339 Promoting media literacy in Animal Science

Abstract Media literacy is vital in our information heavy society. Learning to evaluate information sources is especially important in agriculture where misinformation runs rampant. Consumers increasingly rely on internet sources for agricultural information, but misinformation is 70% more likely to be shared than truth. Poor media literacy results in adoption of misconceptions or poor decision making based upon erroneous information. University students, even those heavily involved in agriculture, are confident in their ability to spot misinformation, but are often unable to differentiate credible, reliable, and accurate sources of information from misinformation. One of the major barriers to meaningful learning and retention is pre-assumptions or misconceptions held by students before entering class. Students use existing knowledge to comprehend and assimilate new ideas. If existing knowledge is false or biased, new information becomes difficult to integrate, especially if it contradicts cognitive biases. This paradigm creates a pedagogical opportunity for animal science educators. As misinformation about agriculture and nutrition are common, students entering an animal nutrition course likely hold misconceptions that could interfere with learning. Promoting media literacy helps combat misinformation and address misconceptions and biases, leading to more meaningful learning. Students engage in transformative learning when they encounter views that challenge their preconceptions or perspectives of self, and undergo a shift in perspective, modifying future actions. A media literacy project was developed in an undergraduate Animal Nutrition course (n = 44) where students identified and evaluated a piece of easily accessible media based on the critical media literacy framework. Students addressed their chosen media’s creator, purpose, beneficiaries, and context. They then addressed claims in their media using evidence from peer-reviewed sources. Students reflected on their media literacy and how they might evaluate sources for credibility in the future. Reflections were then evaluated using open coding methodology to identify emerging themes using MAXQDA Analytics Pro, and response frequencies recorded. Most students selected media from their social media platforms. They reported that typically they based credibility on perceived author expertise, inclusion of sources or graphs and data, or popularity of a post. After completing this project, students recognized a need for more critical thinking and personal research when consuming media, as they realized how easily misinformation spreads. Students experienced a shift in their perceptions of credibility leading to shifts in their future evaluation of media. Students indicate they will research media claims more thoroughly, no longer taking information at face value, and evaluating background and credibility of authors before believing their claims. Inclusion of media literacy activities in animal science coursework may be useful to address preconceptions or misinformation in their disciplines and promote critical thinking and careful evaluation of sources among undergraduate animal science students.