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Vos, Kathleen E.Recommended Educational Practices for Youth EnvironmentalEducation from a 4-H Youth Development Perspective.2001-07-3118p.; In: Defining Best Practices in Boating, Fishing, andStewardship Education; see RC 023 490.For full text: http://www.rbff.org/educational/BPEll.pdf.Opinion Papers (120)MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.Active Learning; *Adult Child Relationship; CommunityPrograms; Conservation (Environment); *CurriculumDevelopment; Educational Practices; Environmental Education;*Experiential Learning; Extension Education; NonformalEducation; *Outdoor Activities; *Recreational Activities;*Youth ProgramsBoating; Fishing; *4 H Programs

Key concepts about best practices of curriculum design andprogram development for outdoor youth programs are discussed. These include:agreeing on curriculum criteria and coming to consensus on a balance betweencontent and process skills; using experiential teaching modes; and pursuingyouth-adult partnerships for community change. There is not a wealth ofmaterials on boating, fishing, and environmental stewardship available in thenational 4-H curriculum collections, but many states and counties are usinglocal materials. This presents a key opportunity for partnerships to evolve.Researchers need to engage youth and adults in research-related activitiesdefining best practices in: implementing youth-adult partnerships in diversecommunities; engaging community-based youth-adult partnerships in creatingtheir own experiential-based curricula; implementing interactivetechnology-based learning in community organizations; defining strategies fora community-youth development framework that creates community change; anddeveloping an international version of this framework. Nonprofitorganizations could work with youth development researchers and practitionersto create a sustainable grassroots movement that mobilizes youth and adultpartners to conserve and restore our nation's aquatic natural resources bygetting involved in boating and fishing. This lofty goal combined withintegrating research and practice on youth-adult partnerships, experientiallearning strategies, and the community youth development movement will helpdevelop a sustainable learning community that brings about lasting change inhow communities deal with issues related to boating, fishing, andenvironmental stewardship. (Contains 28 references.) (TD)

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Kathleen E. Vos 4-H Youth Environmental Education

Recommended Educational Practices for Youth Environmental EducationFrom a 4-H Youth Development Perspective

Kathleen E. VosCurriculum Specialist

4-H Youth Development Program UnitUniversity of Wisconsin Extension

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement

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Kathleen E. Vos 4-H Youth Environmental Education

Recommended Educational Practices for Youth Environmental EducationFrom a 4-H Youth Development Perspective

Kathleen E. VosCurriculum Specialist

4-H Youth Development Program UnitUniversity of Wisconsin Extension

Abstract Key concepts to keep in mind about best practices of curriculum design and program developmentfor youth in non-formal settings include:

It helps if the organization can agree on curriculum criteria and come to consensus on what is the balancebetween content and process skills.Teaching experientially is the preferred mode for non-formal education, but becoming proficient at design-ing learning experiences by mapping it along an experiential path continues to be a challenge.The late 80's ushered in the Youth at Risk movement fueled by research on risk and protective factors. Thiswas counteracted in the early 90's with the youth asset driven model advocated by the Search Institute andhas evolved into a Best Practices of Positive Youth Development Model that is fueled by a renewed com-mitment to meaningful youth/adult partnerships, experiential learning and civic activism.The paradigm shift from youth participation for youth development to youthadult partnerships for com-munity change (i.e. Community youth development) promises to be a natural evolution of the youth devel-opment movement.

Although there is not a wealth of materials on boating, fishing and environmental stewardship available in theNational 4-H Curriculum Collections, many states and counties are using materials on a local level that truly workfor them. This presents a key opportunity for partnerships to evolve. Both the Logic Model ofprogram evaluation aswell the Four-Fold Model designed to evaluate 4-H Youth Development curriculum are two major models that arecurrently being used in 4-H Youth Development programs.

Researchers need to utilize YouthAdult Partnerships, which fully engage youth and adults in research relatedactivities defining best practices focused on:

Implementing youthadult partnerships in diverse communities.Engaging community based youthadult partnerships in creating their own experiential based curriculum.Implementing interactive technology based learning in community organizations.Defining strategies for moving from a positive youth development model to a community youth devel-opment framework that harnesses the energy, creativity and dedication of both youth and adults to createcommunity change.Developing an international version of this emerging community youth development framework that couldbe adaptable around the world.

Non-profit organizations, like the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF), could work with youthdevelopment researchers and practitioners to create a sustainable grassroots movement to mobilize youth and adultpartners to conserve and restore our nation's aquatic natural resources by getting involved in boating and fishing.The author urges RBFF to continue to utilize marketing and education strategies to increase public awareness forprotecting, conserving and restoring this nation's aquatic natural resources. This lofty goal combined with integrat-ing research and practice on youthadult partnerships, experiential learning strategies and the community youthdevelopment movement will help develop a sustainable learning community that brings about lasting change in howcommunities deal with issues related to boating, fishing and environmental stewardship.

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Kathleen E. Vos Practices for Youth Development Education

Best Practice For Designing Curricula Materials

Development of National Criteria for 4-H Youth De-velopment Curricula

For over 80 years 4-H curriculum materialsevolved in a rather haphazard manner in each state. Infact, a 1986 survey found 40 different state 4-H Beefproject materials. Therefore, there was a need to stan-dardize criteria and collaborate as a truly cooperativesystem. The following criteria was created by the Na-tional 4-H Curriculum Developmental Committee,modified and piloted by the Youth K-3 (5-8) TaskForce, amplified during the 1993 Curriculum StaffPre-conference, and refined by the National 4-H Expe-riential Learning Design Team. They were then con-densed and sharpened from 35 to the present 14 in a 3-round Delphi process involving nearly 300 staff fromnearly all States and Territories. The criteria and pro-cedures were revised 10/95, 10/97, 10/99, and will bere-examined annually. The National 4-H Curriculumcriteria include the following 14 points:

Experiential Learning Methodology

The instructional approach of the materials is ex-periential education. Through vital practice, youngpeople actively learn, then share their experiences,reflect on its importance, connect it to real worldexamples, and apply the resulting knowledge toother situations.Opportunities are included for involving volun-teers and youth as partners in planning, imple-menting and evaluating the learning process.Materials are user friendly, and identify the in-tended delivery mode(s) for the curriculum.

Learner Centered

The educational materials include a variety ofeducational experiences for varied learning styles.They build on various knowledge bases and areapplicable to real world situations and current so-cietal issues.The reading level, subject matter, learning experi-ences, incentives and recognition are developmen-tally appropriate for the intended audiences andallow for varying participant experience levels.The educational materials encourage positive atti-tudes toward learning by being presented in a fun,appealing, engaging and challenging manner thatis consistent with learning theories.

