17 pages., Via online journal., Food waste has emerged as a major issue in the United States as the nation collectively sends more than 133 billion pounds of food to its landfills every year. In September 2015, the USDA and EPA announced an initiative to cut U.S. food waste in half by 2030. Between 2015 and 2016, nearly 100,000 posts about food waste have been published on Twitter, a microblogging platform that has been a hub of “slacktivism” since its inception in 2006. Using a conceptual framework of social cognitive theory, online activism, and crowdsourcing, we analyzed food waste conversation participants’ demographics, online communities, and proposed solutions. Data analysis was conducted with listening software Sysomos MAP and a qualitative content analysis of conversation content. The analysis revealed that more than 2,000 U.S. users engaged in the conversation, forming four discrete conversation communities led by influencers from government, news media, and environmental organizations. Proposed solutions to the food waste crisis included domestic or household behavior change, food-waste diversion and donation, recycling and upcycling, consumer education, and governmental action and policy. We recommend using Twitter to mine, test, and deploy solutions for combating food waste; engage with influential users; and disseminate materials for further research into the behavioral implications of online activism related to food waste.
Loizzo, Jaime (author), Harner, Mary J. (author), Weitzenkamp, Deborah J. (author), Kent, Kevin (author), and University of Florida
University of Nebraska- Kearney
University of Nebraska- Lincoln
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2019-11
Published:
United States: New Prairie Press
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 121 Document Number: D11061
13 pages, via online journal, 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.
