Subtle Shifts
To Advance
4-H ScienceReadiness
Slides adapted by permission from “Are
You 4-H Science Ready?” webinar (Oct
2011) by Jill Walahoski & Jessie Bauman
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension
NYS 4-H
STEM
Academy
A professional
development event
brought to you by the
NYS 4-H Office and
4-H STEM PWT
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Goals

Become more familiar with the
4-H Science Checklist criteria and how
they can guide high quality 4-H STEM
projects

Learn about 4-H STEM terminology and resources

Do a “shifted” inquiry activity with your colleagues
to explore how we can adapt existing activities
and projects

Learn with and from your colleagues, and
continue the conversation
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Agenda
 Intro
to Science Readiness, STEM Checklist
 1. Essential Elements
 2. Adult Roles
 3. Experiential and Inquiry - Helicopter
 4. Outcomes
 5. Science Abilities
 6. Science Standards
 Assess Science Readiness
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Polycom Ground Rules
 Use
Polycom broadcast to share formal
presentation
 Use Webex to chat: questions,
observations, suggestions, resources



http://cornelluniversity.webex.com
Topic: NYS 4H STEM Academy
Password: Science
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How Much Do You Know?!
 Are
you familiar with the 4-H “Science
Checklist?”
 Is it useful?
 Can you explain what “4-H Science
Ready” means?
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Definition: 4-H Science (at national level)
[equivalent to 4-H STEM in New York]
 4-H
Science is the combination of the
context of youth development and the
content and processes of science
 = 4-H Science Ready Programs
+
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Setting the Stage
In-Formal – Non-Formal – Formal
STEM Education
4-H: non-formal
STEM education
Facilitated Learning
From Horton, Gogolski, and Warkentien, 2007. Science, Engineering, and Technology
(SET) Programming in the Context of 4-H Youth Development
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STEM - Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics.





Commonly used acronym in
education, research, policy, and
funding communities
Scientists explore the natural
world
Engineers create the designed
world
Technologists use knowledge to
adapt the natural and designed
world
Math is the language of science,
engineering, and technology(applied math)
Tools of the Trade Session 2: Explore It! Design it! Use it!
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4-H Science (national)
S.E.T. (original national and other states still using)
Inquiry a key ingredient – how science is done
STEM Abilities (science process skills) are needed to do
inquiry.
When learners do inquiry they:

develop abilities to do science and think critically

use abilities to:

learn by connecting previous knowledge with current
experience

identify and investigate novel experiences to build new
ideas
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Purpose of 4-H STEM Checklist



Guides efforts in developing high
quality science programs
NYS 4-H STEM Checklist
adapted from national
Answers the questions:
“How do I know what counts as a
‘Science-Ready’ 4-H STEM project?”
 What does a 4-H STEM
project look like?
 What elements should be included
when planning a 4-H STEM project?

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NYS 4-H STEM Checklist
(interchangeable with national checklist)
YD
Context
Science
Content
and
Process
High-quality 4-H STEM programs:
1.
Integrate essential elements of PYD
2.
Are led by trained staff and volunteers;
youth are partners and resources
3.
Engage youth in experiential and inquiry
based learning
4.
Target 4-H Science Logic Model
Outcomes; duration and frequency
appropriate to reach outcomes
5.
Target the development of STEM abilities
6.
Are based on science standards
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1. Integration of the Essential Elements of
Positive Youth Development
BELONGING, INDEPENDENCE, GENEROSITY, MASTERY


How do high quality 4-H
STEM programs and
projects contribute to
PYD?
Does the programming
intentionally provide
youth opportunities for
belonging,
independence,
generosity and mastery?
Essential Elements Training Curriculum http://www.4-h.org/resourcelibrary/professional-development-learning/
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2. Experiences led by trained,
caring adult staff and volunteers

What does it mean to have
programs delivered by staff and
volunteers trained in positive
youth development practices
and best practices for delivering
science content?

Does the program have access
to content experts? What if the
leader isn’t an expert at the
topic?