The educational materials identify and target oneor more outcomes or skills, which are highly

transferable, broadly useful beyond the subjectmatter, or throughout life. These may come fromany source, such as life-skills lists, workforcecompetencies, science process skills or internalassets, etc.The educational material is sensitive, reflectiveand respectful of audience diversity in income,race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age,disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation,marital status or family status.

Subject Matter Content

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Uses research-based human development method-ology and subject matter knowledge from the landgrant system, other universities, and/or othersources. Facts and terminology are accurate, cur-rent, and used appropriately.Subject matter is used as a vehicle through whichgrowth and development of the learner occurs.Design, format, and packaging of the educationalmaterials are appropriate to the intended audience,the subject matter, and the media used.

Objectives and Evaluation

Goals, outcomes or objectives are clearly stated.The educational materials appear to be efficient inthe time, effort and materials necessary to achieveobjectives.Evaluation experiences or tools are suggested orincluded which provide participants feedback ontheir accomplishments.Evidence is provided that participants using thismaterial generally achieve the major objectives.

The National 4-H Curriculum Collection includescurricula, which have met each of the 14 specific crite-ria. Over 400 curricula have been submitted for re-view. Of these, 135 have been accepted into the Na-tional 4-H Curriculum Collection and are recom-mended for use in all states and territories. Forty-fiveof these, now over five years old have been removed.Citations for each item now in the National Collectioncan be found at this website:

http://www.reeusda.gov/4h/curricullcurricul.htm.

Defining Developmentally Appropriate Life Skills

One of the basic building blocks of 4-H YouthDevelopment curriculum is the concept of teaching lifeskills. In 1973, in the "4-H in Century Three" planningdocument, state 4-H Leaders endorsed the notion that4-H was not just about providing knowledge, skills and


understanding of subjects that the individual elects forpersonal involvement. In addition, 4-H had the dualpurpose of building socially desirable "life skills" inboys and girls (Informal paper, Allan Smith, 1996),Over the past three decades 4-H Youth Developmenteducators have struggled with how to clearly articulateand integrate life skills into curriculum materials. Onmajor contribution to this dialogue was Dr. PatriciaHendricks' Targeting Life Skills Model (1996, revised1998).

The Targeting Life Skills model was important forit provided 4-H Youth Development curriculum de-signers with a set of resources to help them:

Better understand life skill development by usingthe 4-H clover to identify and sort 35 life skills .

Clearly define the appropriate developmentallevel for each of these 35 life skills.Write life skill development impacts that aremeasurable.Create learning opportunities based on experien-tial learning theory.Use identifiable observable indicators to measureprogram impact.

Toward a Better Understanding of the ExperientialLearning Model

The Targeting Life Skills handbook provided Cur-riculurn Designers with tools to better integrate lifeskills into 4-H materials and served as a major buildingblock for 4-H Curriculum Specialists. The concept oflife skills was broadened with the Four-Fold modelthat combined four existing models into one compre-hensive model:

The SCANS Workforce Preparation model(1991).The Science Process Skill model developed by theNational Network for Science and Technology(1997).Iowa State University's Targeting Life Skillmodel (1998).The Search Institute's Internal Assets model(1998).

This comprehensive model focuses on the four-fold development of an individual youth's head, heart,hands and health and encouraged 4-H Youth Devel-opment educators to target one or more outcomes orskills which are highly transferable and broadly usefulbeyond the subject matter, or throughout life. Theseskills are not just 4-H life skills, but may come from

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other sources, such as workforce competencies, sci-ence process skills or internal assets, etc.

Still the debate raged on between subject matterspecialists and youth development specialists as towhat was more importantlife skill development oracquisition of subject matter knowledge. In 1998, Dr.Robert Horton, a curriculum specialist at Ohio StateCooperative Extension noted that 4-H curriculum de-signers:

Assumed an either-or posture; one either sup-ports a design with the content as the core or adesign with skills at the core. Recently, how-ever, experiential curriculum designers haveconceded that we need to meld our curricularconcerns relating to both the subject matter ofthe curriculum and the personal skills of thelearner. The whole intent is to get studentsmore meaningfully involved with content sothat more of the knowledge and skills stick byallowing them to take more responsibility fortheir learning. " One of the best ways to do thiswas to design materials using the ExperientialLearning Model.

Now that 4-H curriculum designers seemed toagree that they needed to design curricula that blendedboth life skills with subject matter content, they neededto get a better handle on the Experiential Learningmodel. Educators would nod their heads and agree thatthe Experiential Learning Model was important, for itsupported the age old 4-H slogan of learn by doing,but most people did not have a real clear idea abouthow to design experiential learning activities. Manycurriculum designers became comfortable using theformat advocated in the 4-H Animal Science Skills forLiving series, that was useful at it's time of introduc-tion in the early 90's, but found this approach was notadaptable for all 4-H project areas.

Barkman and Horton (1999) defined ExperientialEducation as:

Based on the needs and interests of the learner.Utilizes non-formal instruction.Learning facilitator is present.Experiences are organized in a way that moveslearners through four distinct phases; introduction,exploration, generalization and applications.

In Experiential Learning: Experience as theSource of Learning and Development (1984), Kolb de-scribes experiential learning as a holistic, integrativeapproach. Kolb postulates that instructional content isbest organized along an experiential path, where


learning takes place as a series of transactions amongfour adaptive modes:

Concrete experienceReflective observationAbstract conceptualizationActive experimentation.

Horton et al. (1999) suggest an eleven-step modelfor the Developing Experientially Based CurriculumMaterials and Evaluation of Experientially Based 4-HCurriculum. These steps include:

Part I - Framing the UnitStep 1: Establish the Unit's ThemeStep 2: Assess the learner's needs and interests, define

the context in which learning will occur anddetermine how curriculum will be packaged.

Step 3: Write performance outcomes.

Part II The Curriculum Planning ProcessStep 4: Develop scope and sequence.Step 5: Determine depth of experience for each topic.Step 6: Design learning activities.Step 7: Develop facilitation activities.Step 8: Complete written draft of entire curriculum.Step 9: Design Pilot version with layout and graphics.

Part 11 Verification and RevisionStep 10: Conduct pilot test and revise.Step 11: Print or produce final curriculum.

Horton et al. (1999) reviewed the work of 19 indi-viduals to develop this prescription for operationaliz-ing experiential curriculum philosophy. Their modelprovides an in-depth description on how to integratethe experiential learning model into the curriculum de-sign process. Horton attempts to get at the heart of ex-periential learning by encouraging curriculum design-ers to organize content in a manner that takes into ac-count how individuals develop and learn. He encour-ages learning facilitators to feel free to skip around andaddress content based on the interests of the learner. Avariety of approaches can be used to map out the expe-riential).

