Examines adaptation as a dynamic diffusion of innovations process in which adopters change innovations according to their individual needs. Adaptation may be explained by three factors: (a) the differing interpretation of innovation components by individual adopters, (b) an individual's level of adopter innovativeness or readiness to accept change and [c] the generative learning process whereby an individual relates new information prior knowledge and experience. Adaptation may occur unconsciously at the beginning of the diffusion process. Those who study the adaptation process should begin at the initial awareness state when potential adopters are forming their opinions and ideas about an innovation. Author uses an example involving a group of Kalahari bushmen first considering a sample of soft drink that they are told can quench thirst.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 161 Document Number: D07896
Notes:
In the e-book: Kerry J. Byrnes, Giants in their realms: close encounters of the celebrity kind. Posted on the website of Okemos High School Alumni, Okemos, Michigan. 13 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 161 Document Number: D07899
Notes:
In the e-book: Kerry J. Byrnes, Giants in their realms: close encounters of the celebrity kind. Posted on the website of Okemos High School Alumni, Okemos, Michigan. 11 pages.
AgComm teaching; Paper presented at the Agricultural History Symposium on Science and Technology in Agriculture; 1979; Kansas State University, Manhattan. Delmar Hatesohl Collection., Tracks the information sources used by early agricultural journalists, leading to a contemporary diffusion approach in which farm readers were no longer viewed as "collaborators in agricultural study." They "were to be consumers of information vended by experts." (p. 37)
15 pages., Securing the adoption of scalable agro-educational information and communication technology (ICT) solutions by farmers remains one of the international development community’s most elusive goals – in part due to two key gaps in the data: (1) limited comparisons of competing knowledge-delivery methods, and (2) few to no follow-ups on long-term knowledge retention and solution adoption. Addressing both of these gaps, this follow-up study measures farmer knowledge retention and solution adoption two years after being trained on an improved postharvest bean storage method in northern Mozambique. The results found animated-video knowledge delivery at least as effective as a traditional extension approach for knowledge retention (97.9%) and solution adoption (89%). As animated video can more cost-effectively reach the widest – even geographically isolated – populations, it readily complements extension services and international development community efforts to secure knowledge transfer and recipient buy-in for innovations. Implications and future research for adult learning are also discussed.
11 pages, During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic (March-April 2020), opinion leaders in agriculture and natural resources (ANR) were asked to participate in a survey about the impacts of the crisis on the ANR industry specifically about their concerns related to communication, economics, level of preparedness, and health during this crisis. Of the 225 ANR leaders who participated, the majority were concerned that members of the public were sharing inaccurate information about COVID-19; others they come into contact with were not taking appropriate measures to avoid contracting COVID-19; about the impact of COVID-19 on the U.S. economy, their state’s economy, and the global economy; and other countries’ level of preparedness to deal with COVID-19. ANR leaders were consistently the most concerned about items that were outside of their direct sphere of influence. Implications from this work are that ANR leadership programs should incorporate programing to help ANR leaders understand how to be influential during a crisis at a national and international level. For statewide ANR leadership programs, it is recommended to include programming sessions related to identifying and sharing credible information and enabling and inspiring those in their circle of influence to do the same.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 7 Document Number: D10093
Notes:
Pages 81-83 in Workshop on communications linkages between national programs and international agricultural organizations, Cali, Colombia, April 14-18, 1986., This presentation abstract is maintained in ACDC storage within Document No. D09983, Abstract of a conference presentation from the files of the Agricultural Communications Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
