Agriculture and young people
Audience: Young people aged 10-30
Brand: Careers news; this segment aims to inform young people about and promote their interest in agricultural careers
What's new: Business and technical skills being added to agriculture degrees; agritourism being used to educate children about farming
Why now: The average age of farmers in England is 59 (Conway, 2016), so if more young people don't become interested in agriculture now, no one will be qualified to take over when these farmers retire
Education
Hadlow College is an agricultural college in Tonbridge and Canterbury. They offer business skills incorporated into courses -- 'you gain a solid understanding of agricultural science as well as the key technological, economic and policy issues affecting the sector, such as sustainability and the environment' (Hadlow College, 2018) -- in order to help young people with their 'rural digital future.'
Since farming challenges today, such as climate change and lack of resources, mean 'farmers now also need to be scientists, engineers and web developers' (Conway, 2016), doing a story where we talk to the students at Hadlow college about not only why it is important that young people get into farming, but also why it is essential for young people to get the right training before going into the agricultural industry, could help make these issues more relevant and of interest to young people watching who may be interested in business, prompting them to think about a career in agriculture instead.
What young people may not also know is that agricultural degrees are more likely to led to employment, because of the wide range of skills students are able to learn (Hadlow College, 2018). Showing this to young people may make them realise that they can still learn the skills they want to, for example in engineering, but that they can also learn how these can be of use in the agriculture industry, giving them an extra career path.
Agritourism
Agritourism is defined as, 'the practice of touring agricultural areas to see farms and often to participate in farm activities' (Merriam Webster, 2018).
Agritourism means 'students can have a better understanding of the life in the rural areas and this can make them want to keep the agriculture culture, perpetuate the traditions' (Petroman, Varga, Constantin, Petroman, Momir, Turc, and Merce, 2016), therefore it can be seen as one of the essential ways to get young people interested in agriculture.
With the boom in agritourism in recent years, many places have begun offering opportunities for families to explore farms, feed and see various farm animals, and buy homegrown produce whilst staying at or near a farm so people can experience and appreciate countryside life (Santeramo and Barbieri, 2016).
One problem I did find at first when looking at The Guardian's 'Top 10 family farmstay holidays in the UK' is that many of them were not local. However, doing more research helped me find a website which advertises farm stays across the country (FarmStayUK), where there are many agritourism destinations listed in Kent.
For example, Green Farm in Shadoxhurst offers opportunities for families to explore the farm, feed their chickens and ducks and buy free range eggs and meat while staying in the refurbished barn there.
For a report, we could potentially talk to the owners and discover their views on how staying on a farm like this, even for a couple of days, encourages children to think about and become interested in agriculture, and whether they think holidays like this could possibly encourage more children to aspire to be farmers.
Since there have also been findings which 'indicate that although farmers are increasingly turning to agritourism as a means to generate additional income, they lack many of the fundamental business competencies required for success' (Phelan and Sharpley, 2011), we could also find out how the owners manage both the business and practical aspects of the farm, and if they think degrees such as the ones offered at Hadlow College are a good idea, and why.
Agritourism means 'students can have a better understanding of the life in the rural areas and this can make them want to keep the agriculture culture, perpetuate the traditions' (Petroman, Varga, Constantin, Petroman, Momir, Turc, and Merce, 2016), therefore it can be seen as one of the essential ways to get young people interested in agriculture.
With the boom in agritourism in recent years, many places have begun offering opportunities for families to explore farms, feed and see various farm animals, and buy homegrown produce whilst staying at or near a farm so people can experience and appreciate countryside life (Santeramo and Barbieri, 2016).
One problem I did find at first when looking at The Guardian's 'Top 10 family farmstay holidays in the UK' is that many of them were not local. However, doing more research helped me find a website which advertises farm stays across the country (FarmStayUK), where there are many agritourism destinations listed in Kent.
For example, Green Farm in Shadoxhurst offers opportunities for families to explore the farm, feed their chickens and ducks and buy free range eggs and meat while staying in the refurbished barn there.
For a report, we could potentially talk to the owners and discover their views on how staying on a farm like this, even for a couple of days, encourages children to think about and become interested in agriculture, and whether they think holidays like this could possibly encourage more children to aspire to be farmers.
Since there have also been findings which 'indicate that although farmers are increasingly turning to agritourism as a means to generate additional income, they lack many of the fundamental business competencies required for success' (Phelan and Sharpley, 2011), we could also find out how the owners manage both the business and practical aspects of the farm, and if they think degrees such as the ones offered at Hadlow College are a good idea, and why.
