Qlik2Learn – Is Your Quick Click to Learning

All Extension employees, especially 4-H professionals, are quick learn experts. Professional and personal development is necessary, as new research and teaching information, techniques, and methods are continually being updated. This site and these opportunities are designed to support your evolving needs. *Check-out the  App’s suggestions at the bottom of the page.

Bookmark  This Site – New Opportunites Are Added Often! 

If you have questions, feedback, suggestions re this page please contact Dr. Mitzi Downing @ mitzi_downing@ncsu.edu 

Repeated Opportunities

Feel Good Fridays (Offering Varies Monthy)   

Description: Presented by NAE4HYDP on a variety of engaging and timely topics.

• 2/4/21 – Freel Good Friday with Fitness 
• 2/26/ 21 – Free Good Friday – Parenting in the Pandemic 

Register online for Feel Good Fridays

Meditation Mondays (Every Monday)                                                     

Description: In these times of uncertainty, fear and anxiety are on the rise. We are all adjusting in ways few could have anticipated. The practice of mindfulness – the capacity to be fully present in the moment – is a way to cultivate a calm, focused mind and to offset the negative effects of stress and avoid burnout. Sessions are held in Zoom every Monday for 30 minutes at 9:00 a.m. and repeated at 12:00 p.m. Each session includes a few stretches, some breathing, and a 15 minute guided meditation followed by time for sharing and questions, as well as tips for incorporating mindfulness into daily life. Sessions are taught by Dr. Jennifer Staniger, NCSU          

Register online for Mindful Mondays in the NCSU Reporter system 

2021 Date-Specific Opportunities 

Feb. 17, 2021 – Navigating New Learning Platforms During COVID-19  / 1:00 p.m. EST 

Description: This session will provide tools to adapt 4-H programs to achieve positive youth development, creativity, belonging, and critical thinking in a post-COVID-19 world. Participants will learn new ways to create a sense of community among youth and provide well-rounded, hands-on 4-H experiences to youth at home. The session will also provide techniques to keep costs low and share how to market programs to families who struggle to find resources and fill their new role as their child’s educator.

Registration is closed.

March 17, 2021 – From Transaction to Transformation: Engaging Young People / 1:00 p.m. EST 

Description: This webinar introduces the community design team process used to develop a learning series on advancing equity in youth programs. The process was guided by principles for the university to 1) share space and the role of “expert”, 2) lead with vulnerability and transparency, 3) ensure that historically silenced voices are centered, and 4) engage and elevate youth voices. This session will highlight strategies for and lessons learned from the university de-centering its expertise and using its platform to engage and elevate youth and practitioner perspective and practices.

Registration is Closed

Online Video Recordings

Balancing Life Series: Link
Virginia Cooperative Extension & N.C. Cooperative Extension  

Description: There are so many uncertainties right now stemming from COVID-19. Whether they are related to finances, health, school, work, or an array of other issues, many are feeling stress and anxiety. How can you remain calm and composed when so many decisions are out of our hands? These sessions will discuss ways to minimize the impact on you and your loved ones.

• Balancing Life: Supporting Teen & Adult Mental Health During COVID-19
• Balancing Life: Managing Stress in Uncertain Times 
• Balancing Life: Guiding Children & Teens Through Uncertain Times 
• Balancing Life: Organizing Tips for the School Year 

Fall Date Specific Opportunities

Sept. 10th- Teaching K-12 Science and Engineering During a Crisis 

The COVID-19 pandemic is resulting in widespread and ongoing changes to how the K55 education system functions, including disruptions to science teaching and learning environments. Students and teachers are all figuring out how to do schooling differently, and districts and states are working overtime to reimagine systems and processes. This is difficult and stressful work in the middle of the already stressful and sometimes traumatic backdrop of the global pandemic. In addition, students with disabilities, students of color, immigrants, English learners, and students from under-resourced communities have been disproportionately affected, both by the pandemic itself and by the resulting instructional shifts.

Teaching Science During the COVID-19 Pandemic aims to describe what high-quality science and engineering education can look like in a time of great uncertainty and to support practitioners as they work toward their goals.

Session Date: Sept. 10, 2020, from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time 
Brought to you by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine

Register and see additional information.

Sept. 14th – Re-imagining a System of Care to Promote the Well-Being of Children & Families 

Description: The Forum for Children’s Well-Being will host a virtual public workshop on September 14, 2020. The workshop will focus on building systems to support children and families in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The workshop will pay particular attention to how these systems can combat structural racism. It will feature discussions related to supports in both the economic and behavioral and public health systems that can promote the well-being of children and families. Participants will engage in discussions about how a broad range of existing tools and supports can be used to further promote family well-being and health equity in the United States.

