InsectaPod Blog

In preparation for a paper I’m thinking about writing I’ve been reading lately about media use and preferences among farmers and agricultural extension educators. The impetus for the paper was a recent survey of Michigan farmers my office administered and the widely accepted belief among many of the extension educators I work with that personal face-to-face communications are the keystone of their education practice. My plan was to argue that when we use online spaces in ways that do more than mimic printed documents, they hold the opportunity to perform in a many more similar to personal, face-to-face interactions than do brochures and mass media releases.

I hit a snag, though, when I found that face-to-face communications ranked very low in terms of media preference in several studies, including my own. Respondents in my survey demonstrated an overwhelming preference for receiving extension messages via printed matter rather than directly from educators or through the internet. Another survey of Michigan producers by Murari Suvedi here at MSU reflected this preference for printed material over personal contact or internet. So did a 2001 survey of ag landowners by Jennifer Howell and MSU Prof Geoffrey Habron.

What’s most interesting to me, though, are the results of a survey of Ohio Extension Educators and professionals in state agencies. Amanda Rodewald of The Ohio State University found that even this group rated face-to-face contact low in terms of preference for delivering extension methods. I had been surprised that producers weren’t jazzed about face-to-face communications, but I was startled to learn that in this study educators aren’t big proponents, either.

I don’t know how many conversations I’ve had with extension professionals in which they describe their practice as one of face-to-face cooperation with producers in the field. Anna brings the same enthusiasm she has for InsectaPod Cast to frequently workshops and field days, and I think we would agree those face-to-face instances are probably more effective than the podcast for the groups they target. I write a regular feature about the personal relationships between educators and producers and invariably the interviews focus on the importance of being “on-farm” to cooperatively work “one-on-one” with producers. In planning this paper, I’d assumed I’d be able to find support for these perceptions in the literature.

I’m wondering now why there’s this divergence in what people discuss as being the cornerstone of extension practice and what they actually want to see executed in the field. The limitations on time and finances that extension specialists face are prodigious, this could certainly play a role. It also gets to one of the great strengths of digital communications, though. By designing communications that meet the specific needs of our audiences, that work for the user rather than the other way around, we can reflect some of the potential qualities of face-to-face interactions. That was what I was going to write the paper about. Now I’ve got more reading to do.

Anna and I got word recently that our proposal to present InsectaPod Cast at the National Extension Technology Conference. NETC will be held April 27-May in Raleigh North Carolina. This is a pretty big deal for insectapod cast and we are very excited about the opportunity to share our podcast with other extension-minded communicators.I’m on some ag-comm list-serves and there are always lots of questions about podcasting. The discussions can usually be categorized as half believers in technology and half skeptics, and I’m never sure where I fit in.I don’t think podcasting is right for everyone, there are specific goals Anna and I had in mind when we started that made it a right choice for us. But, on the other hand, sometimes it is right and doesn’t get acknowledged.I can’t imagine how many times people have printed up three-panel brochures when a podcast or blog or even just a frequently updated website would have been a better idea.I’m excited to get to spend a week a conference with folks whose communications ideas move beyond printed brochures and newsletters. Hopefully we’ll get some good (constructive?) feedback on InsectaPod Cast and maybe come up with some new ideas for making bugs (and MSU Entomology) interesting. 

Recently, while serving in my agricultural editor capacity, I received an email about a new online extension effort. Extension.org is using syndication feeds to create a continually updated and entirely comprehensive resource. My participation, as the editor the Michigan Dairy Review, involves writing and updating an ATOM feed (something I should have been doing anyway). Extension.org then uses my ATOM feed, along with every other dairy-minded extension feed they can get their hands on, to create a massive clearing house of information. I think this is great, as in super neat.

Chuck Zimmerman recently wrote a post on Agwired about another online agriculture communications initiative recently. He says this one uses “Web 2.0 strategies for agricultural communications…that would be blogging and podcasting.” While I’m not sure blogging and podcasting meet the criteria of “Web 2.0″ on their own (E-agriculture has forums and communities, too) I think it’s great to see these efforts moving agricultural communications forward. Around my water-cooler, digital modes are often discussed with skepticism. The only way to change that is to jump in and show the luddites what’s possible.