Technology and wellbeing
Audience: Young people, especially those who identify as 'gamers', or know people who do; could also be parents, as they may need help finding solutions to some of the problems we present
Brand: Technology news; this segment with the aim to inform people of how technology could be affecting their wellbeing, and how they could improve their relationship with tech
What's new: New research about how violent video games affect behaviour; gaming disorder recently classified as a mental health condition
Why now: Many believe violent video games are a factor which is causing crime as more violent crime is increasingly being reported; as more and more games become available and more accessible anywhere the risk of becoming addicted to them is getting higher
Why now: Many believe violent video games are a factor which is causing crime as more violent crime is increasingly being reported; as more and more games become available and more accessible anywhere the risk of becoming addicted to them is getting higher
Gaming disorder
As of June this year, 'the World Health Organization has added "gaming disorder" to the list of mental health conditions in its next update of the International Classification of Diseases, its standardized list of diseases and other medical conditions' (Loria, 2018).
Gaming disorder has been around since games were invented, but since today's games are
designed to keep people playing through the psychological theory they employ, the problem is only increasing (Faust, and Prochaska, 2018:273).
Faust and Prochaska also point out the disorder is similar to a gambling disorder, in that the games end up totally preoccupying the player, who becomes withdrawn and losses interest in other activities, as well as other symptoms, including also using gaming to escape negative feelings or other problems (2018:272). However, because it is similar to gambling disorders, and many other disorders, it has also been argued that someone diagnosed with gaming disorder could be misdiagnosed, as their addiction to gaming could actually only be masking another disorder or problem they are instead experiencing (Aarseth, Bean, Boonen, Colder, Coulson, Das, Deleuze, Dunkels, Edman, Ferguson, Haagsma, Helmersson, Hussain, Jansz, Kardefelt-Winther, Kutner, Markey, Nielsen, Prause, Przybylski, Quandt, Schimmenti, Starcevic, Stutman, Van Looy, and Van Rooij, 2016).
The biggest problem with a possible gaming addiction is that it 'can be largely invisible. Needed are public health campaigns and product labeling to raise awareness' (Faust, and Prochaska, 2018:273).
Possible options to present this story to our audience could be to do vox pops with the public to see how widespread the problem could potentially be by asking them if they have ever experienced an addiction to a game, or, to give the report a more serious, professional edge, we could have a live interview with a psychologist who could go into detail about this problem, the challenges people are facing, and possible treatment, as well as if it should be classified as a disorder.
Gaming disorder has been around since games were invented, but since today's games are
designed to keep people playing through the psychological theory they employ, the problem is only increasing (Faust, and Prochaska, 2018:273).
Faust and Prochaska also point out the disorder is similar to a gambling disorder, in that the games end up totally preoccupying the player, who becomes withdrawn and losses interest in other activities, as well as other symptoms, including also using gaming to escape negative feelings or other problems (2018:272). However, because it is similar to gambling disorders, and many other disorders, it has also been argued that someone diagnosed with gaming disorder could be misdiagnosed, as their addiction to gaming could actually only be masking another disorder or problem they are instead experiencing (Aarseth, Bean, Boonen, Colder, Coulson, Das, Deleuze, Dunkels, Edman, Ferguson, Haagsma, Helmersson, Hussain, Jansz, Kardefelt-Winther, Kutner, Markey, Nielsen, Prause, Przybylski, Quandt, Schimmenti, Starcevic, Stutman, Van Looy, and Van Rooij, 2016).
The biggest problem with a possible gaming addiction is that it 'can be largely invisible. Needed are public health campaigns and product labeling to raise awareness' (Faust, and Prochaska, 2018:273).
Possible options to present this story to our audience could be to do vox pops with the public to see how widespread the problem could potentially be by asking them if they have ever experienced an addiction to a game, or, to give the report a more serious, professional edge, we could have a live interview with a psychologist who could go into detail about this problem, the challenges people are facing, and possible treatment, as well as if it should be classified as a disorder.
Video games and behaviour
According to CNN 'results from more than 400 studies revealed a "significant" link between being exposed to violent media (in general) and aggressive behavior, aggressive thoughts and angry feelings' (Scutti, 2018). However, new research has proven the opposite.
As 'some video games require violence in order to help save innocent people, or even the world, against those attempting to do harm...players must be violent, which may reduce prosocial behavior, but within the plot of the game the violence is in the service of helping others, which may increase prosocial behavior' (Lueke, Hilgard, Zimmerman, Bartholow, Gibson, 2018) . Therefore, by playing as the hero in these games, players are more likely to react positively to people in their real lives in consequence.
