narrative inquiry, and photo-elicitation methods to qualitatively examine the experiences of adult learners (n = 12) from around the world who were enrolled in a MOOC on the social justice topic of human trafficking via the Coursera platform. The anthropological nature of the research methods led to a richer understanding of the adult learner MOOC culture as a socially dynamic democratic environment involving social presence, lurking, up-voting, down-voting, peer review, and reputations. Results from the study include co-constructed narratives of adult learners\u27 MOOC experiences, themes of commonalities and differences across learner experiences, a thick description of MOOC culture, and an initial conceptual framework for understanding adult learners\u27 perceptions of MOOC motivation, success, and completion. The findings of this research and its resulting conceptual framework could be beneficial for platform providers, instructors, and instructional designers who are developing MOOCs intended for adult learners in the areas of continuing education, professional development, volunteerism training, as well as for adults who are considering enrolling in graduate school. This study highlights a need for a more learner-centered approach to MOOC design and suggests that MOOCs have the potential to facilitate a global discussion on social justice topics as a component of attitude change instruction. Implications for MOOC design and suggestions for future research are presented

In the Field: Increasing Undergraduate Students\u27 Awareness of Extension Through a Blended Project-Based Multimedia Production Course

Undergraduate students at land-grant institutions across the country are often unaware of the depth and breadth of Extension services and careers. Agricultural communication students collaborated with an Extension programmatic team in a blended and project-based course at Purdue University to develop online videos about small farm agricultural topics. Student journaling and post-interviews showed working within a real-world context increased their awareness of Extension, the roles and potential careers in Extension, and video production skill development. The authors present details of the course design, student perceptions, and the implementation benefits and challenges of blended project-based learning within an Extension context

A Pilot Qualitative Case Study of Agricultural and Natural Resources Scientists’ Twitter Usage for Engaging Public Audiences

Scientists are frequently asked to broadly share their expertise and research with a variety of audiences, beyond typical academic circles in their home disciplines. That could include developing community engagement programs, school outreach, leveraging online social networks, and other activities. The purpose of this study was to examine U.S. agricultural and natural resources (ANR) scientists’ typical science communication channels, their experiences utilizing Twitter for sharing their knowledge, research, and engaging in online public science discussion. Diffusion of Innovations theory and the model of science in-reach versus outreach guided this study. Researchers used a qualitative case study design. Data collection included ANR scientist interviews (n = 8) and application of Internet-based research methods for observing scientists’ Twitter activities. Four themes emerged from the data: 1) academic journals and conferences as scientists’ typical communication channels, yet Extension efforts help to broaden audiences, 2) scientists expected research to be peer-reviewed before public dissemination to combat misinformation and spreading of ‘junk science’, 3) scientists balanced professionalism, personalization, promotion, and Twitter hashtags for engagement, and 4) scientist-identified barriers to using Twitter included lack of time and avoiding heated discussions. Recommendations include revisiting scientists’ job descriptions and expectations for online science engagement. Also, there should be continual development and implementation of science communication training for scientists targeting best Twitter practices, growing followers for outreach beyond academic colleagues and groups, using visuals for online engagement, intentional scheduling for social media, and how to effectively navigate heated online discussions

Piloting Participatory Arts-Based Methods for Exploring Indonesians’ Experiences in a U.S. Biotechnology Training Program

Science communication faculty and professionals often train scientists about conveying and delivering critical and sometimes controversial scientific information to public audiences. This qualitative case study was situated in a U.S.-based biotechnology training program funded by the United States Department of Agriculture for connecting Indonesian science fellows with university biotechnology scientists and science communication experts. The researchers piloted a participatory arts-based approach for instructing and researching Indonesian scientists’, professionals’, and educators’ learning and experiences in the program. Participatory and arts-based research has the potential to uncover and bring to light participants’ perceptions. Participants used iPad multimedia kits to demonstrate their learning of the training’s science communication content, co-constructed and conducted interviews, and captured photos and videos chronicling their experiences throughout the program. Results showed participants’ photos predominantly focused on field site and laboratory visits during the training and participants effectively applied digital storytelling techniques presented in the workshops. Themes from the co-constructed interviews included participants’ definitions of biotechnology, concerns about regulation, labeling, and public understanding, and expressing a hope that biotechnology may improve food security in Indonesia. This pilot study has implications for future international science communication training via intentional instructional design and arts-based research for a culture-centered communication approach

Labs and Landscapes Virtual Reality: Student-Created Forest Conservation Tours for Informal Public Engagement

The following exploratory convergent mixed-methods study examined graduate students’ experiences developing and facilitating 360º photo-based virtual reality (VR) tours titled Labs and Landscapes focused on forest conservation and climate change education, as well as tour impacts on public audiences. Graduate students in an agricultural and natural resources communication course at The University of Florida used 360º cameras, mobile devices, and online software to create VR tours about the UF/IFAS Austin Cary Research Forest. Then, the students guided public participants through the tours in three physical informal learning environments including a museum, brewery, and campus tabling site within the university community. Data collection included VR tour artifacts, audio recordings of students’ VR facilitation and discourse with the public, post-surveys of public participants’ tour impressions and climate change attitudes, and pre-/post-student reflections. Data sources were collected separately and mixed in interpretation. Results showed students increased their multimedia communication skills, knowledge of natural resource conservation, and confidence in communicating with public audiences. Additionally, survey results indicated public participants agreed the students successfully guided the tours, agreed it is important to learn about conservation and climate change, and had some disagreement with the statement that humans cannot prevent climate change