Let's closely consider these four steps of Horton'scurriculum design model.

Step One: Organize themes around the interests ofthe learner, rather than on the demands ofacademic subjects.

Step Two: Determine the depth of experience for thecontent by mapping along the experien-tial path.

Step Three: Construct learning activities that address

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content at its assigned location along theexperiential path, with consideration forcontent outcomes and the skill set.

Step Four: Provide evidence that experiential proc-essing takes place.

In this non-formal setting, teachers are cast as fa-cilitators of learning rather than directors as character-ized in all formal situations. If taken seriously, thesefour strategies really help to strengthen the experientiallearning process. Horton also encourages curriculumdesigners to create ways for others to intervene in thelearning process by providing focus, support and feed-back, and debriefing. Creating experiential learningenvironments is not easy task, but these strategies are astart. Horton's work gave 4-H youth development pro-fessionals the tools to create curriculum materialsbased on utilizing current research on experientiallearning, rather than just using a cookie cutter ap-proach for mass producing volumes of look alike 4-Hproject manuals based on only one successful curricu-lum format. Now let's look at the parameters of bestpractice in youth development programs.

Best Practices Supporting Youth Development Pro-grams

Zeldin (2000) noted that it is hard to believe howquickly the phrase positive youth development becameingrained in the language of research and practice. Pre-venting youth problems dominated research and policyagendas throughout the 1980's and into the early1990's. Classic examples of this orientation includeDryfoos (1990) and Jessor (1977). Youth at Risk wasthe buzz phrase of the 80's supported by research onrisk and protective factors. The early 90's saw theexpansion and consolidation of lessons learned fromprevention and other risk-oriented models along with arevisitation of theory and practice in experiential andcivic education. This resulted in an emphasis on youthissues and associated recommendations for policy andpractices. This approach was labeled positive youthdevelopment. One of the major forces in this move-ment that was the work done by the Search Institute ondevelopmental assets.

Search Institutes Asset Model

Since 1990, the Search Institute has been refininga framework of 40 developmental assets. This influen-tial framework has laid the groundwork for best prac-tices of youth development to evolve to its presentstate. Many youth development educators across thenation have considered these factors as they have de-


veloped programs to help youth grow to be healthy,caring and responsible.

The Search Institute is an independent, nonprofit,nonsectarian organization whose mission is to advancethe well being of adolescents and children by generat-ing knowledge and promoting its application. To ac-complish this mission, the institute generates, synthe-sizes, and communicates new knowledge, convenesorganizational and community leaders, and works withstate and national organizations.

At the heart of the institute's work is the frame-work of 40 developmental assets, which are positiveexperiences, relationships, opportunities, and personalqualities that young people need to grow up healthy,caring, and responsible. Created in 1990, the frame-work is grounded in research on child and adolescentdevelopment, risk prevention, and resiliency. Surveysof more than one million 6th-12th-grade youth incommunities across the United States consistentlyshow that young people who experience more of theseassets are more likely to make healthy choices andavoid a wide range of high-risk behaviors. The relativeabsence of these assets in the lives of young people inevery community studied has prompted hundreds ofcommunities to mobilize on behalf of young people.

External Assets

The first 20 developmental assets focus on posi-tive experiences that young people receive from thepeople and institutions in their lives. Four categories ofexternal assets are included in the framework:

Support - Young people need to experience support,care, and love from their families, neighbors, andmany others. They need organizations and institu-tions that provide positive, supportive environ-ments.

Empowerment - Young people need to be valued bytheir community and have opportunities to con-tribute to others. For this to occur, they must besafe and feel secure.

Boundaries and expectations - Young people need toknow what is expected of them and whether ac-tivities and behaviors are in bounds and out ofbounds.

Constructive use of time - Young people need con-structive, enriching opportunities for growththrough creative activities, youth progyams, con-gregational involvement, and quality time athome.

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Internal Assets

A community's responsibility for its young doesnot end with the provision of external assets. Thereneeds to be a similar commitment to nurturing the in-ternal qualities that guide choices and create a sense ofcenteredness, purpose, and focus. Indeed, shaping in-ternal dispositions that encourage wise, responsible,and compassionate judgments is particularly importantin a society that prizes individualism. Four categoriesof internal assets are included in the framework:

Commitment to learning - Young people need to de-velop a lifelong commitment to education andlearning.

Positive values - Youth need to develop strong valuesthat guide their choices.

Social competencies - Young people need skills andcompetencies that equip them to make positivechoices, to build relationships, and to succeed inlife.

Positive identity - Young people need a strong sense oftheir own power, purpose, worth, and promise.

Best Practice of Youth Development Programs

From 1993 to 1995, a nationwide project waslaunched to answer the fundamental question: "Whatare the day-to-day experiences that are essential foryoung people to be able to participate successfully inadolescent and adult life?" The answer, based on evi-dence from a review of 12 task forces and synthesisreports, and a review of more than 200 research studiesis simple. Young people need access to safe places,challenging experiences, and caring people on a dailybasis (Zeldin & Price, 1995).

In February 1999, Wisconsin 4-H Youth Devel-opment staff engaged in an initiative to confirm andexpand these research findings by gaining the collec-tive knowledge and wisdom of the those who workwith youth in the field. All staff participated in a seriesof conference activities and shared learning exercise tofurther explore the essential experiences, an equallyimportant, to identify best practices that are associatedwith the essential elements (Zeldin, Day & Matysik,1999).

During 1999, these essential experiences and bestpractices were presented to staff and discussedthroughout Wisconsin. Modifications were made ac-cordingly. This consistency across research and ex-perience was the basis of the work with the Programand Activity Assessment Tool (PAAT). This tool is in-tended to assist youth development professionals in as-sessing the level of essential opportunities and sup-


ports that must be in place in order for youth to havehealthy and rewarding experiences. The directory ofBest Practices includes the following items.

Youth need opportunities for:Exploration and ReflectionExpression and CreativityGroup MembershipContribution and ServicePart Time Employment.

Youth need support through:Nurturance and FriendshipEmotional SafetyHigh ExpectationsStandards and BoundariesAccess to Resources.

Youth programs need organizational support such as:Trained professionals and volunteer staffPartnerships and collaborationsRegular evaluation and assessment.