I’ve been aware of Bugcast, a video podcast from Iowa State University Entomologists Marlin Rice and Doug Cooper for a while now. They’ve made asian lady beetles, soybean aphids and corn root worms the subject of their bugcasts, which are always accessible, succinct and informative. In fact, one of the things I like most about Bugcast is that although it is an unscripted discussion between two scientists, it’s never plodding or pedantic. Cooper’s and Marlin’s voices display an ease and comfort I hope will be evident in future episodes of InsectaPod Cast.

I gained a deeper interest in Bugcast today, though, when I started looking behind the veil a bit. Iowa State University Extension produces a slew of both audio and video podcasts, and they’ve all got top-notch production. They have a web page listing all their extension podcasts and churn out several new episodes each week.

Here at Michigan State University, our podcasting efforts don’t have that centralization. The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources does some nice video production work for select events. The Extension page offers video and audio promos, and Turfgrass Science offers Turf Tips and Clippings. It’s interesting that there’s no online space that offers a comprehensive list of these efforts, though. Or University unit providing technical support to the people who make them. Maybe there’s a place at MSU for some growth in this area?

I think new media communications efforts can only be made stronger if there is a support structure for those interested in exploring them. Not just for funding and tech advice, but simply to instill confidence in students, faculty, and staff that podcasts and the like are worth producing.

I read an interesting podcast transcript about podcasting at universities today. James Frey, an IT guy at Rice University, touched on several of the goals of InsectPod Cast in “The Top 6 Reasons to Podcast at a University” and also outlines other applications and strengths for podcasting in a university setting.

His first reason is recruitment and enrollment. Frey points out that podcasting not only raises an institution’s profile, but also works to create a more personal communication experience for listeners. Podcast listeners are more likely to feel they’ve shared something with a university than those simply reading print recruitment materials.

Frey also argues that podcasting can improve the lines of communication between and among a university and it’s faculty, staff and students. Podcasting can be an effective outlet for students to learn creatively. One of the most impressive statements he makes, though, is the need to podcast courses.

Recording classes digitally and posting them is quite easy: I am sure your Audio Visual Technicians and IT Unit will be able to help if you desire to do this. In my research, podcasting your courses shows only positive results. Intending students can get a flavour of your classes and existing students can participate in podcast discussions thus raising their self esteem. The effectiveness of podcasted lectures is enhanced because students can rehear them; it’s simple but true.

He also speaks directly to the concern that making course materials available outside of the lecture hall will result in more empty seats (something I’ve heard from some faculty members here at MSU). In his own experience, Frey says, podcasting, “has no negative effect on attendance at lectures.”

One reason to podcast that Frey does not address is extension and outreach. This is the primary goal of InsectaPod Cast, and I’m interested to know if he overlooked extension or does not believe podcasting to be effective tool for connecting the university generated information with the general public. Clearly, I believe there is a great potential for podcasting in extension, but I can also see that it might be an even stronger tool for development and coursework.

Another thing worth mentioning about Frey is that he’s practicing what he preaches. The Podcast “The Top 6 Reasons to Podcast at a University” was part of a continuing education course he taught at Rice. The blog on which he posted the transcript was devoted to the same course, and shares information with his podcast blog, “The How and Why of Podcasting“

There aren’t a lot of entomology podcasts out there, but some of the ones I’ve found are really great. Joanna Cobley, a museumist in New Zealand, publishes lots of podcasts on the Museum Detective web site, including some about bugs. She’s covered lice, weevils, other insects and spiders in an effort to extend the reach of the museum beyond its walls.

Since we first started talking about producing an entomology podcast, Anna and I agreed that a variety of sounds beyond recorded recitation would be key to attracting and holding listeners to the podcast. For that reason, I’m drawn to the museum detective podcasts because Cobley uses music, interview and narration in her programs. While the interviewees sometimes go into greater depth than my attention will tolerate, I think these are some of the better science podcasts I’ve found. I also like that Cobley has included some materials to help others design and implement a podcasting program.

The foremost attractant for me, though, was the fact that a podcast about lice was attached to a blog entry including an excerpt from Robert Burns’s poem “To a Louse.” I think the border of science and art is more porous than we usually think, and I appreciate it when people combine the two, as Cobley’s done, just because it’s fun.