Teaching Convergence in 21st Century Undergraduate Agricultural Communication: A Pilot Study of Backpack Multimedia Kits in a Blended, Project-Based Learning Course

Twenty-first century agricultural communication students are expected to have an increasingly diverse set of skills when they graduate.Expertise is expected in: writing, editing, design, marketing, media relations, event planning, interpersonal communication, digital development, e-publications, online video, mobile applications, podcasting, and social media.This expansion of needed skills is due in no small part to the proliferation of communication channels and convergence of media platforms today. In order to continue preparing students for professions in agricultural communication, it is imperative that the curricula reflect current industry needs and available technology. In this article, one approach for expanding curricula to incorporate these newer technologies by implementing backpack multimedia journalism kits for science communication is discussed. The kits were developed to address these criteria: 1) students needed opportunities to gain a variety of broad technological skills, 2) the technology had to be mobile and cost effective, and 3) the technology needed to be able to produce a variety of content across a variety of platforms. The mobile multimedia kits included iPad-minis and video accessories. Through an agricultural communication blended-learning, project-based undergraduate course, the authors tested the effectiveness of the kits, as well as researched students’ perceptions and experiences with the course design and mobile communication technologies. The results of the study showed students valued the selected technology and gained targeted video production skills. Although students’ liked the course design, they experienced challenges with course requirements, time management, and using the technological audio recording components

Electronic Field Trips for Science Engagement: The Streaming Science Model

While institutions of higher education work to engage PK-12 youth in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) concepts and careers via in-person programming, PK-12 teachers and students face many logistical and access constraints for physically traveling to sites off of school grounds during the school day. Throughout the years, electronic field trips (EFTs) have offered a digital way for schools to engage in meaningful ways with museums, parks, laboratories, and field research sites. In order for EFTs to be effective, they should be cost effective and created collaboratively with teachers, students, subject matter experts, and instructional design and communication professionals. Streaming Science is an online science communication platform that aimed to develop and implement an effective EFT model. Three Streaming Science live interactive EFTs webcasted online were piloted from various locations during 2017-2019 to test wireless internet connections, mobile technologies, STEM content, and impacts on students’ interest, attitudes, and learning. The model proved iPads and mobile applications in the field for web streaming were effective for connecting scientists with school audiences. In this professional development article, authors describe the Streaming Science EFT model, including recommendations for instructional design, the pre-production process, content development, teacher collaboration, student engagement, mobile hardware and software, and assessment

Agricultural Employees’ Use of and Preferences forEducational and Training Opportunities

Educational and training opportunities provide individuals with many options when it comes to building their knowledge base. Both formal and informal educational opportunities are available in many different formats, including face-to-face and online delivery methods. The purpose of this study was to examine the type of education and training opportunities in which Nebraska agricultural employees participate and their satisfaction with different delivery formats. The specific objectives of this study were to determine 1) the type of education or training programs rural agricultural employees have participated in over the last two years, and 2) the differences between attitudes toward face-to-face versus online education and training approaches. In general, results indicated that agricultural professionals participated in face-to-face training and training related to their job more often than other types of training. They also tended to be more satisfied with face-to-face training than online training. As educators develop programming for agricultural professionals, these findings may be helpful in designing high impact educational opportunities

Electronic Field Trips for Science Engagement: The Streaming Science Model

While institutions of higher education work to engage PK-12 youth in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) concepts and careers via in-person programming, PK-12 teachers and students face many logistical and access constraints for physically traveling to sites off of school grounds during the school day. Throughout the years, electronic field trips (EFTs) have offered a digital way for schools to engage in meaningful ways with museums, parks, laboratories, and field research sites. In order for EFTs to be effective, they should be cost effective and created collaboratively with teachers, students, subject matter experts, and instructional design and communication professionals. Streaming Science is an online science communication platform that aimed to develop and implement an effective EFT model. Three Streaming Science live interactive EFTs webcasted online were piloted from various locations during 2017-2019 to test wireless internet connections, mobile technologies, STEM content, and impacts on students’ interest, attitudes, and learning. The model proved iPads and mobile applications in the field for web streaming were effective for connecting scientists with school audiences. In this professional development article, authors describe the Streaming Science EFT model, including recommendations for instructional design, the pre-production process, content development, teacher collaboration, student engagement, mobile hardware and software, and assessment

Podcasts in Production: An Examination of Current and Best Practices for Agricultural and Natural Resource Podcast Producers

Little research has been done on the production and use of podcasts in the fields of food, agriculture, natural resource, or human sciences (FANRHS). Currently, there is limited information for best practices on creating an effective FANRHS podcast to reach a target public audience. The purpose of this study was to examine existing practices and experiences of FANRHS podcast producers. The findings of this study will be of interest to organizations, institutions, and individuals who currently produce or are interested in producing an educational or science-based podcast. This study provided foundational information on podcast creation and maintenance. Future research should explore optimal podcast formats and content design to influence listeners’ perception and knowledge level on FANRHS science topics