The document provides an overview of Iowa 4-H Youth Development and how it uses GPS/GIS technologies. It discusses that 4-H aims to empower youth through positive youth development which focuses on belonging, mastery, independence and generosity. It emphasizes the importance of experiential learning and having caring adult mentors to help youth develop these skills through hands-on activities and reflection. The goal is for youth to become competent, caring and contributing community members.

1. Iowa 4-H Youth
Development and 4-H
GPS/GIS

2. What are we doing here?
Training you to teach—
In a way that kids can learn!

4. To Be Successful You Need
To Know:
• About 4-H
• About Kids
• The Subject
• How to teach

5. 4-H 101
What makes 4-H so effective in
helping youth grow and develop?

6. Iowa 4-H Mission
•4-H empowers youth to
reach their full potential
working and learning in
partnership with caring
adults
It’s about Positive Youth Development

7. Positive Youth
Development
Positive youth development helps
young people become competent, caring,
capable, confident, connected and
contributing through a
series of progressive learning
experiences with caring adults

8. 4-H is a community of
young people
across America who are
learning leadership, citizenship and
life skills.

9. The 4-H Pledge
"I Pledge my Head to clearer thinking,
my Heart to greater loyalty,
my Hands to larger service,
and my Health to better living,
for my club, my community, my country, and my world."
The pledge tells what 4-H is all about. 4-H has as its goal the four-fold development of youth:
Head, Heart, Hands and Health. The pledge was adopted by the delegates to the 1927 National 4-
H Club Camp in Washington, DC. State club leaders voted for and adopted the pledge for universal
use. The phrase "and my world" was added in 1973. The saying of the pledge has prominent place
in 4-H activities at regular 4-H meetings, achievement days, and other club events.

11. Positive Youth
Development =Meeting the
Needs of Youth
 Belonging
 Mastery
 Independence
 Generosity

12. What are these 4 basic
needs of Youth?
Belonging—
Finding that you have things in
common with others and you are
accepted and made to feel part of
the group
Mastery — Encouraged to try new
experiences and find out what
things you are good at

13. What are these 4 basic needs of Youth?
Independence—
Giving youth a choice in what they will
do and a voice in where the group is headed
Generosity— When youth belong, feel that
they have skills they have accomplished
and are given choices, youth will choose to
share with others of their knowledge time
and skills
We need to provide them with a
chance to give back

14. What are the Essential
Elements of a great 4-H
Experience?
A Caring Adult An Inclusive
A Safe Environment environment
Opportunity to develop Opportunity to see
Mastery oneself as an active
participant in the
Opportunities to help future
others ―Service‖
Opportunities to be
Opportunities to make Engaged in
decisions or Self Learning
Determination

15. Let’s Put it All Together

16. A Caring Adult
As a 4-H Leader your most important job is to be your
Members Caring Adult.
•Set boundaries and expectations and
they identify each child’s strengths
Advisor
Guide
Mentor
•Supporter
Friend
Advocate
Supports all youth development needs

17. A Safe Environment
Youth learn and participate more fully
when they feel physically and emotionally
safe.
A structured yet flexible environment
encourages honesty, trust, and respect.
As a 4-H GPS/GIS volunteer when should you be
structured and when flexible?
Supports need for Belonging

18. An Inclusive Environment
Encourages and supports its members
Where youth receive positive and
specific feedback from leaders, other
parents and other youth.
Where leader takes time to celebrate
successes of all members
Supports sense of belonging

19. Opportunities for Mastery
Learning
•High schoolers in
Nome, Alaska
learning GPS in -25
below zero weather!

20. Opportunities to Engage in
Learning
Developing connections with what they
learn and experience in life
Self-reflection
Learn from Experience and Reflection
Helps to meet needs of
Mastery and Independence

21. Opportunities to Be
Generous or Servicing
Others
•Helps youth feel they a part of something
larger than themselves.
•Can give them immediate success and the
good feelings helping others gives.
•Helps youth learn new skills or use their
talents wisely.
•Helps them connect with others positively
Helps to support the need for generosity

22. Opportunities for Self-
Determination
Youth and leaders are making decisions so
youth know they have an impact.
Youth feel a personal sense of influence over
their life
Youth become self-directing and independent
What would this look like at your 4-H GPS/GIS
club meetings or camps?
Supports need for independence

23. • What is the most important
single element in helping
young people become
caring, contributing, and
competent ?