Zeldin (2000) emphasizes that this directory isobviously not exhaustive. It merely illustrates how re-searchers and practitioners articulate what the essentialexperiences look like in practice. The purpose of thisdirectory is to provide grounding for using PAAT.This tool can help youth development professionalsstrengthen their programming regardless of the settingin which they are working

This concludes the discussion on program devel-opment models. One can see how the practice hasevolved from the prevention model of the 80's that fo-cused on risks and negative behavior, then swung tothe asset model that focussed on the positive thingsyouth need to possess. The current positive youth de-velopment model advocated by Zeldin (2000) and oth-ers appears to be an evolution of both the preventionand asset model and moves on to identify best prac-tices associated with the essential elements of positiveyouth development. Now let's look at some key youthleadership models that are supporting current youthdevelopment practice.

Best Practices for Youth Leadership Models

The YouthAdult Partnerships Leadership Model

The spirit and philosophy behind the YouthAdult partnership leadership model is nothing new. Infact, in 1974 the National Commission on Resourcesfor Youth advocated a partnership model in which"There is mutuality in teaching and learning and where

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each age group sees itself as a resource for the othersand offers what it uniquely can provide". This coupledwith youth power in decision-making distinguishesyouth-adult partnerships from parent-child, student-teacher and mentoring relationships. For example,mentoring emphasizes different principles such as:

Helping youth develop a specific skill.Providing nurturance (adults giving youth the careand support that they need to thrive).Generativity (i.e. adult mentors passing on knowl-edge and wisdom to their young).

In contrast, youth-adult partnerships are a key strategyfor community building. Camino (2000) noted threemajor premises of this movement:

Strong communities are built on active participa-tion and civic engagement of all members.

Youth development is predicated on a larger focuson building healthy communities. If youth are ableto participate in civic and public affairs as partici-pants, not solely as beneficiaries, they tend to ex-perience optimal development.Adults can overcome negative attitudes and mis-information about youth if they join with youth toaddress community concerns.

The Next Paradigm Shift: From Youth PartictPationfor Youth Development to YouthAdult Partner-shtps for Community Change

Young people do not grow up in programs theygrow up in communities. The argument that meaning-ful participation is critical to youth development hasbeen well documented. But the idea that youth partici-pation is critical to community change has not beenfirmly embraced (Pittman, 2000). Pittman goes on tonote that the next definition shift will be from "prob-lem youth" to "problem solvers". Pittman warns aboutthe danger of the "early investment" push, combinedwith the lingering "fix then develop" mentality whichmakes it less likely that young people most in need ofservices and opportunities will get them. Pittman notesthat, "We will do a disservice to all young people if wedo not fmd ways to create the public idea of youth aschange agents: one that starts rather than concludeswith the engagement of young people whose lives andcommunities are most in the need of changing."Pittman closes by challenging readers that to maximizeimpact, youth participation must be seen as:

Critical to the immediate well being of communi-ties and institutions not just the youth involved.


Occurring everywhere, not just in separate youthspecific projects.Involving learning and work, as opposed to un-compensated volunteering which is detached fromcareer interests.The right and responsibilities of all young people.

One entity that continues to push the concept ofcommunity youth development is the Innovation Centerfor Youth Development and Community Develop-ment. This is a division of National 4-H Council. It'smission it "To advance the 4-H youth developmentmovement to build a world in which youth and adultslearn, grow and work together as catalysts for positivechange". The Innovation Center promotes effectivetools and strategies for engaging youth and adults aspartners in creating positive community change in bothurban and rural areas. Guiding principles that drive thisorganization include the following:

Guiding principles Youth

Young people bring valuable experience, knowl-edge and ideas to ventures. When their contribu-tions are included, everyone benefits.Young people and adults can be equal partners inbuilding communities and creating change.Youth/adult partnerships are powerful, effective,and practical.Youth development focuses on youth as who theyare now, not only on youth as future adults.

Guiding Principles Youth Development

Effective youth development addresses rootcauses and builds on existing assets.Youth are integral parts of networks that includefamily, school, community and society. So every-one has a stake in youth development, and everyinstitution can find meaningful roles for youth.Discrimination in any form limits the realizationof young people's potential.

Focal points of their work include:

Youth Development and Governance The Innova-tion Center helped launch the At the Table initia-tive in response to a growing national movementto increase youth involvement in community deci-sion-making.

Youth Development and Philanthropy The involve-ment of young people in the fund raising processopens up opportunities for youth to learn about

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and incorporate the philanthropic spirit, while al-lowing them to claim their rightful place wheredecisions are made.

Youth Development and Technology Through pro-jects with partners and communities across thecountry, the Innovation Center is helping to createresources for using technology as a tool for posi-tive youth development and community develop-ment. In addition, the Innovation Center serves ashost to an array of e-communities.

Youth Development and Civic ActivismMany youngpeople care deeply about the challenges theircommunities face and want to work to create posi-tive change. And, some young people fuld them-selves outside the boundaries of prevailing youthdevelopment programming and are motivated bythe desire to change the societal forces that rele-gate them to the margins. The Innovation Centeris exploring the practical tools for integrating ele-ments of identity and civic activism into youth de-velopment practice.

Source: http://www.fourhcounciLedu/cyd/

Summary of Best Practices of Youth Development

This is but a snapshot of some of the moreinnovative youth development programs that aredeveloping all across America and is not meant tobe exhaustive. Some of the key concepts to keepin mind about best practices of curriculum design,program development for youth in non-formal set-tings include:

National 4-H Curriculum Criteria have raised thequality of curriculum products that are now avail-able through national distribution channels likeNational 4-H Council and the 4-H CooperativeCurriculum System. State curriculum coordinatorsno longer feel the need to purchase only curricu-him materials produced in their state. Therefore ithelps if organizations can wee on curriculum cri-teria.

Most youth development educators and 4-H vol-unteers now agree that they should target one ormore outcomes or skills. They also seem to agreethat life skill development is equally as importantas the acquisition of subject matter knowledge andis the basis of deciding WHAT is important foryouth to learn. Therefore, organizations need tocome to consensus on what is the balance betweencontent and process skills.


Youth Development educators now agree thatteaching experientially is the preferred mode fornon-formal education and they are in the processof becoming proficient at designing learning ex-periences by mapping them along an experientialpath. This continues to be an ongoing learning ex-perience, with multiple levels of complexity.

The late 80's ushered in the Youth at Risk move-ment fueled by research on risk and protective fac-tors. This was counteracted in the early 90's withthe youth asset driven model advocated by theSearch Institute and has evolved into a Best Prac-tices of Positive Youth Development Model that isfueled by a renewed commitment to meaningfulyouth/adult partnerships, experiential learning andcivic activism.

