4-H Youth Development &
4-H Science, Engineering, and Technology Initiative
June 18, 2013, REC Directors Meeting
Steven Worker, 4-H SET Coordinator
Shannon Dogan, Associate Director
Andrea Ambrose, Major Gifts Officer
4-H Youth Development Program
“The University of
California 4-H Youth
Development Program
engages youth in
reaching their fullest
potential while
advancing the field of
youth development.”
About 4-H
• Nonformal educational program
• Delivered in a positive youth development
context
• Learning through hands-on, project based work
• Targeted to youth aged 5 to 19
• Programming through camp, clubs, afterschool,
school enrichment, special interest and short
term.
• Volunteers as extenders of knowledge
4-H Mission Mandates
• Science, Engineering
and Technology
• Healthy Living
• Citizenship
“California’s youth will need new and enhanced opportunities
for engagement.” – UC ANR Strategic Vision
What type of 4-H activities are
youth involved in?
Consumer and Family
Science
Biological Sciences
Technology and Engineering
Physical Sciences
Environmental Education /
Earth Sciences
Ag in the Classroom
Animal Science
Plant Science
Total Science,
Engineering, &
Technology
10843
7348
8641
73
19731
7503
30198
5190
89527
Health
Personal Safety
Total Healthy
Lifestyles
Civic Engagement
Community / Volunteer
Service
Leadership and Personal
Development
Communications and
Expressive Arts
Total Citizenship
9902
287
10189
753
2509
9577
11490
24329
Outcomes of 4-H Participation
2X more likely to get better grades in school
2X more likely to plan to go to college
Girls are 2X more likely to pursue science careers
2X more likely to exercise and be physically active
3X more likely to actively contribute to their
communities
Results are from the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development a longitudinal study that began in 2002, surveying more than 7,000 adolescents from diverse backgrounds across 44
U.S. states. http://www.4-h.org/about/youth-development-research/positive-youth-development-study/
4-H Science, Engineering, and
Technology (SET)
The U.S. and Science Education
Stagnant and declining levels of scientific literacy.
–
The 2005 and 2009 National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP) for 4th, 8th, and 12th graders revealed
poor science achievement at all three grade levels (Grigg,
Lauko, and Brockway 2006; NCES 2011).
Trends are not distributed equally across the
population:
–
–
Caucasian and Asian American outperformed African
Americans & Latinos.
Youth from high-income households scored higher than
their peers from low-income households.
Overall, California students scored below national
averages on the NAEP assessments, ranking 48th
and/or 49th among all states.
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.
Grigg, W. S., Lauko, M. A., and Brockway, D. M. (2006). The nation’s report card: Science 2005. Washington, D. C.: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.
Science Education in Out-of-School Time (OST)
Growing recognition of the role that informal/nonformal education
plays in youth science learning.
Key reports highlight the need for experiential and inquiry-based science
education out-of-school.
–
National Research Council. (2009). Learning science in informal environments:
People, places, and pursuits. Washington D.C.: The National Academies Press.
–
Falk, J. and Dierking, L. (2010). The 95 percent solution: School is not
where most Americans learn most of their science. American Scientist,
98(6), 486-493.
“out-of-school science-learning experiences are fundamental to supporting
and facilitating lifelong science learning” (p. 492)
Time youth spend in and out of classrooms
National Research Council. (2009). Learning science in informal environments: People, places, and pursuits. Washington, DC:
National Academies Press.
UC ANR’s Role in Science Education and the
Healthy Families & Communities Strategic Initiative
Research Questions
•
What are the impacts of participation in community-based (non-formal) youth development
programs on the science knowledge, science process skills, and attitudes toward science among K-12
youth?
•
What are the impacts of professional development in science on the pedagogical and content
knowledge and skills of non formal and pre-service science educators?
Links between Initiatives and 4-H
Potential for connection between all of the initiatives and scientific literacy.
ANR Initiative
4-H Thematic Area
Water Quality, Quantity, and Security
Water Education
Sustainable Food Systems
Agriculture & Gardening
Science Literacy
Science & Engineering Education
Sustainable Natural Ecosystems
Environmental Stewardship & Natural Res.
Enhance the Health of Californian’s and
CA’s Ag Economy
Healthy Families and Communities
Nutrition
Youth Development / Thrive
Ensure Safe and Secure Food Supplies
Bio-security, Pre-harvest Food Safety
Endemic and Invasive Pests and Diseases
Bio-security
Green Technologies
Renewable Energy
4-H Science, Engineering, and
Technology (SET) Initiative
• 4-H has been doing
science education for
100 years.
• Renewed commitment
in 2008 with the
formation of the SET
Initiative
4-H SET Leadership Team
Andrea Ambrose
Corporate and Foundation Major Gifts Officer, California 4-H Foundation
Shannon Dogan
Associate Director of 4-H Program and Policy, YFC
Latonya Harris
4-H Evaluation Coordinator, YFC
Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty
County Director San Benito County & 4-H Youth Development Advisor
Martin Smith
Associate CE Specialist, Youth Curriculum Development, UCD
Steven Worker
4-H Science, Engineering, and Technology Coordinator, YFC
Former Member: Richard Mahacek, 4-H Advisor, Merced County
4-H SET Initiative Plan of Action
Goal #1: Improve youth science literacy in, and attitudes for, agriculture,
natural resources, and nutrition through educational programming that use:
1. High quality curricula identified and developed based on UC ANR initiatives
2. Staff, volunteer, teen, and other educators prepared using research-based
professional development strategies
3. Strategies designed to meet the needs of youth audiences
4. Partners to strengthen programming
Goal #2: Advance the research-base of youth nonformal science education
through:
1. Developing and implementing new 4-H SET programs
2. Evaluating existing and new 4-H SET programming
3. Conducting new applied research
4. Sharing outcomes
Goal #3: Support the first two goals through effective resource development.
Foundation of 4-H Science Programs
Educational Practices
• Project-based learning
• Experiential education
• Inquiry-based teaching
• Collaborative learning
• Service learning
Youth Development Practices
• Safety
• Relationship building
• Youth engagement (youth-adult partnerships)
• Community involvement
• Skill building
http://www.ca4h.org/files/146514.pdf
Ongoing Projects 2008-2013
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Program Development
Preparing Educators (training)
Developing curricula
Conducting research and evaluation
Raising funds
Stewarding partnerships
Current Projects (2013-2014)
– Position paper to define scientific literacy in the
context of Cooperative Extension / ANR.
– Conducting a statewide needs assessment of 4-H
science programming.
– Developing PD modules based on each component of
the 4-H Program Framework.
– Longitudinal 4-H Science Evaluation through the
Online Record Book
– Several ANR Competitive Grants
Fund Development
http://ca4hfoundation.org/
Programmatic Partnerships within the Strategic Initiatives
Partnerships to maximize resources, share expertise, expand our reach and
visibility, leverage funding opportunities, and create new knowledge through
evaluation.
•
•
Western Water Project - Multi-state collaborative for youth water education,
scientific literacy, and positive youth development
•
Elkus Ranch – youth environmental education program (for ages 5-18 ) and
summery discovery camp (for ages 6-11).
•
Examples of existing youth outreach at REC’s
–
–
–
Desert REC: Farm Smart Program
Hansen REC: Student Farm Project
South Coast REC: Open house and 4-H centennial celebration
Discussion
• What types of youth
education and outreach
has been successful at
your REC?
• What possibilities and
opportunities might be
explored for closer
partnerships with 4-H?