Findings Show Lesson Study Can Be an Effective Model for Professional Development of 4-H Volunteers

UC Agriculture & Natural Resources California Agriculture Title Findings show lesson study can be an effective model for professional development of 4-H volunteers Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1c36p91c Journal California Agriculture, 67(1) ISSN 0008-0845 Author Smith, Martin H Publication Date 2013 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California RESEARCH ARTICLE ▼ Findings show lesson study can be an effective model for professional development of 4-H volunteers by Martin H. Smith 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 Program Development Youth 4-H Courtesy of the California 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. Preserved specimens from the UC Davis Veterinary School give 4-H youth and volunteer leaders Survey data revealed improved a close-up view of livestock anatomy. Over 400,000 adult volunteers serve as 4-H educators nationwide. One-time workshops, common in volunteer development, have been shown to be less understanding and use of subject matter effective than professional development of longer duration involving communities of practice. knowledge among participants. Focus group interview data elaborated on participants’ understanding and use the largest youth organizations in the youth participation in 4-H programming world. Administered through the national in terms of their interest and engagement of inquiry processes. Results from this Cooperative Extension System, 4-H offers in science (Heck 2009; Heck et al. 2012; study could benefit 4-H volunteers, other curriculum projects and activities through Mielke et al. 2010). nonformal educators, and researchers. county-based programs in all 50 states Adult volunteers serve as the nonfor- as well as in the District of Columbia. mal educators in 4-H; they lead curricu- Internationally, 4-H is available to youth lum projects and activities with youth here is a documented need to improve through programs in American Samoa, (Stedman and Rudd 2006). Over 400,000 Tthe level of scientific literacy among Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, individuals function in this capacity the K-12 population in the United States Micronesia, Puerto Rico, and the United nationally, and approximately 17,000 in (e.g., Fleischman et al. 2010; National States Virgin Islands, as well as at United California (USDA 2010). To be successful Center for Education Statistics 2011). To States military installations around the in this role, 4-H volunteers must engage in achieve this improvement will require not world. Approximately half of all 4-H effective professional development oppor- only effective classroom-based instruc- curriculum offerings are science related tunities (Hoover and Connor 2001). To this tion, but opportunities for youth to learn (USDA 2010) and program delivery em- end, it has been suggested that episodic science in nonformal settings that occur phasizes pedagogical strategies that in- workshops that are used most frequently during out-of-school time (Bell et al. 2009). clude hands-on inquiry and experiential to train 4-H volunteers are inadequate The 4-H Youth Development Program learning (Enfield et al. 2007), approaches is one nonformal youth education orga- that have been shown to be effective in nization that has the potential to help advancing scientific literacy (Minner et Online: http://californiaagriculture.ucanr.edu/ address this area of concern (Kress et al. 2010). Furthermore, recent research has landingpage.cfm?article=ca.v067n01p54&fulltext=yes al. 2008). 4-H has developed into one of demonstrated positive impacts related to DOI: 10.3733/ca.v067n01p54 54 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE • VOLUME 67, NUMBER 1 - University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources apart from traditional approaches to pro http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu Publication 8337 / March 2009 to build their teaching and knowledge fessional development for educators (e.g., one-shot workshops or seminars that lack YOUTH DEVELOPMENT THROUGH V ETERINARY SCIENCE 1 capacity in science. Instead, alternative Behaving Like Animals! models of professional development that sustained support or followup) in that the MARTIN H. SMITH, Cooperative Extension Youth Curriculum Development Specialist, University of California, Davis; CHERYL L. MEEHAN, Staff Research Associate, University of California, Davis; JUSTINE MA, Program Representative, Uni- - work is done “with” or “by” educators versity of California, Davis; H. STEVE DASHER, 4-H Youth and Community Development Advisor, University of California are of longer duration should be explored Cooperative Extension, San Diego County; JOE D. CAMARILLO, 4-H Youth and Community Development Advisor, Univer- rather than being done “on” or “to” them sity of California Cooperative Extension, Madera County; TIFFANY LAU and JUSTIN LIANG, University of California, Davis, in order to provide volunteers with suffi - Undergraduate Student Curriculum Design Team Members. - (Loucks-Horsley et al. 2003). Subject Overview and By making careful observations and developing an cient opportunities to develop the knowl Background Information ethogram (a description of an animal’s behavior), we can As a professional development strat Animals play important roles in the lives of humans. learn to recognize the range of behaviors performed by edge and skills necessary to effectively Animals have been used for centuries for work, such as in different kinds of animals as well as by different individuals helping to plow fields, providing a meansof transportation of the same animal type. Through this process, we will come egy in school-based settings, lesson study and aiding in search and rescue, and as a source of to understand how animals react or respond to different facilitate science projects and activities food and other products for humans. Many people have conditions (e.g., changes in weather) or stimuli (e.g., loud companion animals—dogs andUniversity cats are among of California noises), and what types of behaviors might indicate has gained increasing recognition and the most popular—in their homes.Division Because of Agriculture and Naturalthat Resources something is wrong with our animals. (Barker et al. 2009). we depend upon animals in so many ways, Sometimes symptoms of diseases or injuries are it is important that we, as theirhttp://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu caretakers, not always obvious, and detection depends on understand their biology and their behavior in how closely we observe our animals and how use in the United States in recent years Publication 8339 / March 2009 order to assess their health and well-being. well we understand their behaviors. - While a normal part of responsible Activity Concepts and Vocabulary The lesson study approach (Lewis and Baker 2010). In-service and animal care involves preventative veterinary care, • Animal behavior: A branch of biology that studies including annual exams withY vaccinationsOUTH D andEVELO blood PMENT THROUGH V ETERINARY S CIENCE 3 the behavior of animals. tests, many common injuries and illnesses can be detected pre-service teachers from different disci just by noticing a change in the behavior of an animal. • Ethogram (ee-thuh-gram): A description of the types of One alternate approach to professional Because behavior is a primary means of communication, a behaviors performed by the species you are studying. The Eyes• Gait: The mannerHave or style of walking. It! change in an animal’s activity level, eating habits, posture, plines, including history, language arts, or gait can often “tell” us something important and be a • Posture: The way someone holds up his or her body, development for 4-H volunteers who lead clue to detect orMARTIN prevent H.an SMITH illness ,or Cooperativ injury. e Extension Youth Curriculumespecially Development in a standing Specialist, pos Universition.ity of California, Davis; CHERYL L. MEEHAN, Staff Research Associate, University of California, Davis; JUSTINE MA, Program Representative, math, science, and social studies, have University of California, Davis; H. STEVE DASHER, 4-H Youth and Community Development Advisor, University of California science projects and activities is lesson Cooperative Extension, San Diego County; JOE D. CAMARILLO, 4-H Youth and Community Development Advisor, Univer- sity of California Cooperative Extension, Madera County; TIFFANY LAU and JUSTIN LIANG, University of California, Davis, study (Smith 2008), a model that has long- made effective use of the process (Blum Undergraduate Student Curriculum Design Team Members. et al. 2005; Marble 2006; Ogden et al. 2008; been the principal professional develop Subject Overview and and skin for cuts, abrasions, scratches, and sensitivity to Background Information touch; and check an animal’s mouth and tongue for odor, Rock and Wilson 2005; Sibbald 2009). The five senses—sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch— cuts,

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