Computer/Web Technology Curriculum Committee Meeting Minutes

Fall 2001

Participating in the conference call: Patti Fantaske, chair, Phil Hoy, Joyce Morrison, Michael Rennie, Rachel Rennie, Deb Rowan, Toni Stuetz, and Susan Taylor.

Discussion on the Computer Mysteries curriculum recently adopted:

Materials are skill based with different levels, meaning youth may start at the appropriate level. We need to help agents to help youth choose where to begin. Exhibit projects seem appropriate. Some concern about offering this project in that it may not lend itself to a club setting. Youth not on computers may become frustrated. Leaders may need to try and find a computer lab setting for group activities (at schools, libraries, extension offices, local colleges). Otherwise, could review activities and send the youth off to complete tasks and report back to the group at the next meeting.

Because of the unique nature of these projects, the committee recommends that Patti write an article for ATS, or find another means to get the word out about these issues and how they might be addressed. A seminar at the State Leader’s Forum in March could provide another avenue to disseminate the project information.

Discussion on the in-service planned for the March Statewide In-service Program:

The committee suggests the in-service should be offered to leaders as the persons most likely to offer the project to members. The in-service should focus on lessons considered most useful and of high current interest (e.g. word processing, spreadsheet, graphics). The in-service will need to stress suggestions on how to best implement the project in the counties, including ways to find key persons in the county who might help. All possible sources of help and resources should be discussed.

Discussion on proposed web-based project for web page development:

Montana offers a web development project on-line that could be used as a model and/or resource for the creation of a similar project for Pennsylvania. Committee members expressed concerns about allowing youth to design personal pages due to safety concerns about providing names, pictures, and other identifying information on members. We recommend that the project be used to develop club web pages instead. Patti Fantaske will contact the person in Montana to discuss cooperation and/or collaboration in order to explore the possibility of bringing a similar program to the state. Rachel, our teen leader, has volunteered to test out the Montana project if given permission. Patti will write a curriculum proposal to get this project concept into the curriculum development process. The committee will work to devise fair exhibit ideas for the proposed project, as well as some sort of checklist to track progress and completion. If approved, Patti will put together a sample project to password protect for committee review before releasing the final product. A seminar may be developed for the State Leader’s Forum in March to preview this proposed project as we may want to have leaders serve in some capacity in support of the project. Mirroring the Montana model, we plan to facilitate a buddy system for the members in the program.

Discussion on other needs for the state:

In an attempt to be forward thinking, the committee recommends that we contact the other curriculum committee chairs and ask how computer technology might be used within their various projects. After obtaining this information, we could develop a supplement to suggest how agents and leaders could use technology in other project areas.

In addition, we could provide an electronic version of the various forms used throughout the 4-H program that could be downloaded and information entered via the computer. Since most of the Penn State generated curricular materials will eventually be available on the web in a PDF format, we could make all appropriate portions "writeable" to serve this purpose. Additionally, we could offer these electronic forms and versions of project materials on a CD for counties with slow internet connections.

-Notes submitted by Patti Fantaske
9/24/01