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This study assessed the use of social media by Extension educators in Arkansas and examines strategies for identifying and combating misinformation within agricultural extension services. Guided by the Uses and Gratifications Theory, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), and the Third-Person Effect Theory for objectives one, two, and three, this research employed quantitative and qualitative approaches, specifically, two quantitative cross-sectional surveys and a qualitative focus group study developed into a three article dissertation.
The first article assessed the extent to which Extension educators utilize social media for professional activities, revealing that social media is predominantly used for event announcements, program marketing, and educational content dissemination, with limited adoption for interactive engagement, collaboration, and impact assessment. The second article applied the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to identify key factors influencing educators’ acceptance and use of social media. Findings indicated that perceived usefulness, ease of use, and social influence significantly impact social media adoption. At the same time, barriers such as time constraints, lack of training, and absence of institutional incentives hinder its effective use. The third article employed qualitative methods to explore educators’ experiences, challenges, and strategies for identifying and combating misinformation. Participants acknowledged the prevalence of misinformation on social media and emphasized the need for digital literacy training, fact-checking mechanisms, and institutional support to address misinformation effectively.
Results also highlighted variations in social media adoption based on job roles and gender, with 4-H & Youth Development agents demonstrating the highest usage levels and female educators engaging more frequently than their male counterparts. The study’s findings contribute to the growing body of literature on social media use in extension education, providing practical recommendations for enhancing digital communication strategies, improving social media training programs, and strengthening efforts to mitigate misinformation in agricultural extension services.