The new paradigm shift from youth participationfor youth development to youthadult partner-ships for community change (i.e. Communityyouth development) promises to be a natural evo-lution of the youth development movement.

This concludes the discussion on the parametersof best practice in 4-H Youth Development. Let's nowconsider how these best practices relate to accomplish-ing the goal of boating, fishing and stewardship educa-tion.

Best Practices For Boating and Stewardship Educa-tion

In the discipline of 4-H Youth Development, top-ics such as boating, fishing and stewardship relatemost directly to programs in Environmental Science.Basically, most of the Best Practices of Youth Devel-opment as described under Task #1 of this paper arealso pertinent to youth environmental education pro-grams in boating, fishing and stewardship education.For example, the National Network for Science andTechnology (NNST) has broadened the National 4-HCurriculum Criteria so that it is pertinent to their fieldof study. Youthadult partnerships are important re-gardless of what the topic is, and the Best Practices forYouth Development are universal concepts that couldbe embraced by all. However, here is a more focusedlook at best practices for youth by looking at it throughthe lens of Environmental Science programs.

In 1997, the National Network for Science andTechnology of the Cooperative Extension Servicewrote two significant papers related to science educa-tion. They were:

Science Guidelines for Non-formal Education.

Nurturing Scientific Literacy Among YouthThrough Experientially Based Curriculum Materi-als.

This network supported collaboration among universi-ties and community-based programs in the Coopera-tive State Research, Education, and Extension Service(CSREES). The first document, Science Guidelines forNon-formal Education focuses on WHAT to teach andthe second on, Nurturing Scientific Literacy empha-sized HOW to teach it.

Science Guidelines for Non-formal Education

Science standards have historically set the coursefor science literacy in the United States for formal K-12 educators. However, little has been done to encour-age science efforts out of school. The Science Guide-lines for Non-formal Education are developed to helpyouth educators and volunteer leaders understand theimportance of nurturing the skills necessary for a sci-entifically literate society. Participants in non-formalscience education programs, who are able to initiate in-telligent discussions about science and technology, aremore employable due to their knowledge of scienceand their ability to use technology. They can also un-derstand science for enjoyment and personal gain(Carlson and Maxa 1997).

Part 1: The Scientific Thinking and Processing SkillsObservingCommunicatingComparing and measuringOrderingCategorizingRelatingInferringApplying

Part 2: Eight categories of Content GuidelinesScientific inquiryPhysical scienceLife ScienceEarth & Space ScienceScience and technologyScience in personal and social perspectivesHistory of scienceUnifying concepts and processes in science

Part 3: A teaching model for technologyIdentify problemCreate a solutionTest the solutionRethink and make changes

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1 0


Part 4: Leaning and teaching in non-formal settings

Invention Knowledge is actively created or in-vented by youth.Reflection Youth create knowledge through re-flection.Interpretation Individual interpretations of theworld are reality.Social Processing - Learning is a social processthat goes on within a culture.Sense making Science is sense making for theindividual learner (Driver & Leach, 1993).

The youth driven model asks:What do I want to learn?How do I want to learn it?How do I want to show what I've learned?

The document on Science Guidelines for Non-formal Education have thoughtfully outlined WHATto teach to prepare youth for the workforce as well asproviding a vision for scientific literacy for the 21'century. The companion piece to this document enti-tled Nurturing Scientific Literacy Among YouthThrough Experientially Based Materials will describeHOW to teach by describing science activities that ad-here to these guidelines.

Nurturing Scientific Literacy Among Youth ThroughExperiential Based Curriculum Materials

In this publication Horton et al (1999) formalizesthe process for developing experientially based non-formal science teaching materials. Based on Kolb's(1984) definition of experiential education, the publi-cation demonstrates how all planned learning episodescan be accommodated within an experiential frame-work. This includes organizing content along an expe-riential path, identifying instructional methodologyand science life skills necessary to teach the content,using an experiential facilitation process to guide thelearner gathering the content and delineating post-unitassessment techniques.

Related Environmental Products in the National 4-HCurriculum Collection

4-H Youth Development educators will find thatthis discussion on scientific literacy overlaps withmany of the typical 4-H projects related to Environ-mental Education and Earth Science, EnvironmentalStewardship, Earth, Water and Air as well as Plant andAnimal Science. Here's a brief review of existing cur-riculum materials that relate to the boating, fishing andstewardship education.

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Environmental Education and Earth Sciences Cur-riculum Materials

New Jersey 4-H Science Discovery Series - 1996,Rutgers University

Environmental Stewardship (general)Building Common Ground - 1994, National 4-HCouncilCycling Back to Nature: Food Production andPesticides - 1995, National 4H CouncilCycling Back to Nature: Soils Alive - 1995, Na-tional 4H CouncilCycling Back To Nature With BiodegradablePolymers - 1994, National 4H CouncilMud, Muck and other Wonderful Things - 1995,National 4-H Council

Earth, Water and AirEarth Connections - 1992, University of Florida4-H Wetland Wonders - 1998, Oregon State Uni-versityGive Water a Hand - 1996, University of Wiscon-sinIssues Investigation - 1998, 4-H Cooperative Cur-riculum SystemSoil, Water, and Land Use - University of FloridaTeen News Network: Groundwater Update - 1993,Michigan State UniversityWater Wise Guys - 1992, University of FloridaWater Education - 1991, Utah State University

Key sources of 4-H Youth Development curricula ma-terials include:

National 4-H Council Bookstore http:llwww.4-Hmall.org/ & Source Book.4-H Cooperative Curriculum System (4HCCS)http://www.n4hccs.org/.National 4-H Web Projects: EnvironmentalEducation (Note that not all of these materialslisted on this web page have passed the national 4-H Curriculum jury.) See http://www.4-h.org/projects/environmentlindex.html.

Under development by the 4-H Cooperative Curricu-lum System (4HCCS)

4-H Fishing project materials have been pilottested and introduced at the fall 2000 4-HCCSproduct premiere and are currently in the produc-tion stages.

These fishing materials will be available fall 2001 andcould present an excellent opportunity for 4-H YouthDevelopment agents across the nation to partner withthe Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation. As


soon as a copy is available, this author could forwardon a preview copy to Recreational, Boating and Fish-ing Foundation if they are interested in pursuing thispartnership.

Summary Best Practices for Environmental Educa-tion Programs

Although there is not a wealth of materials onboating, fishing and environmental stewardship avail-able in the National 4-H Curriculum Collections, manystates and counties are using materials on a local levelthat truly work for them. This presents a key opportu-nity for partnerships to evolve, for the principles out-lined for youth development programs in Task One ofthis paper generally are applicable across environ-mental education and natural sciences, as will as otherfields.

