WIS022 AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS 02/23/1990 01:23 PM D1 411 Lines Professional Employment in Agriculture Agricultural Communications (10-20 days) This unit is designed to teach students general agricultural communication skills. Topics include employment skills and opportunities, verbal and nonverbal skills, and practical application of these skills. Unit Objectives To acquaint students with employment information and career opportunities in the agricultural communications industry To increase student understanding of verbal and nonverbal communication processes To develop student appreciation of the importance of effective communication in occupational, social, and civic settings To increase student understanding of the barriers to effective communication and of strategies for overcoming them To increase student self-confidence in a variety of social and interpersonal situations To develop student understanding of the principles of effective listening To assist students to develop improved skills in public speaking To provide students with opportunities to develop and improve written communication skills To emphasize to students the importance of various media and communication channels to agriculture To enhance student awareness of the basic laws and regulations pertaining to the use of agricultural advertising and media Competencies At the conclusion of this unit, students will be able to explain current employment information such as job descriptions, job availability, personal and educational requirements, working conditions, opportunity for advancement, and other factors relative to potential employment in the agricultural communications industry and relate it to their personal needs and aspirations; demonstrate an understanding of verbal and nonverbal communication processes; appreciate the importance of effective communication in occupational, social, and civic settings; demonstrate an understanding of the barriers to effective communication and identify strategies for overcoming them; demonstrate greater self-confidence in a variety of social and interpersonal situations; use the principles of effective listening; develop improved skills in public speaking; identify and participate in activities for developing and improving written communication skills; demonstrate an understanding of the importance of various media and communication channels to agriculture; demonstrate an understanding of how to use media in making farm and agribusiness operational decisions; and demonstrate an understanding of the basic laws and regulations pertaining to the use of agricultural advertising and media. Subject Matter (Basic skills integration areas are shown in brackets following title.) Careers - Current and future employment needs - Job descriptions - Training requirements - Working conditions - Opportunities for advancement - Other factors Basic elements of personal communication [Careers] - Sender - Message - Channel - Receiver Personal communications [Careers] - Letter writing - Organizing a short talk to a group - Organizing and presenting a speech - Introducing a speaker - Participating in conversations and discussions - Using correct telephone procedure - Writing a news article - Participating in a radio or TV program - Reading a person's body language (kinesics) - Listening/sensitivity Being genuinely interested in others Smiling Remembering that to another person his or her name is a sweet sound Being a good listener and encouraging others to talk about themselves Talking in terms of the other person's interests Making others feel important - Greetings - Presenting awards Barriers to successful personal communications [Careers] - The sender telling the receiver what he or she expects to hear - Different perceptions between the sender and receiver - The receiver incorrectly evaluating the source - Words have different meanings - Ignore nonverbal cues - Receiver emotionally upset - Noise Techniques for improved personal communication [Careers] - Feedback - Many channels - Face-to-face communications - Sensitivity to receiver - Awareness to symbolic meanings - Careful timing; reinforcing words with action - Simple language - Repetition Skills for helpful listening [Careers] - Be an effective receiver Maintain eye contact Have a relaxed but attentive posture Respond to the sender's statements - Interpret feelings Understand that a statement such as "I hate school" may really mean that the person feels scared, rejected, hurt, or frustrated - Project acceptance of feelings Use reflecting statements ( e.g., "In other words....," "What you're saying is....") - Explore alternatives List options Assist talker in describing and measuring impact of each Nonverbal distractors of speakers [Careers] - Nervous habits Swaying or moving without purpose Riding the podium Playing with coins or keys in pockets Nonverbal personal communication [Careers] - Facial expression cues - Posture cues - Hand and arm gestures - Body movement cues - Eye contact - Lack of verbal communication-pause-silence - Overall appearance as it affects different audiences Tips on conversing in a formal setting [Careers] - Be interested and interesting - Small talk topics, such as family, occupation, recreation, and the weather - Don't make small talk too small - Be a good listener and good conversationalist - Think before speaking Optional areas of communication awareness [Careers] - Use public-speaking techniques - Take part in public-speaking events in the FFA - Seek opportunities to present extemporaneous and impromptu speeches - Build confidence by being involved in small-group settings, clubs, or committees. - Become involved in parliamentary procedure and other conduct of meeting guidelines (refer to the "Parliamentary Procedure" unit) - Be aware of human relations information and job interviewing techniques (refer to the "Human Relations" unit) Introduction to the agricultural communications industry [Careers] - History - Scope (current) Newspapers Radio and TV stations - Effect on modern agriculture Farming and ranching Agribusiness firms - Effect on the general public Consumers Government - Media Print Broadcast Others ("word of mouth," signs, exhibits, and