The ANR Program Leaders of the North Central states invites you to a series of Lunch and Learn webinars presented by six North Central Academy teams on recently authored educational experiences/curriculum. These webinars will occur at 1 PM Eastern Time or Noon Central time starting on March 18th. We invite you to learn about the products resulting from the efforts of your peers. Click on the eXtension Learn web link for topics of interest to you and “Add to Calendar” for future updates and connection information to these webinar.
The North Central Academy is a professional development experience launched in 2015 to prepare 21st century extension professionals to:
• Lead and teach extension educational experiences targeting critical agricultural issues.
• Engage our top agricultural producers in transformational learning experiences.
• Develop a multi-state cohort of Extension professionals who challenge and support each other’s professionalism.
Our first academy targeted cropping systems issues.
A team of 22 Extension field professionals from 12 North Central states completed this year-long experience. Six teams formed from this class each around a critical cropping system issue. Their resulting educational products are designed to meet the specific needs of their peers, field Extension educators/agents with cropping systems interest. These materials are available for you to use in your extension programming. The webinar is designed to showcase the products, show how they address a critical issues and teach you how to incorporate them into your work.
Please review the topics below and plan to learn about these Extension educational experiences of interest to you.
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Educational Experiences by Extension Field Professionals for their Peers
North Central Cropping Systems Academy
March 18: Using Take Action Resources to Manage Herbicide Resistant Weeds. Extension field professionals will learn how to utilize resources that are available from the Take Action program in your extension programming. Take Action is a nationwide program combating the challenges of herbicide resistant weeds. An educator/agent team will take you through the four sections of the Take Action website, then will cover lesson plans and teaching materials that have been developed for use in your extension program, and will finally cover how to request educational materials. More information at https://learn.extension.org/events/2374 . Team: Alicia Harstad, North Dakota; Aaron Saeugling, Iowa, Aaron Nygren, Nebraska; Jeanne Falk Jones, Kansas.
April 1: Biology of resistance. Learn about pesticide resistance resources developed for crops educators to use with their clientele. A team of crops educators from Iowa and Illinois have assembled curriculum resources addressing six learning objectives:
· Define pesticide resistance
· Recognize the importance of pesticide resistance to crop producers
· Recognize the importance of pesticide resistance and effective pesticides to crop production
· Describe how pesticide resistance occurs
· Identify examples of pesticide resistant insect, pathogen and weed populations
· Identify strategies to delay pesticide resistance
More information at https://learn.extension.org/events/2378 . Team: Angie Peltier, Illinois; Angie Rieck-Hinz, Iowa.
April 8: Soil Health and Rainfall Simulator Curriculum for Youth. Research suggests that younger audiences may be more receptive to soil health education than adults. Bench-top rainfall simulators have gained attention as dynamic visual tools for demonstrating the impact of various soil management practices on soil health, in particular aggregate stability, susceptibility to erosion and the tendency of water to run-off vs. infiltrate. A team of extension educators/agents from South Dakota, Illinois, and Michigan invites their peers to a webinar introducing a new curriculum resource using a bench-top rainfall simulator demonstration to teach key soil health principles. More information at https://learn.extension.org/events/2371. Team: Russell Higgins, Illinois; James Dedecker, Michigan; Anthony Bly, South Dakota.
April 15: On-Line Resources for Managing Cover Crops in the North Central States. A team of four extension educators/agents from South Dakota, Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio have assembled a compendium of recommended resources for the Extension field professionals on growing cover crops. This team will highlight these available resource materials related to in-season cover crops growth, species selection, cover crops impact on soil health, and economics of cover crops on April 15 at Noon Central. More information at https://learn.extension.org/events/2373 . Team: Allen Gahler, Ohio; Kenneth Eck, Indiana; David Karki, South Dakota; Katie Kammler, Missouri.
April 20: The Nitrogen Experience – 21st Century N Management. This program uses a scenario based learning approach to help farmers better understand risks associated with various nitrogen fertilizer management strategies. The program will include:
• Review of Nitrogen Cycling, NUE, and Current Nitrogen Fertilizer Practices
• A Large Group Nitrogen Management Scenario with Context Dependent Multiple Choice Questions
• Small Group Breakout Session with Different Nitrogen Management Scenarios
• Large Group Discussion of Small Group Scenarios
• Create a Grower Plan of Action
More information at https://learn.extension.org/events/2379 . Team: Troy Ingram (Nebraska); Bryan Overstreet (Indiana); Eric Richer (Ohio); Ryan Miller (Minnesota).
April 22: Climate Resources for Extension. A tutorial is available to assist Agriculture and Natural Resource Extension agents with the delivery of science –based programs related to climate change. Based on the team’s survey of North Central Region ANR agents, a team of Extension Educators from Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota, and Wisconsin identified the need for printed materials, videos, on-farm demonstrations, and meetings (webinars) related to climate change education. Educational products for local educational experiences will be shared during this webinar. More information at https://learn.extension.org/events/2372 . Team: Peter Tomlinson, Kansas; Lesley Lubenow, North Dakota; Tyler Williams, Nebraska; Jerry Clark, Wisconsin.
Rick Koelsch, Tyler Williams, Troy Ingram, and Aaron Nygren