Appropriate Evaluation Methods

One successful evaluation method that the Univer-sity of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension has used forgauging program effectiveness is the Logic Model.The central questions that this model asks is:

What difference are we making?How will we know it?What is the public value of the program?Are we doing the right things?

In the mid 1990s, the University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) began using a logic model in re-sponse to GPRA (Government Performance and Re-sults Act) requirements and to build a common lan-guage for accountability and evaluation across the or-ganization. The UWEX logic model depicts the theoryor action of a program in a graphic display that linksprogram investments to program results. The modeldraws on experience with the USAID Log Frame(-1971) and the Bennett hierarchy of program effec-tiveness (Bennett, 1982; later with Rockwell, 1995)long a program evaluation tool in Cooperative Exten-sion nationwide.

The Logic Model contains six components withInputs-Outputs-Outcomes being central to the model:

Situation: the context and need that gives rise to aprogram or initiative; logic models are built in re-sponse to an existing situation.

Inputs: the resources, contributions and investmentsthat are made in response to the situation.

Outputs: the activities, products, methods, and servicesthat reach people and users.

Outcomes: the results and benefits for individuals,

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groups, agencies, communities and/or systems.Environment: the surrounding environment in which

the program exists, which influences the imple-mentation and success of the initiative, includingpolitics, climate, socio-economic factors, marketforces, etc.

Assumptions: the beliefs we have about the program,the participants and the way we expect the pro-gram to operate; the principles that guide ourwork. Faulty assumptions may be the reason wedon't achieve the expected outcomes.

Many logic models include Activities as a separateelement in the chain of action and seem not to empha-size participation or reach. This model classifies Ac-tivities as Outputs where they have also included Par-ticipation. This has:

Helped to simplify the model and language.Helped focus on outcomes versus outputs.Helped to attend equally to the important aspect ofwho participates, or is reached, which was centralto WI programming and diversity goals.

UWEX uses the logic model in program planning aswell as in evaluation. They are finding the logic modelequally helpful in planning and evaluating group work,teamwork, community-based collaboratives and com-plex organizational processes in order to promote re-sults-based performance. Such logic models are ex-panded to include a process chain of action.

The UWEX logic model serves as the conceptualframework for the institution-wide Impact IndicatorInitiative based in the UWEX Vice-Chancellor's of-fice. A variety of training and professional develop-ment offerings are available to help faculty, staff andpartners understand and use the logic model, for moreinformation, go to:

uwex/edu/ces/pdande/evaluation/logicmodels.htm

Four Fold Model for Evaluating Curriculum

To strengthen curriculum design and evaluation,Barkman and Machtmes (2000) also urges all youthdevelopment professionals to use a common language.Therefore she has used the Logic Model described byTaylor-Powell (1999) to show the flow between in-puts, outputs and outcomes and uses this as the evalua-tion framework for her Four-Fold Model.(http://www.four-h.purdue.eduifourfold/).

The Four-Fold Youth Development Model en-compasses the breadth of the youth development fieldby focusing on the four-fold development of an indi-

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vidual youth: their head, their heart, their hands, andtheir health. This enables youth to become confident,capable, caring, and responsible citizens. Youth devel-opment professionals around the country are using thiseasy-to-use research based model. The web site (that iscurrently under development) provides instrumentsthat yield reliable, valid data and a method for data en-try. An instantaneous on-line data analysis is generatedas well as a printable report. This process makes theFour-Fold Model a very cost effective evaluation toolfor youth development professionals who are inter-ested in evaluating specific life skills.

The Four-Fold Youth Development Model isbased on an extensive search of both theoretical andempirical research. The following databases are util-ized for the literature search: ERIC, DAI (DissertationAbstract Index), PYSCH Index, Social Science Index,and Academic Full Text. The model encompasses 47youth development skills that youth will need to de-velop into confident, capable, caring, and responsiblecitizens. It combines four existing models into onecomprehensive model focusing on all four aspects ofthe individual: their head, their heart, their hands, andtheir health. The four models included are the SCANSWorkforce Preparation Model, NNST Science ProcessSkill Model developed by the National Network forScience and Technology, Iowa State University's Tar-geting Life Skills Model, and the Search Institute's In-ternal Asset Model. This model has encouraged 4-HYouth Development educators to broaden their some-times-limited view of the 4-H club or project experi-ence to include other educational theories and ap-proaches beyond the simplistic 4-H life skill model.

Barkman et al. (2000) presents a practical way todesign and measure the impact of youth developmentcurriculum materials. Evaluation is seen as an integralcomponent of the curriculum design process, not justsomething that happens at the end. Thiagarajan (1990)suggests that there are two major phases of evaluation:formative and summative. The primary focus in theformative phase is on improving the effectiveness ofthe curriculum while on the other hand, the focus insummative is on proving that the curriculum achievesits stated performance outcomes. Barkman model in-cludes two basic types of evaluation tools: design teamchecklists and evaluation checklists. Features thatmake this Four- Fold Model unique include:

Inclusion of components, or skill sets, for each in-dividual skill.Inclusion of research study abstracts, rather thanjust a synopsisProvision of sample educational activities and cur-riculum references

Linkage to File Maker Pro database softwarepackage to easily analyze data.

The Four-Fold model web site is already having atremendous impact on the youth development field.Barkman et al. (1999) hopes that the greatest impactwill be to generate a national database with compre-hensive indicators that can be used to further researchin youth development. This website will then provideprogram evaluation tools and analysis for all youthpractitioners as well as become a database for miningby youth researchers.

Summary of Evaluation Methods

In this section there has been a review of both theLogic Model of evaluation as well as how this hasbeen used as a basis of the Four-Fold Model whichwas designed to evaluate 4-H Youth Development cur-riculum. There are probably many other approaches,but these are two major ones that are currently beingused in 4-H Youth Development programs

Gaps in Best Practices for Youth DevelopmentEducation

Missing Curriculum Resources

There are some environmental education materialsin the National 4-H Curriculum Collection, as well asfive items on water alone, but this is hardly enough tosatisfy the needs of over 5 million youth and adults in-volved nationally in 4-H Youth Development pro-grams. There currently are no boating or fishing cur-riculum materials in the National 4-H Curriculum Col-lection, although many 4-H programs are happening atthe local level where local partnerships exist. This pre-sents a huge opportunity for collaboration and partner-ships between 4-H Youth Development and Recrea-tional Boating and Fishing Association. And as men-tioned previously, the 4-H Cooperative CurriculumSystem has been developing national 4-H fishing ma-terials that will be available fall 2001.