This report also found that 'the benefits of cooperative game play are not limited to subsequent interactions with video game partners but can be applicable to social interactions with others' (Velez, Greitemeyer, Whitaker, Ewoldsen, and Bushman, 2014:12).
For this reason, it could be relevant to report on a story which shows this research, and present it to the gamers who play these games. An actuality sequence could be filmed where the audience can see them cooperating with each other as they play as a team, rather than being aggressive as could be expected, as well as giving their opinions on whether playing the hero in the game makes them feel more likely to help others in real life. We could find these gamers at AllGenGaming, a gaming centre in Rochester.
A reporter trying out the games and seeing how they make them feel could also be included to give the report an immediacy and viability which just presenting the research and getting opinions would not present.
A reporter trying out the games and seeing how they make them feel could also be included to give the report an immediacy and viability which just presenting the research and getting opinions would not present.
Some
video games
require
violence in order to help save
innocent people
,
or even the world
,
against those
attempting
to do harm
. Many games
require the player to save innocents from
monster
s
, terrorists, or
even
Nazi
s
.
Thus
,
players must
be
violent
, which may reduce prosocial behavior,
but within the plot of the
game the violence is in the service of helping others
, which may increase
prosocial
behavior.
Some
video games
require
violence in order to help save
innocent people
,
or even the world
,
against those
attempting
to do harm
. Many games
require the player to save innocents from
monster
s
, terrorists, or
even
Nazi
s
.
Thus
,
players must
be
violent
, which may reduce prosocial behavior,
but within the plot of the
game the violence is in the service of helping others
, which may increase
prosocial
behavior.
References:
Aarseth E., Bean A., Boonen H., Colder M., Coulson M., Das D., Deleuze J., Dunkels E., Edman J., Ferguson C., Haagsma M., Helmersson K., Hussain Z., Jansz J., Kardefelt-Winther D., Kutner L., Markey P., Nielsen L., Prause N., Przybylski A., Quandt T., Schimmenti A., Starcevic V., Stutman G., Van Looy J., and Van Rooij A. (2016) 'Scholars’ open debate paper on the World Health Organization ICD-11 Gaming Disorder proposal' In: akademiai 30.12.2016 [online] At: https://akademiai.com/doi/abs/10.1556/2006.5.2016.088
In: Telegraph [online] At: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/05/andrea-leadom-is-right--we-need-to-get-more-young-people-into-fa/ (Accessed on 22 September 2018)
Faust, K., and Prochaska, J. (2018) 'Internet gaming disorder: A sign of the times, or time for our attention?' In: escholarship 01.02.2018 [online] At: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2bg1x9n5 (Accessed on 22 September 2018)
Hadlow College. (2018) Agriculture & Agricultural Engineering. At: https://www.hadlow.ac.uk/courses/agriculture-agricultural-engineering (Accessed on 22 September 2018)
Loria, K. (2018) ''Gaming disorder' has been classified as a mental health condition by the World Health Organization — here's what that means' In: uk.businessinsider.com [online] At: http://uk.businessinsider.com/gaming-disorder-classified-as-mental-health-condition-11-2018-6?r=US&IR=T (Accessed on 22 September 2018)
Merriam Webster. (2018) Agritourism. At: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agritourism (Accessed on 22 September 2018)
Petroman, I., Varga, M., Constantin, E., Petroman, C., Momir, B., Turc, B., Merce, I. (2016) 'Agritourism: An Educational Tool for the Students with Agro-food Profile' In: sciencedirect.com n.d.[online] At: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212567116302441 (Accessed on 22 September 2018)
(2011) 'Exploring Agritourism Entrepreneurship in the UK, Tourism Planning & Development' In: tandfonline.com 09.06.2011 [online] At: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21568316.2011.573912 (Accessed on 22 September 2018)
Santeramo, F. and Barbieri, C. (2016) 'On the demand for agritourism: a cursory review of methodologies and practice' In: tandfonline.com 18.02.2016 [online] At: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21568316.2015.1137968?src=recsys (Accessed on 22 September 2018)
Scutti, S. (2018) 'Do video games lead to violence?' In: CNN [online] At: https://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/25/health/video-games-and-violence/index.html (Accessed on 22 September 2018)
Velez, J., Greitemeyer, T., Whitaker, J., Ewoldsen, D., and Bushman, B. (2014) 'Violent Video Games and Reciprocity: The Attenuating Effects of Cooperative Game Play on Subsequent Aggression' In: Sage n.d. [online] At: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/60cf/849b4043fb555c8a917330be8aeaa0a6411e.pdf (Accessed on 22 September 2018)
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