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Open Access Publications from the University of California

Scholarly Works (51 results)

  • Article
  • Peer Reviewed
California Agriculture, Volume 67, Issue 1 (2013)
The 4-H Youth Development Program can help address low levels of scientific literacy among K-12 youth in the United States by providing opportunities to learn science in out-of-school settings. To help ensure quality program delivery, effective professional development for adult volunteers who serve as 4-H science educators is essential. Lesson study, a constructivist-based professional development model, is one potential strategy to help meet this need. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was used to investigate the influence of lesson study on 4-H volunteers' science content and pedagogical knowledge. In mixed-methods research, both quantitative and qualitative data are collected and analyzed in an investigation. Survey data revealed improved understanding and use of subject matter knowledge among participants. Focus group interview data elaborated on participants' understanding and use of inquiry processes. Results from this study could benefit 4-H volunteers, other nonformal educators, and researchers.
    Cover page: Findings show lesson study can be an effective model for professional development of 4-H volunteers
    • Thesis
    • Peer Reviewed
    UC Davis Electronic Theses and Dissertations (2018)

    Utilizing a sequential explanatory mixed methods study design, this investigation assessed whether knowledge and skills acquired through the use of an experientially-based 4-H science curriculum that included a service-learning component helped participating 4-H youth develop the information, means, and opportunities to implement an authentic service-learning project related to the curriculum’s subject matter of predation and depredation. The study drew upon quantitative and qualitative data from outcome testing with participating 4-H youth from a county in Northern California. Results from pre-/post-surveys, retrospective surveys, a focus group, and individual and pair interviews showed an increase in 4-H participants’ content knowledge and skills, and in their ability to apply learned material to authentic contexts. This was evident in real-world contexts through improved animal husbandry methods on their home premises, an informational video they developed as part of a service-learning project, and the demonstration of their knowledge by sharing the video with the broader community. In addition, participants provided specific feedback on the constructivist-based curriculum activities that aided most in their content knowledge acquisition and the service-learning project. This study can serve as a model for the intentional incorporation of constructivist-based methods and service-learning in future 4-H curricula. It also contributes to service-learning research, particularly in non-formal settings with youth audiences, which has been limited.

      Cover page: What Components of a Curriculum Lead to Authentic Service-learning by Youth?
      • Article
      • Peer Reviewed
      California Agriculture, Volume 67, Issue 1 (2013)
      Nonformal education programs like 4-H can help address the need to improve scientific literacy among K-12 youth in the United States. To accomplish this, however, it is imperative that adult volunteers who serve as 4-H science educators engage in effective professional development. Currently, most 4-H volunteers who lead science projects and activities with youth participate in professional development opportunities involving episodic workshops that are considered largely ineffective with regard to fostering meaningful change in educators' knowledge and skills. In contrast, professional development models that involve communities of practice (CoPs), whereby groups of educators work toward shared learning goals through authentic work, have been shown to be effective. Professional development models that utilize CoPs represent potential strategies to help meet the professional development needs of 4-H volunteers who implement science programming with youth. Further investigation of these models within the context of 4-H science is recommended.
        Cover page: More effective professional development can help 4-H volunteers address need for youth scientific literacy
        • Article
        Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference, Volume 29 (2020)
        Predator issues related to interactions with livestock and poultry represent a state, national, and international issue. Predators are important for healthy ecosystems; however, with increased interactions between predators and agricultural animals there is also an increased likelihood of predator depredation. The 4-H Youth Development Program is a national nonformal youth education program. Annually, over 1.5 million youth participate in 4-H Animal Science projects, mainly agricultural animals. 4-H youth who raise agricultural animals face issues of predator-livestock interactions. A 4-H curriculum was developed to help youth learn about predator-livestock interactions and strategies to mitigate these issues through improved animal husbandry. Pilot research on the use of the curriculum revealed improved knowledge among participating youth, as well as the application of mitigation strategies to youths’ own practice and outreach to their communities through a service-learning project.
          Cover page: At the Interface between Livestock and Predators: Reducing the Risk of Livestock-Predator Interactions among Youth Animal Owners
          • Book
          • Peer Reviewed
          4-H, Youth and Family (includes home livestock) (2014)
          Pre-harvest food safety is all about protecting our food supply from pathogens, parasites, and other harmful agents. This 4-part curriculum is the leader's guide for a 4-H project on principles and methods that youth can apply in food-animal projects.
            Cover page: Pre-Harvest Food Safety in 4-H Animal Science Complete (Parts 1 through 4)
            • Article
            • Peer Reviewed
            California Agriculture, Volume 75, Issue 1 (2021)
            Youth participants in 4-H animal science projects are involved extensively with raising and exhibiting agricultural animals, often on backyard farms (Smith and Meehan 2012). Since backyard farms can serve as sources and vectors of pathogens (FAO 1999; WHO 2011), it is critical that 4-H youth take an active role in preventing the introduction and spread of economically important animal diseases. Fifteen 4-H youth from two counties in California participated in the 4-H Bio-Security Proficiencies Program, a long-term community and citizen science project focused on animal and zoonotic disease risk education and mitigation. Then, in the role of community science experts, they acted upon the risk assessments and mitigation plans they had developed to improve biosecurity practices and reduce the likelihood of disease spread on their home premises and at their local county fair. They also extended their knowledge to the broader livestock exhibition community through outreach videos.
              Cover page: 4-H youth advance biosecurity at home and in their communities
              • Article
              • Peer Reviewed
              California Agriculture, Volume 66, Issue 4 (2012)

              Scientific literacy among K-12 youth in the United States needs to be improved, and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources has identified this as a key area for research and extension. In 2010, ANR developed a water education curriculum for implementation by 4-H, which has a record of successful, nonformal science education programming that complements classroom-based instruction. The development of the new curriculum, There's No New Water!, is described, and preliminary results from a pilot test with high school youth are provided. Preliminary outcomes showed gains in both science knowledge and life skills.

                Cover page: 4-H boosts youth scientific literacy with ANR water education curriculum
                • Book
                • Peer Reviewed
                4-H, Youth and Family (includes home livestock) (2014)
                The Sheep - From the Animal's Point of View Series is a 4-H Youth Development curriculum that introduces youth to many aspects of sheep care. This download is an Adobe Acrobat Portfolio that includes the entire series, parts 1 through 5.
                  Cover page: Sheep - From the Animal's Point of View Complete (Parts 1 through 5)
                  • Book
                  • Peer Reviewed
                  4-H, Youth and Family (includes home livestock) (2009)
                  The Youth Development through Veterinary Science Series is a 4H Youth Development curriculum that introduces youth to many aspects of veterinary science. This download includes the entire series, parts 1 through 11.
                    Cover page: Youth Development through Veterinary Science Complete (Parts 1 through 11)
                    • Book
                    • Peer Reviewed
                    4-H, Youth and Family (includes home livestock) (2014)
                    Assessing Critical Control Points Associated with Disease Transmission is part 1 of a 4-part curriculum introducing 4-H youth to pre-harvest food safety principles and methods to use in their livestock and poultry projects and in later life.
                      Cover page: Pre-Harvest Food Safety in 4-H Animal Science Curriculum — Part 1. Assessing Critical Control Points Associated with Disease Transmission
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