Integrating Research and Practice

Zeldin (2000) noted that, "Over the past decade,research and practice have made almost-independentcontributions to our knowledge base about adolescentdevelopment." Greater integration is recommended.Experimenting with and building theory through theinterplay of research and practice will maximize ourknowledge of positive youth development in the com-munity context, while at the same time demonstratinghow to promote it. Finally, this will challenge re-

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searchers to connect their agendas with those of practi-tioners, and vice versa. Zeldin (2000) goes on to offerfour proposals for integrating research and practice:

Orient research and practice toward conceptualiz-ing, understanding and achieving positive, com-munity-level outcomes.Understand and improve adult attitudes and policytowards youth and their potential.Explain and confront the isolation that existsamong young people and adults both in commu-nity and in community decision-making.Marshall all forms of scholarship to prepare non-profit managers to build capacity for adolescentdevelopment.

However, the gap between the researcher andpractitioner is still wide even though the Wisconsin 4-H Mission is to integrate research, education andcommunity-based partnerships, enabling youth to learnand practice skills to be productive citizens. (Hutchins1999) Much work still needs to be done to achieveWisconsin's vision where 4-H Youth Development is acatalyst for positive community youth development inall Wisconsin counties. However, articulating a visionand mission is the first step toward achieving this loftygoal, and grassroots work is moving along to fuel thismovement across the entire state of Wisconsin.

Experiential Learning

The experiential learning theory has been aroundsince John Dewey (1963). Many youth developmentresearchers can talk the talk, but the true masters of thecraft of experiential learning are often practitioners inthe field. That's why many researchers are now in-volved in action research studies where they actuallyroll up their sleeves and get involved in local youthdevelopment efforts. These research/practitioners havehoned their craft to a fine art that often defies tradi-tional quantitative research methods. More qualitativestudies need to be conducted to truly describe the bestpractices of teaching experientially.

In 1997 Horton and Hutchinson recommended:

The development of a valid experientially basedscience curriculum materials for non-formal edu-cation and a call to devise a strategic plan of ac-tion for change.A concerted effort on the part of 4-H Curriculumspecialists nationwide to utilize the recommenda-tions to develop curriculum products.

Additional research on evaluating experientiallybased 4-H science curriculum materials from bothcontent and product perspectives.Continue to refine the process and instrumentationfor determining product reliability during pilotphases of the curriculum development process.

Horton's recommendations were the impetus forthe development of the Four-Fold Youth Developnientseries of publications. The first one, 4-H 897 Devel-oping Experientially Based 4-H Curriculum Materialsfocuses on the way in which teaching materials arecreated, especially the actual arrangement of the partsof the finished product. The second publication, 4-H898 -- Evaluation 4-H Curriculum through the DesignProcess, focuses on the pilot testing and data collectionphase of curriculum development. It contains bothchecklists for use by the design teams and evaluationinstruments to measure whether the curriculumachieved its stated outcomes.

More research needs to be done to see if the cur-riculum design model advocated by Horton and Bark-man truly does develop experientially based curricu-lum materials that both provide formative data on howto improve the materials, as well as summative data onproviding that the curriculum achieves it stated out-comes. This work is still under development and needsan army of youth development professionals to utilizethe on-line evaluation instruments to contribute to thebody of knowledge.

YouthAdult Partnership (Y/AP) Gaps

Camino (2000) notes that current societal forcesare again beginning to give greater legitimacy and ac-ceptance to youth adult partnerships. Camino identi-fies the following research gaps:

Practitioners need to be aware of these three di-mensions of Y/APs and to gear their researcharound these concepts of:a. Principles and values, which actors use to ori-

ent the relationship and to guide behavior.b. A set of skills and competencies through

which the behaviors are focused.c. A method to implement and achieve collec-

tive action.

Researchers should consider how settings andcontext figure significantly in the creation ofY/APs. Training alone cannot achieve infusion ofY/AP's without considering both overt and subtleestablished structures and relationships of power.Both youth and adults need consistent access tosupport as they engage and support Y/APs.

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Researchers need to don different lenses and bewilling to challenge established views of adoles-cents and their potential, as well as investigate thepower dynamics that maintain segregation ofyouth and adults.

Basically, youth development educators have beentalking about youthadult partnerships since the 70's.The theory is in place to advocate such a model, but tosuccessfully support and facilitate such a model is eas-ier said than done. This author has been working withthe Wisconsin 4-H Technology Team, as well as withthe Dane County 4-H Public Adventures group for thepast three years. Based on these personal experiences,she has found that establishing a productive youthadult partnership is truly an art and demands a highdegree of tenacity and hard work, but the lessonslearned are well worth the effort! For unless research-ers are willing to roll up their sleeves and get involvedin the messy business of real life youth developmentand test their theories in the field, the parameters ofbest practices will never truly advance.

Lack of Research on Community Youth Development

Although the field of Community Developmentand Youth Development are not new, the merged fieldof Community Youth Development where youth par-ticipate to bring about community change is indeedvery different than youth participation for the sake ofyouth development. Due to the fact that the Commu-nity Youth Development framework is relatively new,journal articles and websites are now becoming avail-able. This emerging field holds much promise if fund-ing and research is made available to fill in the gapsbetween theory and practice.

Influence of Technology on Learning

As technology becomes an integral part of ourschools, educators can look to the students the NetGeneration to help make the shift to more student-centered learning. (Tapscott, 1999) Computers andtechnology alone is not the answer. The challenge is tolearn how to best use technology and the most potentforce for change is the students themselves. Tapscottgoes on to identify eight shifts of interactive learningthat he has observed in schools across the nation.These eight shifts present real gaps between how manyteachers currently teach and how kids ideally learnbest. His eight shifts of Interactive Learning include:

From linear to hypermedia learning Most text-books are written to be tackled from beginning toend. Youth today access information more interac-tively and non-sequentially as they surf channels

and multi-task between many different softwareprograms and websites.From instruction to construction & discoveryRather than standing up in front of a group andteaching something, educators should design cur-riculum in partnership with learners or even helplearners design the curriculum themselves. Con-structivists argue that people learn best by doing,rather than just listening, especially if they canconstruct knowledge anew, based on their con-crete experience with abstract ideas and concepts.From teacher-centered to learner centered educa-tion Teachers need to focus on creating thelearning environment and providing resources.From absorbing material to learning how to navi-gate and how to learn This means learning howto synthesize, not just analyze information soyouth can construct higher-level structures andmental images.From schools to lifelong learning Learning hasbecome a continuous, lifelong process and reallyjust begins after getting a formal degree or certifi-cate.From one-size fits all to customized learningDigital media could allow every individual to fmdpersonal paths to learning based on their back-grounds, talents and learning styles.From learning as torture to learning as fun Us-ing the new media, the learner becomes the enter-tainer and is motivated, feeling responsible forlearning.From the teacher as transmitter to the teacher asfacilitator Teachers need to act as consultantsto teams of youth, facilitating the learning processby helping youth process the experience, as wellas participating as a technical consultant on newmedia.