24. • A Caring Adult- You!

25. Youth and Adult Partnerships
• What does this mean?
– Youth can choose which activities they wish to
participate and how they want to participate- unless
unsafe.
– Youth meet regularly to discuss and modify existing
programs with leaders.
– Youth meet regularly to plan future programs or
activities.
– Youth evaluate programs they plan or participate in.
– Youth can share and communicate the program to
outsiders: they know what the program needs, why,
and the how’s.

26. What is not a Youth/Adult partnership?
• The leader and adults in the program decide
what activities the youth will do.
• The leader and adults decide what resources
they need and find them themselves.
• The leader and adults tell others what the kids
are learning, because the kids don't know.
• The leaders and adults decide and organize the
community service projects.

27. How will I know I am doing a good job?
•Kids are attending the •Kids are listened to and
meetings/field trips etc. genuinely valued
•Kids are the focus •Balance between chaos
•There’s a good mix of and rigidity
consistency and flexibility •All members successes are
•The group works hard and celebrated
plays hard •Newcomers are welcomed
•Kids are empowered and by existing members
are making decisions •Service is practiced

28. Let’s take a quick Break!
We will come back and get into how
we better understand the youth we
work with and how to help you learn

29. WELCOME BACK!!

30. Ages & Stages of Youth
Development
• How do young people change as they
grow?
• How do these changes affect you as a 4-H
leader, instructor, or volunteer and the
programs you plan for your
club/members?

31. 4-H age groups are in
different places with…
Physical Growth
Growth in Thinking
Social Growth
Emotional Growth

32. Different Ages – Different
Stages
What are they like? Juniors Intermediates Seniors
(9-11 years) (12-14 years) (15-18 years)
Interest Span Varied & many times quite Lengthens with experience Almost adult like and
short self-motivated
High Interest, Poor Interested in skills for specific Highly skilled
Motor Skills Coordination use, may tackle difficult jobs
Peak of interest, Limited Increased depth and scope Continued increase
Mental Ability Experience related to experience.
Can see relationship
Ability to Plan Limited ability due to limited Can plan better than execute Have need and ability to
experience & judgement plan
High
Relating to Peers Boys-Boys, Girls-Girls Interest in opposite sex &
interest in group acceptance

33. Experiential Learning is…
• ―LEARNING BY DOING‖

34. Let’s get into Rocket
Science!

35. Extraordinary Learning
Experiences
 Experiential Learning Cycle- Hands-on
learning with reflection
 Aware of what stage of development youth
are in, so we know what they can learn.
 We are always concerned about creating a
safe environment.

36. Experiential Learning Cycle

37. Experiential Educaiton
 Experience the activity and do it
 Share reactions and observations publicly
 Process by analyzing and reflecting upon what
happened
 Generalize to discover what was learned and
connected to life
 Apply what was learned to similar or different
situations

38. Experiential Learning Cycle

39. Tips for using the
Experiential Learning Model
Plan for time to reflect on the experience.
Ask the right questions. Prepare ahead of
time as you are thinking through the
learning activity.
Listen carefully to the youth.
Support each young person’s unique
learning style.

40. Why the Experiential Learning
Model
• How Young People Learn
• Read 20%
• Hear 20%
• See 30%
• Hear & See 50%
• Say 70%
• Do 90%

41. 4-H GPS/GIS Resources
• 4-H GPS/GIS Facebook Page
• http://www.facebook.com/4hgisgps
• 4-H Geospatial Programming Resources
• http://www1.cyfernet.org/prog/gis/gis.html
•Join the 4-H GPS/GIS Email List Group
• http://www1.cyfernet.org/prog/gis/4hgisgps.html

42. So what did we learn today?