Resources for 4-H Staff and Volunteers

Professional Development

Tools of the Trade II is a staff-development guide that uses a “train-the-trainer” approach to deliver a comprehensive 21½ -hour training for afterschool program frontline staff and youth workers on incorporating science, engineering, and technology (SET) into afterschool programming. Using a handson, interactive skill-building approach, it provides tools drawn from research and best practices to help afterschool staff enhance communication, management, and educational delivery of afterschool programs. Each session provides complete instructions, readily available supplies and session evaluations.

4-H Science Professional Development Connection newsletters - The 4-H Science Professional Development Connection is a newsletter provided by National 4-H Council to connect land grant university professionals to training and resources available to increase skills and knowledge to deliver 4-H Science to youth.

4-H Science Promising Practices published by the National 4-H Council in their 4-H Science Professional Development Connection e-newsletter.

National 4-H Science Professional Development Website
Contains resources and Materials for building understanding, implementing programs, and evaluation efforts. Two of these include:

Using Inquiry-Based Learning to Support 4-H Science
This online course includes three-lessons to prepare professionals and volunteers to use inquiry-based learning when facilitating 4-H Science programs.
Inquiry-Based Learning Videos

4-H Fund Development Toolkit
The 4-H Fund Development Toolkit combines learning modules along with practical tools and resources to enhance your fundraising for 4-H Science as well as 4-H's other mission areas. Whether you are new to fundraising, looking to strengthen your existing fund development skills, or searching for ways to engage leadership, staff and/or volunteers in mission driven philanthropy for 4-H, the toolkit has something to offer.

4-H Experiential Learning Website
This website contains three modules with activities to use with 4-H staff and volunteers.
I. Understanding the Experiential Learning Cycle
II. Inquiry-Based Learning and the Experiential Learning Cycle
III. Developing and Adapting Curricula to Integrate Experiential Learning

Carlson & Maxa. (1997) "Science Guidelines for Nonformal Education"
The purpose of the science guidelines is to encourage understanding of science and technology, address guidelines from a nonformal perspective, and assure that nonformal guidelines are compatible with other science standards. This document will be used to evaluate existing program curricula; guide the development of new science curriculum; judge a particular program's potential to fulfill the vision of a scientifically literate society; and enhance the quality of programs that were designed to improve youth's opportunity and ability to learn science.

Selection of California 4-H Presentations and Publications

Presentations

Science Abilities - The Processes of Doing Science - National Webinar. Presented nationally in January 2012.
CA4-H SET Webinar on September 9. Presented to California 4-H staff in September 2011.
4-H Program Empowers Youth - 2011 HSC Workshop. Presented at the HomeSchool Conference in August 2011.
4-H SET - Full day CYFAR Workshop. Presented at the 2010 CYFAR Conference in San Francisco.

Publications

History of Science Education in the 4-H YDP - 2012 - Worker
Published in the California Science Teachers' Association journal. (February 2011). 4-H Programs Focus on Science.
For 4-H Robotics, published in the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) publication Learning and Leading (2011). Learning Connections: No Robotics in School? 4-H Can Help.
UC Delivers

Marketing & Promotion

The need for science literacy

Committee on Prospering in the Global Economy of the 21st Century: An Agenda for American Science Technology (2007). Rising above the gathering storm: Energizing and employing America for a brighter economic future. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press. Available from http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11463
Fleischman, H.L., Hopstock, P.J., Pelczar, M.P., and Shelley, B.E. (2010). Highlights from PISA 2009: Performance of U.S. 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, and science literacy in an international context (NCES 2011-004). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Available from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/2011004.pdf
National Center for Education Statistics (2011). The nation’s report card: Science 2009. (NCES 2011-451). Washington, D.C.: Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Available from http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/main2009/2011451.pdf
Gonzales, P., Williams, T., Jocelyn, L., Roey, S., Kastberg, D., and Brenwald, S. (2008). Highlights from TIMSS 2007: Mathematics and science achievement of U.S. fourth- and eighth-grade students in an international context (NCES 2009–001 Revised). Washington, D.C.: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Available from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2009/2009001.pdf.

Research on the Effectiveness of Informal/Nonformal Science Education

4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Wave 6 (2008) - SET Findings
4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Wave 6 (2008) - SET Findings POWERPOINT
4-H SET Fact Sheet (2009)
Bell, P., Lewenstein, B., Shouse, A., Feder, M. (eds.) (2009). Learning science in informal environments: People, places, and pursuits. Washington D.C.: The National Academies Press. Available from http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12190
Fenichel, M., & Schweingruber, H. A. (2010). Surrounded by science: Learning science in informal environments. Washington D. C.: The National Academies Press. Available from http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12614

Research on 4-H Science Education

Barker, B., Grandgenett, N., & Nugent, G. (2009). A new model of 4-H volunteer development in science, engineering, and technology programs. Journal of Extension 47(2). Available from http://www.joe.org/joe/2009april/iw4.php
Bourdeau, V. (2004). 4-H experiential education – A model for 4-H science as inquiry. Journal of Extension 42(5). Available from http://www.joe.org/joe/2004october/tt3.php
Bourdeau, V. D. & Arnold, M. E. (2009). The science process skills inventory. Corvallis, OR: 4-H Youth Development Education, Oregon State University. Available at http://www.pearweb.org/atis/tools/18
Heck, K. (2009). 4-H impacts young people’s interest in science, engineering, and technology: Data from the 4-H study of positive youth development. Fact Sheet. UC Davis, CA: 4-H Center for Youth Development. Available from http://www.ca4h.org/files/1319.pdf
Horton, B., Gogolski, J., Warkentien, C. (2007). Science, engineering, and technology (SET): Programming in the context of 4-H Youth Development. Chevy Chase, MD: National 4-H Council. Available from http://www.ohio4h.org/publications/documents/SET2007.pdf
Kress, C. A., McClanahan, K., & Zaniewski, J. (2008). Revisiting how the U.S. engages young minds in science engineering and technology: A response to the recommendations contained in The National Academies’ “Rising Above the Gathering Storm” report. Chevy Chase, MD: National 4-H Council.
Mielke, M., LaFleur, J., & Sanzone, J. (2010). 4-H science, engineering and technology (SET) initiative: Youth engagement, attitudes, and knowledge study. Washington, D.C.: Policy Studies Associates. YEAK Final Report Executive Summary Spring 2010
Smith, M., Dasher, H., & Klingborg, D. (2005). A model for recruiting and training youth development volunteers in urban areas. Journal of Extension. 43(5). Available from http://www.joe.org/joe/2005october/a6.php
Smith, M. & Enfield, R. (2002). Training 4-H teen facilitators in inquiry-based science methods: the evaluation of a “step-up” incremental training model. Journal of Extension, 40(6). Available from http://www.joe.org/joe/2002december/a3.php
Smith, M., Meehan, C., Enfield, R., George, J., & Chin Young, J. (2004). Improving county-based science programs: bringing out the science teacher in your volunteer leaders. Journal of Extension, 42(6). Available from http://www.joe.org/joe/2004december/a5.php