Tapscott closes his article by stating, "Give stu-dents the tools, and they will be the single most impor-tant source of guidance on how to make their schoolsrelevant and effective places to learn." His view indeedcomplements those of innovative youth developmenteducators who are also advocating strong youth adultpartnerships based on experiential learning experiences.An astute group leader who can construct learning ac-tivities as well as help the group process and apply whatwas learned in a different setting needs to facilitate thisnew type of learning. Most non-formal educators, likethose in Extension, can do this more effectively for theyare not burdened by the structure of the formal class-room and the need to implement state mandated educa-tion standards, assessment and accountability measures.

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Evaluation Gaps

There has been a lot of formative evaluation, de-scribing how to improve programs and curriculumproducts, but there's never enough good summativeevaluation on whether a program or a curriculum hasreally made a difference. Although the Logic Modelappears to hold the most promise, the jury is still outon whether it can truly answer these key questions:

Did we really make a difference in the lives ofpeople?Do the Curriculum products really work and sup-port the intended outcomes?

There has never been a silver bullet that has been ableto satisfy the unquenchable need to document the dif-ference programs have made. However, at this time inhistory in the field of 4-H Youth Development, theLogic Model shows the best potential of meeting thisneed. However, more research needs to be aggregatedto show if it truly delivers on its promise.

Summary of Gaps in Best Practices

In summary there is a need for more research on:

Defining and developing quality boating & fishingcurriculum based on national criteria for non-formal community based organizations like 4-H.The integration of research and practice to clearlyarticulating the best practices for facilitatingyouthadult partnerships for:a) Facilitating meaningful experiential learningb) Creating a community youth development

model for creating changec) Interactive learning utilizing technologyDetermining if the Logic model has been able tohelp programs show that they truly have made adifference in the lives of people.

Recommendations for Future Research

Recommendation #1: Integrating Research and Prac-tice

Researchers need to utilize YouthAdult Partner-ships with youth fully engaged with adults in researchrelated activities to define best practices focused on:

Implementing youthadult partnerships in di-verse communities.Engaging community based youthadult partner-ships in creating their own experiential based cur-riculum.

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Implementing interactive technology based learn-ing in community organizations.Defming strategies for moving from a positiveyouth development model to a community youthdevelopment framework that harnesses the energy,creativity and dedication of both youth and adultsto create community changeDeveloping an international version of this emerg-ing community youth development frameworkthat could be adaptable around the world.

Each of these five recommendations is an in-depth re-search proposal of its' own and could require the in-tensive work of a cadre of researchers for many yearsto come. However, it is often easier to look aroundone's environment and begin to try things out on asmall scale, working on this in a more holistic and in-tegrative fashion.

One example of this approach is the work this au-thor is currently doing with the Wisconsin Departmentof Instruction's Digital Divide grant helping rural Wis-consin communities train youth to increase communityaccess to technology. To integrate research and prac-tice, we are proposing to work with existing youthadult partnerships and use the Logic Model to developa performance framework to clearly communicate theinputs, outputs and outcomes of this grant, in languagethat is understood by all partners. We hope to engageyouthadult partnerships in six locations to create theirown experiential based curriculum and to implementinteractive technology based learning. Our ultimategoal is that this process will help move communitiesfrom a positive youth development model to a com-munity youth development focus whose long term out-come is to create intentional sustainable social changethat decreases the digital divide in rural communities.

To initiate this process we will be proposing thatthe evaluation work group of the Digital Divide Steer-ing Committee be comprised of an equal number ofyouth and adults. They could participate in a one-dayworkshop where they use the Logic framework toclearly articulate the outcomes of this grant, in com-mon language that can be understood by all stake-holders. This Logic Framework approach could also beused with other potential sites that hope to receive sub-grants. Workshops on utilizing youth and adult part-nerships to co-create their curriculum would follow,along with ongoing support for sustaining this com-munity youth development model for decreasing thedigital divide in six rural communities.


Recommendation #2: Relationship to Youth Envi-ronmental Education Movement

Although I am not able to speak to eloquently tothe area of boating, fishing and enviromnental stew-ardship, I can only assume that the same principleswould be relevant to this field. One example of how toapproach this could include the following scenario.

Non-profit organizations like RBFF could workwith youth development researchers and practitio-ners to create a sustainable grassroots movementmobilizing youth and adult partners to conserveand restore our nation's aquatic natural resourcesby getting involved in boating and fishing. Oneway they could get started would be to:

Develop a long term sustainable Youth AdultBoating and Fishing Stakeholder group comprisedof 50% youth and 50% adults that would provideongoing strategic direction. They could use thelogic framework to help determine what is the bestway to build these types of youth adult partner-ships on both a national as well as grassrootslevel.Provide youthadult partnerships with tools todevelop a marketing campaign to help middleschool youth conserve and restore our nation'saquatic resources through involvement in handson water, fishing and boating service activities.Once these youthadult partnerships are estab-lished, involve them in co-creating experientialbased fishing, boating and environmental steward-ship curriculum materials that can be customizedfor use with other local youthadult partnerships.

Provide these curriculum materials in both printand interactive technology based options that canbe customized for use by end users.Use technology to help strengthen and create asense of community among grassroots organiza-tions and real people with an interest in these top-ics.

These are but a few ways that these Best Practicesof Youth Development could relate to the RecreationFoundation for Boating and Fishing (RBFF). But likeany other sustainable community development effortthis approach needs to be designed by the real peoplewho are the key stakeholders in the RBFF movement.For often times the process of co-creating movementslike this is even more important the ultimate product.

Summary and Comments

While reflecting on the historical evolution of 4-HYouth Development movement or the environmentalmovement one must remain true to one's core valuesand learn from the past. In closing, I urge RecreationalBoating and Fishing Foundation to continue to utilizemarketing and education strategies on their journey toincrease public awareness for protecting, conservingand restoring this nations' aquatic natural resources.This lofty goal could lend itself to integrate researchand practice by using youthadult partnerships, expe-riential learning strategies and the community youthdevelopment movement to continue to develop a sus-tainable learning community that helps bring aboutlasting change in how communities approach boating,fishing as well as environmental stewardship.

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