BASIC LEARNING PRINCIPLES

1. Welcome to the Wonderful World of 4-H:Learning & TeachingKaren Poulin and Tammie HowardWSU Clark County Extension4-H Youth Development ProgramShooting Sports Leader TrainingMay 22-23, 2010

2. Warm & Accepting Environment Learner-Determined Goals Accommodation to Different Abilities Internal & External Motivation Youth-Selected Goals Self-Evaluation of Progress BASIC LEARNING PRINCIPLES

3. How are the 4 Essential ElementsMastery Independence Belonging GenerosityPromoted in 4-H? • Adult-Youth Partnerships • 1 adult can make ALL the difference • Relationships are crucibles for learning • Experiential Learning Model

4. Involves direct, hands-on activities Open ended Qs to guide discussion (“reflection”) Reflection connects activity to real world examples Reflection helps learner apply activity outcome to other situations 4-H TEACHING PHILOSOPHY: EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION

5. 4-H learners try out new knowledge in real-life settings Cooperative learning occurs because of fun, interactive nature of activities Competitive learning happens when work is compared to established standards HOW DOES 4-H PROMOTE LEARNING?

6. Specific skills & knowledge (“how to”) Social/Emotional learning (ie, decision-making, communicating, self-awareness) Moral/Ethical learning (ie, values clarification, citizenship, social responsibility POSSIBLE OUTCOMES OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

7. THE EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION MODEL IN 4-H

8. Begin with concrete, hands-one experience Learner works with little or no help from adult/leader Doing is NOT the most important step in this model Teachers generally devote too much time to “Doing” compared to other steps STEP ONE: EXPERIENCE

9. Learners answer Q “What Happened?” Learners share reactions & observations Let group talk freely Sample Questions: What did you do? What did you see? What did you feel? What did you taste? What was hardest? Easiest? STEP 2: SHARE

10. Learners analyze & reflect on experience Youth talk about themes, problems, issues raised by experience & how addressed Have learners i.d. common patterns; things they’ve noticed or experienced before Ask: “What have you learned?” “How was today’s activity similar to or different than what you’ve done before?” STEP 3: PROCESS

11. Reinforces learning (esp. procedural learning) Promotes connections to deepen understanding Develops personal meaning & relevance (esp. important for teens) Develops “declarative” knowledge (thus ability to share it) Why Is Reflection Important?

12. Learners address the Q “so what?” Learner i.d. lessons learned in experience that they can relate & connect to other situations in “real” world Adults guide youth to connect ideas & principles raised in activity to those previously learned & experienced “Has this idea/principle come up in other situations? When & How?” STEP 4: GENERALIZE

13. “Now What?”: Discuss how what has been learned can be applied to other situations in future “What did you learn today that you can use at home, school, or your 4-H project?” “What difference do you think it will make if you use what you learned?” Have learners record what they learned & how they plan to use it (record books!) to solidify learning STEP 5: APPLY

14. Visual & Spatial: diagrams, books, videos, handouts, DVD, flip charts (good at puzzles, reading, writing, painting, design) Auditory: discussions, lectures, listening to others (good at listening, speaking, explaining, remembering, storytelling) Kinesthetic: moving, doing, touching (good at dancing, sports, crafts, acting, building) RECOGNIZING LEARNING STYLES & MATCHING THEM TO TEACHING STRATEGIES

15. Youth work against each other to show who is best Implications: Encourages high levels of individual achievement Creates more losers than winners Can be harmful for youth with undeveloped self-esteem LEARNING STRATEGIES: COMPETITIVE LEARNING

16. Youth work against established criteria to show what has been achieved Implications: Encourages independence & helps adults to guide youth in setting individual goals Provides no info to youth about peers Requires time for individual attention & development of objective criteria LEARNING STRATEGIES: INDIVIDUALISTIC LEARNING

17. Youth work together on projects that serve the group Implications: Promotes positive interdependence, communication & social skills, individual accountability Requires greater commitment of time to promote learning LEARNING STRATEGIES: COOPERATIVE LEARNING

18. Keep in Mind: We remember… 10% of what we hear 50% of what we see 90% of what we do TEACHING TECHNIQUES

19. “THE CONE OF EXPERIENCE”

20. 4-H Projects Working with Models Judging Role Playing Discussion Demonstrations Public Presentations Field Trips/Tours Recordkeeping Television, movies, films Radio, Recordings, Photos Illustrated Talks (Charts, Graphs, Posters, Maps) Presentations Printed Matter Exhibits/Displays Learning Activities in 4-H

21. Intentionally interact with youth & adults in a way that fosters positive youth development. Use the Do-Reflect-Apply throughout the shooting session Ask yourself: “What can I do & or say right now to help these youth develop strong senses of mastery, independence, belonging & generosity? What Does All This Mean for Me as a Volunteer?

22. Recognize all for their work & learning Don’t base recognition on competition alone Make recognition age-appropriate Use recognition to encourage youth to create and grow Separate youth’s worth from winning Recognize group as whole whenever possible Develop an achievement program RECOGNITION & COMPETITION

23. Get to know one another Decide together what to learn, make & do Work together to learn, make & do Measure together what was learned, made or done Celebrate together the experiences, successes and feelings. STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL LEARNING

24. Example of a learning or teaching situation you experienced when do-reflect-apply was used and the outcome. Example of a learning or teaching situation you experienced when do-reflect-apply could have been used for a better outcome. Observation of how learning activities in your experience have correlated to the ‘Cone of Learning’ retention rates. Bring to Class . . .

25. Suggestions of how the do-reflect-apply model can be used in a shooting sports activity. Thoughts on life skills that can be learned through shooting sports. Ideas of how Essential Elements can be incorporated in shooting sports club activities. What Life Skills can be learned through shooting sports activities in 4-H? Bring to Class . . . (continued)