Does the program utilize youth
as partners? Do adult leaders
serve as coaches and colearners?
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Facilitation
A Facilitator is like a good
coach:
 Let the players play the
game - Coach stays on
the sideline – guide,
instruct, co-learn
 Center of learning
activity needs to focus
on learners
 Be flexible and provide
enough time
 Give learners latitude
to explore
 Okay not to have
answers – learn together,
be comfortable in role of
learner
Source: national 4-H Inquiry-based learning videos
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3. Activities are led with an
experiential and inquiry
approach
 Does the program


intentionally utilize these
approaches?
To learn how to do
science, experiential is
essential, but not enough
Experiential + Inquiry:
Meaning making (come
to understand important
ideas)
 Acquire important
knowledge and skills
 Transfer learning to new
situations

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“Subtle Shifts”
Shifted Helicopter Activity
 Do
the activity at your sites
 Compare to the ‘unshifted’
version. What differences
do you see?
 What are some “subtle
shifts” that can be made?
 How can this approach
help with incorporating
inquiry into existing
projects?
Helicopter
Margo
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EXPERI ENTI AL LEARNI NG MODEL
Experiential Learning
1.
Model
Experience
Learner does an
activity or seeks
information or
knowledge before
being told or shown
how to find
answers.
5.
Apply
Learner shares how the
life skill or knowledge
can be used in other
settings or activities.
Do
Apply
2.
Share
Learner describes the
experience and
reaction.
Reflect
4.
Generalize
3.
Process
Learner relates the
life skill or knowledge
from experience to
everyday
experiences.
Learner discusses
what was most
important about
what was done.
Tools of the Trade Session 4
Source: Based on the work of: Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and Education. New York: Kappa Delta Pi; Kolb, D. A.
(1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learni ng and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: PrenticeHall Inc.; and Pfeiffer, J. W., & Jones, J. E. (1983). References guide to handbooks and annuals. John Wiley & Sons,
Where can
inquiry fit
into an
experiential
learning
model?
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Promising Practices
for Inquiry
 I WONDER wall
 STEM Word Wall
 “That’s what
scientists do…”
“That’s the kind of
questions that
scientists ask”



Call them: “ornithologists,” “geologists,”
“soil scientists”…
Find ways to publish student work
Getting kids outside generates questions
 Jennifer Fee’s suggestions at the Spring 4-H STEM PWT Retreat
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Why Inquiry?
The best way to learn science
is to do science
Learner-centered
 Uses natural curiosity to motivate us to learn (enhances
learning)
 Allows learners to decide how to find the answer to a
question
 Can effectively teach content
 Helps develop scientific process
skills/abilities and independent
thinking skills
 Complements the experiential
learning approach and
activities that are already used
in 4-H
 Learning is a social process;
inquiry is a social process

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What does Inquiry look like?
Follow Science process rules: come up with a claim that can
be supported by evidence that has been shared with peers



Learner-centered – youth are in charge of
learning
Adult serves as coach/facilitator
Learning is intentional
 Active, open questioning
 Opportunities for active investigations
that include acquisition of knowledge
and skills
 Flexible – can utilize different types of
inquiry: Structured, Guided, Open
 Aligns with research base about how
kids learn
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How Do I Use Inquiry?
 Adult’s job: understand what the youth
know, what they want to know, and
support them getting there; keep them
safe and provide supplies
 Provide a context that sparks interest,
that gets youth wondering





Ask open-ended questions; repeat concepts in their
words, then provide name to reinforce concept
Provide time to explore and wonder
Let them arrive at their own testable question
Ask “What do you think will happen…?”
Encourage generation of additional or new questions
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Questions That Promote Learning
“The critical element to inquiry is that the child seeks answers to
questions and is not given answers” (Marek & Cavallo, 1997, p. 22)




Open Questions – do not
have a single or right
answer
Closed Questions – factbased or memory recall;
some may be answered
with yes or no
Broad Questions – a
variety of acceptable
and sometimes
unpredictable responses
Focused Questions –
particular, predictable
responses
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4. Programs target the outcomes of the
4-H Science Logic Model and consider
the appropriate frequency and
duration
 Do the program
outcomes align with
one or more outcomes
of the national and/or
New York State 4-H
Science/STEM Logic
Model?

