The agricultural and natural resource industry must address a variety of significant, and often controversial, issues because it consists of a multitude of complexly intertwined societal functions — food, fuel, and fiber — all of which “have to be fulfilled, simultaneously, in a framework in which inputs (i.e., soil, water, air) are increasingly tight” (Aertset al., 2009, p. 331). Determining how these functions are carried out individually and collectively is an equally complex mixture of politics, economics, science, ethics, culture, and consumerism. Unfortunately, people are either incapable or unwilling to engage in civil discourse to develop efficient action as “opportunities for honest discussion are reduced in today’s polarized environment” (Epstein & Graham, 2007, p. 1). As society becomes more nationally and globally connected, the need for people to communicate and work collaboratively to address agriculture and natural resource issues is becoming increasingly important.

Cognition plays a large role in how people engage in teaching and learning experiences, and ultimately make decisions, including how they work collaboratively and communicate with one another. Cognitive styles, or an individual’s preferred way of organizing and retaining information (Keefe, 1979), need to be studied to understand the influence of teaching and learning on decision making and encouraging civil discourse. The resulting findings will then inform the development of educational programming that integrates critical agricultural and natural resource issues into formal and non-formal learning environments. Critical issues include (a) food security, (b) climate variability and change, (c) water, (d) bioenergy, (e) childhood obesity, and (f) food safety (U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, n.d.).

The overall purpose of this project is to develop a teaching and learning decision support system to aid in (a) the identification and stakeholder implementation of new production and resource management technologies and practices (including those that may be contentious such as gene editing, unmanned aerial systems, and those addressing climate change), (b) the ability to integrate holistic perspectives on agriculture and natural resources issues into formal and non-formal educational programs, and (c) to ensure cultural consideration in the decision making process. Ultimately, this will increase stakeholder adoption of information and technologies that will lead to systems that ensure the sustainability of agriculture and natural resources.

There is little research examining cognition’s effect on how cognitive styles impact teaching and learning, including how that influences decision making with respect to critical agricultural and natural resources issues. Therefore, it is essential that researchers explore this connection in order to develop a decision support system that is effective both regionally and nationally. Without this research and the collaboration of researchers across the country, the adoption of information and technologies related to critical agriculture and natural resource issues may be slowed or ceased, leading to unnecessary inefficiencies in agricultural systems and degradation of natural resources.

Advantages of a Multistate Effort

Agricultural and natural resource issues can be local, regional, national or international in scope. Advantages of the multistate effort include an effective forum for utilizing distinct expertise, local and regional knowledge, and building collaboration among agricultural scientists. The effort expands the ability to investigate the feasibility of differing agricultural education and communication strategies in rural and urban centers and across economic, demographic, and commodity foci. Collaborative approaches are likely to formulate stronger solutions when compared to a single state or single researcher effort. Collaboration in a multistate effort will streamline and focus research that bridges agricultural education, extension education, communication and leadership. Past research has lacked congruence across research instruments. This project will also allow longitudinal data and replication of studies across the United States. With the exception of a few nationwide efforts, current research related to the scholarship of agricultural education and communication is conducted without a focused effort. Without the structure of a multistate project, this proposed research would be more challenging to manage and would create a need for more effort on behalf of the faculty involved. The project is significant to the National Research Agenda for Agricultural Education and Communication (Roberts et al., 2016) that called for holistic approaches to identifying what education and communication methods, models and practices are most effective in leading change and diffusing agricultural innovations. The research agenda set forth by the USDA NIFA complements the National Research Agenda for Agricultural Education and Communication (Roberts et al., 2016) by prioritizing not just the development of new agricultural innovations but recognizing the level to which they are adopted (and retained) is just as crucial, and can be improved upon through agricultural education and communication efforts developed using research-driven best practices (e.g., wording and graphics that are tailored to region, race, identity, culture, socioeconomic status, etc.).

Likely Impacts from Successful Completion

The successful completion of this research project is expected to yield several impacts crucial to the adoption of innovations needed to solve agricultural and natural resource issues at the local, regional, national and even global level. Educational programs and communication efforts disseminating information about agricultural innovations will be developed based on best practices identified by research to capitalize on the effects of cognition. Agricultural and extension professionals will have an increased awareness of how cognition influences the adoption and critical thinking/problem-solving skills within their audiences and scientists will have a better understanding of how their audiences’ cognition affects the acceptance of their innovations. Individuals participating in agricultural and extension education programs designed using best practices capitalizing on the effects of cognition will be more likely to process the information and increase their knowledge levels; thereby becoming more informed. Informed individuals will encourage and support the adoption of new innovations. Increased adoption will lead to agricultural systems that ensure the sustainability of natural resources.