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The Central Great Plains Climate Education Partnership conducted focus groups throughout Kansas to gain a better understanding of farmer perceptions and attitudes towards climate change education. Results indicate concern about climatic changes, even if producers are unsure that "human caused climate change" is occurring. Participants indicated they would like access to information through Web-based programs that allow them to manipulate variables relevant to their area and situation. Participants prefer locally relevant information and identified Extension agents as trusted educators. The study provided an expanded understanding of agricultural producer perceptions that will be valuable to individuals or organizations providing climate education. [This research was supported by NSF-CCEP #1135395, Central Great Plains Climate Change Education Partnership.]

Explores the nature of the relationships between gender, categories of computer use, and attitudes toward computers in a computer-enriched university environment where students had network access and laptop computers over a four-year period. Results indicate women were less positive about computers than men and their use levels were less frequent. (Contains 50 references.) (Author/LRW)

Examines the pedagogic usefulness of the computer by focusing on changes in student attitudes and use of computers in a computer-enriched environment using data from a longitudinal study at Wake Forest University. Results indicate that a networked institution where students have easy access can foster positive attitudes. (Author/LRW)

Examines two components related to faculty adoption of computers on university campuses: change in use patterns and change in attitudes and opinions. Results show that use and attitudes are multidimensional constructs and that changes happen at different rates for different categories of use. Findings suggest that faculty members need adequate computer training and infrastructural support to sustain use. (AEF)

This paper explores how community narratives function as significant symbolic resources for community visioning. A rhetorical method of invention, focused on indentifying key topics, imitation, and persuasive appeals, was used [...]

This study had as its aim creating an improved understanding of the quality of argument in various venues of deliberation--specifically, issue forums, public hearings, and message boards. A content analysis involving use of the Discourse Quality Index for more than 200 utterances revealed that issue forums and public hearings alike provided vibrant and civil spaces for public argument. This suggests that citizens have the capacity and disposition to create and evaluate policy positions in a civil manner. Key Words: Deliberation, Argument, Forum, Discourse Quality Index, Democracy, ARGUMENT QUALITY IN PUBLIC DELIBERATIONS Theorists and activists increasingly frame their preferred forms of politics as 'deliberative democracy' (Dryzek, 1990, 2000; Gastil & Keith, 2005). Understanding citizen deliberation as political [...]

The Central Great Plains Climate Education Partnership conducted focus groups throughout Kansas to gain a better understanding of farmer perceptions and attitudes towards climate change education. Results indicate concern about climatic changes, even if producers are unsure that "human caused climate change" is occurring. Participants indicated they would like access to information through Web-based programs that allow them to manipulate variables relevant to their area and situation. Participants prefer locally relevant information and identified Extension agents as trusted educators. The study provided an expanded understanding of agricultural producer perceptions that will be valuable to individuals or organizations providing climate education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]