demonstrations) - Benefits Current market information Farm news (help make management decisions) Weather status and predictions Selling and buying information (farm products and farm equipment) "An informed public is a willing public" Farm advertising as a communication tool [Careers] - Historical background - Relation to agricultural marketing - The Five "M's" of agricultural advertising Market Motives Media Message Measurement - Psychology of sales Sales theories Steps of a sales campaign Handling different types of customers - Advertising devices Business name Business sign Business stationery Displays and signs Exhibits and demonstrations Classified ads - Advertising campaigns Audience selection Media selection Timing Costs Use of outside advertising agency Evaluation - Laws and regulations Truth Bad taste Lottery Right of privacy Libel Copyright Trademarks Trends in the agricultural communications industry [Careers] - Personnel - Training requirements - Technological advances - Effects on production farming and agribusiness Motivational Activities Take field trips to local weekly newspapers, daily newspapers, radio and television stations, and advertising agencies. Observe or participate in a radio or TV farm broadcast. Invite resource people from the print and broadcast media to give class presentations. View audiovisual presentations on agricultural communications. Post bulletin board displays featuring topics on agricultural communications. Provide literature from the Wisconsin Press Association and the National Association of Farm Broadcasters. Learning Activities Participate in a Supervised Agricultural Experience program. List topics you can use to begin a conversation and cues indicating that the conversation should continue. List skills you can use for effective listening. Demonstrate ways of properly introducing one person to another. Express and interpret nonverbal messages in techniques. Role-play correct and incorrect telephone techniques. Explain the responsibilities of a discussion leader and ways to contribute to a group discussion. Develop an introduction about a hypothetical speaker using information from a fact sheet. Read the introduction aloud to the class so they can critique it. List all local agricultural communications media, including the names of key contact people and if they accept student news releases on local agricultural events. Interview a member or members of the print and broadcast media about job opportunities, qualifications for position, course preparation, working conditions, and advantages and disadvantages of the job. Write a classified ad to sell an agricultural product (e.g., used agricultural equipment, hay, herd sire, vegetables, fire wood, land). Write a business letter promoting an agricultural product or topic using proper format, then write a detailed advertising campaign to promote it, including exhibits or demonstrations. Design and construct a business sign or letterhead. Write news releases in class about community agricultural events; submit them to local newspapers and radio and TV stations. Research information on professional agricultural communications organizations, such as the following: Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE), formerly American Association of Agricultural College Editors (AAAEA) American Agricultural Editors' Association (AAEA) National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB) Newspaper Farm Editors of America (NFEA) Personal Radio Operations - International Federation (PRO-IF), formerly American Radio Council (ARC) Instructional Materials Textbooks and References Agricultural Business Sales and Marketing. Columbia, MO: Missouri Instructional Materials Laboratory, 1984. Available from Ohio Agricultural Education Curriculum Materials Service. Agricultural News Writing by Claron B. Burnett, Richard Powers, and John Ross. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt, 1973. Communications Handbook. Agricultural Communicators in Education. 5th ed. Danville, IL: Interstate, 1988. Gale Directory of Publications. 119th ed. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1987. Handbook of Agricultural Occupations by Norman K. Hoover. 4th ed. Danville, IL: Interstate, 1985. Communication Strategies: A Guide for Agricultural Change Agents by Herbert F. Lionberger and Paul H. Gwin. Danville, IL: Interstate, 1982. The Five M's of Agricultural Advertising by Douglas Sorenson. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1967. Leadership for Agricultural Industry by Robert Stewart. New York: Gregg/McGraw-Hill, 1978. Technology and Communication Behavior by Frederick Williams. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1987. Bulletins and Pamphlets The following are available from the Cooperative Extension Service. Communicate with Your Elected Officials. B3222. Computers on the Farm. AF2277. Getting the Word Out - A Handbook for Planning a Public Information Campaign. J3081. The following are available from the National FFA Supply Service. FFA Leadership and Personal Development Series. (Series of ten) LPD 1 through LPD 10. Student Handbook. NSTH. Periodicals Agri-View The Country Today Farm Industry News Farm Journal Successful Farming Wisconsin Agriculturist Computer Software The following is available from COMPress. Super Scoup. Apple. Films, Videotapes, and Slides The following are available from the Bureau of Audio Visual Instruction. Food and Jobs: Wisconsin Agriculture. 11370 (VHS videotape, color, 25 minutes) or 11627 (16mm film, color, 25 minutes). University of Wisconsin, Department of Agricultural Journalism, 1987. Newspaper Serves Its Community. 2nd ed. 10583 (16mm film, color, 16 minutes). BFA Educational Media, 1984. Television: The Enchanted Mirror. 10436 (16mm film, color, 29 minutes). Mass Media Ministries, 1981. The following are available from Nasco. Concepts of Effective Leadership. Z10920N (VHS videotape, 30 minutes). Education and Communication Specialists. Z10929N (VHS videotape, 30 minutes). Keys to Effective Speaking. Z10919N (VHS videotape, 30 minutes). The following is available from Vocational Agriculture Services. Salesmanship in Agriculture Business. 391 (Slides). Equipment and Facilities Computer/printer