Manage Abstracts

Nutrition and foods trainees and professionals have identified a need for formal communication and media training at the undergraduate and graduate level to ensure they feel confident engaging with media. A one- day Applied Human Nutrition Media Training Workshop (AHN MTW) was developed at Mount Saint Vincent University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for nutrition students and professionals, to provide attendee’s with audio- visual media training.

The objectives were to: 1) collect demographic information on AHN MTW attendees, 2) capture attendees’ experience of the AHN MTW, and 3) evaluate interest in further programming.

A standardized, mixed-form questionnaire was developed and self-administered immediately to attendees after the workshop and eight months later in person or via LimeSurvey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Twenty-nine participants completed the questionnaire immediately post-workshop and six completed it at follow-up. Workshop attendance was divided into morning, afternoon, and all day. Attendees stated that they were motivated to attend the workshop in order to learn media skills for dietetic practice and to gain confidence in public speaking. All attendees said they learned something new at the workshop and planned to use these learned skills in future media opportunities such as TV/radio interviews. The one-day workshop was described as: exceptional (9/29), excellent (7/29), very good (3/29), and good (1/29) by twenty-nine attendees. Data collected during follow- up showed that attendees used their learned media skills in interviews and media content development.

Attendees’ demographic information and experience of the workshop were captured. Attendees expressed interest in attending future workshops and specific areas of interest were identified. Evaluation data will be used to develop future training opportunities.

One-day workshops rooted in experiential learning, may be an effective approach to media knowledge and skill development for nutrition students and professionals.

Social Change Through Community-engaged Research Grant (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council)