Are the program hours
and frequency
appropriate for
accomplishing the
intended outcomes?
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STEM Outcomes
Think of a particular child you work with:
1. What does this child now know, what skills
have they developed or what attitudes have
evolved?
2. What would you hope they do or achieve as a
result of what they know?
3. How could this impact
the conditions of
their life and
potentially of others?
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Outcomes
What has changed as a result of the
program?
In the previous scenario:
1. Short-term outcomes
(KASA – knowledge,
awareness, attitudes,
skills, aspirations)
2. Mid-term outcomes
(behavior changes)
3. Long-term outcomes
(conditions, public
value)
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5. Opportunities to improve
Science Abilities (skills that
enable anyone to do science)
The 30 4-H STEM Abilities can be
categorized within seven Science
Process Skills:
 Observing
 Questioning
 Hypothesizing
 Predicting
 Planning and Investigating
 Interpreting
 Communicating
See ‘4-H SET Abilities Related to the Science Process Skills’ handout from
Training Guide for The Power of Wind (p.101)
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4-H STEM Abilities /
Science Process Skills



Do the program
activities intentionally
target one or more of
the STEM abilities?
Does the delivery of the
program include
strategies planned to
develop or strengthen
one or more of the
abilities?
Is it easier to embed the
30 4-H STEM Abilities into
7 overriding process
skills?
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6. Programs based on National
Science Education Standards
NSES Content and Process Skills:
 Science as Inquiry
 Physical, Life, Earth & Space Sciences
Science and
Technology
Science in Personal and
Social Perspectives
History and Nature of
Science
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National Science Education
Standards (NRC 1996)
The 4-H Science Initiative is based on the
National Science Education Standards. The
NSES present a vision of a scientifically literate
populace with the principles:
 Science is for all youth.
 Learning science is an active process (inquiry
based).
 Science reflects the intellectual and cultural
traditions that characterize the practice of
contemporary science.
 The Standards outline content youth need to
learn about science.
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6. Next Generation Science
Standards - new Common Core Standards
http://www.nextgenscience.org



Depth over breadth in science education
Greater coherence in learning across grade
levels
Helping students understand the cross-cutting
nature of crucial concepts, such as energy and
matter, that span scientific disciplines.
 Ensure that students apply
their learning through
scientific inquiry and the
engineering-design process
to deepen their
understanding.
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How to Assess your Program
for 4-H Science Readiness
Analyze program on content
and context
Compare checklist items to…
 Curriculum used
 Activities
 County and State
Activities
 Club or Group Activities
 Activities done at home
 Participation Structures
 Program Context
Curriculum
Used
Led by Trained
Staff/Volunteers
X
Science
Standards
X
Activities
County
and
State
X
(Context)
X
X
X
X
Essential
Elements
Experiential and
Inquiry
X
Done at
Home
X
Science Abilities
LM Outcomes
Club and
Group
Participation
Structure
X
X
X
X
X
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UPCOMING RESOURCES
http://www.4-h.org/resource-library/professional-developmentlearning/science-training-guides-resources/





Watch for national 4-H Science webinars
Why Science & Science Self-assessment online learning
module is now under development.
Evaluation Basics – multiple online learning modules under
development
Additional modules on Inquiry-based Learning coming this
fall
Archived national Adobe Connect webinars are being
repurposed. The webinars will be edited and turned into
Adobe Presenter presentations with engagement activities.
Will be available as MP3 file podcasts on national Online
Learning Center.
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Wrap Up
 We
hope you will continue this discussion
with your colleagues and let us know
what further professional development
opportunities would be helpful
 Please send your site notes so we can
share and learn from what each site
discussed
 Thank you for completing the evaluation
form!