Building Educator Capacity Crystal Powers Project Coordinator & Extension Engineer University of Nebraska – Lincoln @UNLextCrystal Hello . . .

Project partners include the University of Nebraska as lead institution and the regional partners as shown. For more information, please visit us online at animalagclimatechange.org

All of the work on this project was done through the generous support of you and your tax dollars through the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Project Objectives Equip Educators – ability & motivation Provide science-based information Coordinate state, regional and national levels.

11 face-to-face conferences with approximately 1350 attendees AACC weekly blog sent to 990 people; the daily Southeast Climate Blog has received over 11,000 site visits; project videos including recordings from many of the face-to-face conferences have received nearly 8,800 views; regional project newsletters are sent to 627 stakeholders; modest social media efforts have 219 followers 400 presentations and publications were given by project personnel for local, regional, and international publications, meetings, and conferences

Online Course Climate Trends Climate Impacts Adaptation and risk management Climate science Greenhouse gases and life cycle assessment Greenhouse gas regulation and markets Climate change communication four years, 321 participants have registered (38% completion)

Outcomes - ability

Outcomes - motivation

“If they only understood the facts, then we’d all agree!” Traditionally we use a “science deficit” model Science deficit: Only works with 10-15% of population Ignores the complexity of opinion formation (Nisbet & Scheufele 2009) knowledge also emotion, values, groups, trust Some topics have scientific consensus, some do not Critically evaluate our own biases first: worldview, role of technology, values, etc

Understand worldviews Cultural cognition: the tendency of people to fit their perceptions of risk and related kinds of facts to the values that bind their identities. Dake, K. (1991). Orienting Dispositions in the Perception of Risk: An analysis of contemporary worldviews and cultural biases. J. Cross-Cultural Psych., 22, 61-82. Different issues are considered high risk by each worldview – leads to different perceptions of problems and solutions Be self reflective of how our own worldview shapes our programming Certain highly science-literate people are more skeptical, not less, of climate change risks (Kahan et al 2012) Culture & political values trump facts Beliefs affect the information remembered (Hamilton 2012)

People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care Find your passion, motivation, The Big Why Be transparent and tell them why you care Acknowledge your own bias and worldview Builds trust and helps overcome the concern that science has been bought. Teddy Roosevelt

Meet people where they are Know your audience and their concerns 75% agree climate IS changing Adaptation! 66% - 75% of ag community believes climate is changing Split over the cause, but that doesn’t stop adaptation 2012/2013 U2U/SARP surveys

Start with local history

Framing Focus on audience’s values & concerns: 2012/2013 U2U/SARP surveys

What do we have in common: Discover shared values and goals Respect them and what they respect: values, people, methods, history “Build your audience’s connection with each other, the environment, and the society that enjoys the benefits of its natural resources.” (Psychology of Climate Change Communication http://guide.cred.columbia.edu) Acknowledge problems and uncertainty (Haddad et al. 2012)

Present new information so it can be heard Communicate using both analysis and imagery. Brain processes information using two systems: experiential system (emotions) and analytical processing system. Need to use both. (CRED http://guide.cred.columbia.edu) Use appropriate metaphors. i.e. sleeping bag metaphor helps explain the greenhouse effect. Correct any misconceptions or myths: most start with a kernel of truth, and acknowledge that, but then correct misinformation.

Concrete Local Now Make it concrete, local, and happening now (Slovic, P. 2000 & Hardisty, D. J., Weber, E. U. 2009)

Somerville & Hassol 2011

Co-create solutions Build trust and buy-in by providing a forum for discussing potential solutions Balance analytical data with vivid imagery hopeful campaigns rooted in the audience’s everyday lives short messages that promoted responsible behavior (Mathieu et al. 2012) compelling vision of what can be done Do not want people to feel that it is preordained or impossible to overcome. i.e. Asking people to change a light bulb may not seem like a significant response to a monumental problem Photos: USDA-ARS, UNL, BeefMagazine

Win-win across shared values Social Economic Environmental Acknowledge that there are multiple solutions to the same problem and discuss tradeoffs. Different worldviews prefer different solutions focus on areas of commonality Facts without framing are more likely to be processed with motivated reasoning (Druckman & Bolson 2011)

Share success stories What is working? Use a variety of mediums: print, videos, field days

Science in Action Public wants to know how the science applies to their life. We can point back to the basic science

SciComm Lessons Learned We needed to use SciComm strategies AND teach them Meet people where they are Start with LOCAL, historical information Present new information in ways that are heard Co-create solutions It’s about how the science is APPLIED

“There are things science can answer and things that ethics can answer “There are things science can answer and things that ethics can answer...” Temple Grandin Not everyone will agree, and that’s OK

How will you take on the challenge? Crystal Powers: cpowers2@unl.edu, @UNLextCrystal Animal Agriculture in a Changing Climate animalagclimatechange.org, @ClimateAnimals Center for Research in Environmental Decisions, Columbia University guide.cred.columbia.edu Useful to Usable mygeohub.org/groups/u2u