With the exception of 2023, when I was on maternity leave, I have had the great pleasure of helping edit student blogs. While not all student blogs are published each term, we are always pleased by the number of students who receive invitations to resubmit their work. Typically, we invite more than 20 students to refine their blogs, and about half of them find the time to make the necessary edits for publication online.
I approach these edits with care, not changing the essence of a student’s voice, but ensuring that their writing holds up to the scrutiny of the internet. Since final marks are already assigned when we reach out, we ask students to invest additional time in polishing their blogs. As a former student myself, I was always eager for opportunities, but I recognize that this might not have been a priority for me at their age, so I sincerely appreciate those who take the time to make edits, add references, and ultimately share their work with SAIFood. These students belong to a special group, and I feel incredibly fortunate to work with them.
This assignment is something I truly hope remains in the syllabus for AREC 251. It pushes students to reflect on key aspects of communication. First, it asks them to identify what they are passionate about or concerned with. Then, it challenges them to consider their audience, those who may not be informed or invested in the topic, and to examine why that is. Most importantly, students learn that research is never one-sided; it requires the ability to step outside personal biases and consider multiple perspectives. In policy, this is what we need, but more importantly, for the future of agriculture, this is what we need: open minds, those willing to communicate, and the ability to listen and understand the other side of the coin 🪙.
As much as I would love to suggest some of my favourite blogs, I suggest you take a deep dive into what is available in our #studentblog archive.
