It seems that we are traveling at the speed of light with technological advances occurring every day. Young people are becoming more and more plugged-in, attached and integrated with technology. This is one of the many reasons why the Agricultural Communication Oral History Project includes not only valuable documents, audio/video content and transcriptions but also a series of podcasts that agricultural communication teachers can use in the courses.
Most agricultural communication programs offer courses that include historical perspectives about agricultural communication, journalism, advertising and so on. However, very little historical content is available.These oral history podcasts provide interesting content that focuses on the past, present and future of agricultural communication, as it relates to academics as well as professional practice. Students can learn about challenges and changes to farm publishing, broadcasting, radio, marketing, advertising and much more by downloading and listening to these oral histories.
Following are some ideas you can use to integrate these podcasts into your teaching program:
- Use a podcast (part or whole) as a homework assignment. Ask the students to summarize what they learned, what surprised them, what they found interesting, etc. Have the students present their summaries to the class.
- Use the podcast to initiate classroom discussion about the history of agricultural communication/journalism. Use the podcast outlines to help guide your topics and subject content.
- After students have listened to a podcast, ask the students to discuss, write or blog their own observations about the past, present and future of agricultural communication/journalism. If this is done as a blog, students could converse and develop more of a conversation about agricultural communication.
- Before listening to the podcast(s), assign students (maybe in groups) to create an agricultural communication timeline and discuss what aspects of agriculture-related communication and journalism should be included in the timeline. Then assign the podcast (s) and ask the students to expand their timelines.
- Using a format such as the sample provided below , create a note-taking outline for students to fill out as they are listening to the podcast(s). Or you can use the outline to help frame quiz or test questions that relate to the podcast(s).
If you would like some more ideas for how to use these and other resources in the ACDC, take a look at our Personal Search Help page.
Click here for a pdf of a sample class exercise