Session Date: Sept. 14, 2020, from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time

Brought to you by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine

Resource information from the Session.

Oct. 6th, Nov. 5th, Dec. 11th –  QPR: Question, Persuade & Refer – Suicide Prevention 

Description: Suicide is a public health problem, it impacts all of us. NC State has joined over 160 colleges and universities in offering QPR, a community-based, nationally-recognized and empirically-based suicide prevention program to our campus and virtually. QPR stands for Question, Persuade and Refer. QPR is a brief training program for students, faculty and staff that focuses on how to connect an individual (employee, youth, or family member or friend) to additional support or referred for professional help. The QPR training is both educational and experiential and includes an overview of national and state and specific statistics regarding suicide; the myths versus facts; identifying behavioral, verbal and situational warning signs; and practicing concrete tools in which to help someone who is in distress.

Learning Outcomes:

• QPR is intended to teach individuals how to recognize the warning signs of suicide, including verbal, behavioral and situational clues.
• Attendees will learn how to Question a person about suicidal thoughts, how to Persuade them to get help and how to Refer the person for help.

Session Dates:

• Oct. 6th from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time 
• Nov. 5th from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time 
• Dec. 11th from 110:00  am – 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time

Register online using the NCSU Reporter system.

Nov. 18th – Resource Review: Practices for Inclusion of All Genders & Sexual Orientations 

Description: Join 4-H peers in learning about the newly released and PLWG-approved “Practices for Inclusion for Individuals of All Genders and Sexual Orientations” document. The Access, Equity, and Belonging Committee is comprised of champion groups that support evidence-based research and current trends facing our vulnerable populations. One of these champion groups is focused on LGBTQ+ Youth and Community. This group contributed to the new inclusion document that is designed to be a template for states to adapt to help their 4-H program be more inclusive and welcoming to those with LGBTQ+ identities.

With guidance and approval from the 4-H Program Leaders Working Group to share this document, states are encouraged to explore how to utilize this template for use of their own as it pertains to the inclusion of all participants, volunteers, and staff. Attending a webinar to learn more about the template and how to implement these practices in one’s own state will be beneficial to the success of creating a welcoming environment in your program.

Session Instructors: Katherine Soule with Joe Rand and Kayla Oberstadt

Session Date: Nov. 18, 2020 / 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time

 Registration has ended.

Dec. 9th – From Tradition to Transition: Thriving Through Change 

Description: For a number of reasons, the holidays may look a lot different than they have in the past. Join us for a conversation on how you can adjust to the differences that this year may bring and learn effective strategies for communicating with your loved ones. Session facilitator: Stephanie Davis
Assistant Director of Learning and Organizational Development

Session Date: Dec. 9th from 12:30-1:00 p.m. US Eastern Time via Zoom

Registration has ended.

Cool *APPS Spotlight

• InsightTimer:  They offer the largest free library of guided meditations on earth and one of the world’s most loved meditation / project-focus Timer, for free. It’s won Apps of the Year Winner – TIME magazine and Women’s Health. This App has several components: Timer, Sleep, Music, etc. *It has a great Kids section too. *Free /Pro level is available for $
• Focus Keeper:  If you get caught up in work and forget to stand-up, move, eat, etc. – and/or – if you like to work on multiple projects at a time to keep your creativity up – this App is for you! Try it I promise you’ll love it! Focus Keeper helps you keep your productivity high avoiding burnout using the timer. Work with time. Not against it! *Free / Advanced level is available for $
• Evernote:  Evernote helps you focus on what matters most and have access to your information when you need it. Input typed notes or audio messages, take photos, set reminders, and email. Organize notes any way you want and share them with anyone. *If you hate keeping up with receipts – this App is for you. *Free / Advanced level is available for $
• Day One Journal:  Day One is a journaling app for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. From once-in-a-lifetime events to everyday moments, Day One’s elegant interface makes journaling your life a simple pleasure. It has a clever and rich feature set that lets you integrate photos, current location, weather data, and more into your journal entries.* 14-day free trial – $34.99 for a year subscription – that’s 2.92 a month.
• Flow by Moleskin:  Calling all “Doodlers”! Flow is an all-new way to create mind-maps, beautiful notes, simple drawings, and complex works of art all on your iPad and iPhone. Flow offers dozens of combinations for paper types, colors, and tools. And by pairing their custom drawing technology with Apple Pencil, Flow feels as responsive as drawing on real paper.” * 14-day free trial – $11.99 for a year subscription (cancel anytime)

*Apps are intended for your personal devices. Please consult EIT and/or your county policies before downloading anything onto a work device.