Catalog

Catalogs

Title	Duration (hours)	Description
Bony Fishes Collection	10.00	Whether they are cruising the vast open sea, blending in with the bottom, lurking in the kelp beds, hiding in the coral, or fighting their way upstream, fish live in a world that’s vastly different than ours. In the Bony Fishes Collection, we’ll dive into this world. You’ll explore: • Bony Fishes Module 1: Physical Characteristics • Bony Fishes Module 2: Distribution and Habitat • Bony Fishes Module 3: Ecology and Behavior • Bony Fishes Module 4: Reproduction and Development • Bony Fishes Module 5: Conservation.
Mammals	4.50	This series of five modules provides you with a greater understanding of the wide range of the types of mammals and some of their remarkable adaptations, enabling you to be a better interpreter, animal care professional, volunteer, or simply a better informed individual. Information includes an overview of physical characteristics, habitat, behavior, reproduction, and the conservation efforts dedicated to protecting this taxonomic group. Individual modules allow for a more focused approach to the material, as each takes a narrow scope. Each module includes self-assessment opportunities and its own mastery test.
Introducing Animals: Reptiles	4.50	In this course collection, interpreters, guides, docents, and wildlife care specialists can explore the fascinating life of reptiles in this collection of five modules. The individual modules allow for a more focused approach to the material, as each takes a narrow scope. Each module includes self-assessment opportunities and its own mastery test. Reptiles 1 explores the physical characteristics of the reptiles: snakes, lizards, turtles and tortoises, crocodilians, and tuataras. Reptiles 2 covers reptile distribution and habitats. In Reptiles 3, learners investigate what—and how—reptiles eat, as well as which animals prey on various reptiles, and how reptiles avoid being eaten. This module also covers thermoregulation, locomotion, behavior, and communication. Reptiles 4 explores the fascinating world of reptile reproduction. The final course in the series, Reptiles 5 investigates the conservation status of reptiles, threats to reptiles, and how conservationists are helping. The module concludes with a look at some examples of how we can all participate in reptile conservation.
Great Apes	3.00	This collection of 3 courses explores the natural history and conservation of the great apes and covers a bit about primates and how the apes fit into this larger group of animals.
Introducing Monotremes	3.00	Are monotremes a bit of mystery to you? Get to know the echidnas and the platypus, as Monotremes 1 explores the physical characteristics, distribution, and habitats of echidnas and platypuses. In Monotremes 2, learners investigate what—and how—monotremes eat, as well as which animals prey on them, and how they avoid being eaten. This module also covers thermoregulation, locomotion, behavior, and social structure. The third and final course in the series, Monotremes 3, explores the fascinating world of monotreme reproduction and investigates the conservation status of monotremes, threats to platypus and echidna species, and how conservationists are helping. The module concludes with a look at some examples of how we can all participate in conservation. Remarkable images show platypuses and echidnas in ways you’ve never seen before, and video provides insights into their behavior. Interactivity sprinkled throughout the modules engages participants in the learning process, and questions at the end of each section ensure that they have mastered fundamental concepts before they move on.
Ending Extinction: The Basics - Module 2	2.50	The goal of this course is to lead the fight against extinction by taking a leadership role and collaborating with others to save species from extinction using science-based techniques and fostering collaboration and cooperation.
Interpretation Basics: Module III Storytelling	2.50	If you've successfully completed Interpretation Basics: Modules I and II, you can further develop your interpretive skills by completing the third module in the series: Interpretation Basics III: Storytelling. A well-told story is the most powerful way to connect visitors to your organization's mission and inspire conservation action. The skills presented in this course will help you select, develop, and deliver message-driven stories that are compelling, enjoyable, meaningful, and memorable.
Plant Conservation	2.50	The goal of this course is to lead the fight against extinction by taking a leadership role and collaborating with others to save species from extinction using science-based techniques and fostering collaboration and cooperation.
Ending Extinction: The Basics - Module 1	2.50	The goal of this course is to lead the fight against extinction by taking a leadership role and collaborating with others to save species from extinction using science-based techniques and fostering collaboration and cooperation.
Birds	2.00	This course will provide an introduction to birds, including an overview of physical characteristics, habitat, behavior, reproduction and the conservation efforts dedicated to protecting this taxonomic group.
Human Relations Skill Development (Collection)	2.00	Being able to communicate effectively is an essential human relations skill for school-age care professionals. To be a good communicator, school-age professionals need to understand the components of communication and how the communication process works. They need to identify barriers to clear communication and develop strategies for minimizing or eliminating barriers to communication. School-age care professionals also need to work cooperatively with other team members to solve problems and conflicts. This requires an understanding of how teams work and the characteristics of effective teams. Assessing the current status of personal human relations skills helps each professional identify priorities for making improvements to these skills.
Course 08: Human Relations Skill Development	2.00	Being able to communicate effectively is an essential human relations skill for school-age care professionals. To be a good communicator, school-age professionals need to understand the components of communication and how the communication process works. They need to identify barriers to clear communication and develop strategies for minimizing or eliminating barriers to communication. School-age care professionals also need to work cooperatively with other team members to solve problems and conflicts. This requires an understanding of how teams work and the characteristics of effective teams. Assessing the current status of personal human relations skills helps each professional identify priorities for making improvements to these skills.
Course 34: Creating Community Collaborations	2.00	Across the country, more and more communities are forming community collaborations to address the out-of-school needs of children and youth of all ages. When different segments of the community join together, share ideas, and pool their resources and efforts to create OST initiatives, children and youth benefit. What one organization or program may not be able to accomplish alone, is often achievable when partnerships and collaborations among diverse groups and individuals are formed. When OST professionals are knowledgeable about what it takes to create and sustain successful collaborations, they can play an important leadership role in creating OST initiatives and programs that will meet the needs of children and youth in their communities now and in the future.
Course 25: Focus on Health and Stress Management	2.00	Every day OST professionals dedicate themselves to caring for and nurturing children, youth, and families. Often OST professionals are so dedicated to serving others, they neglect their own needs. When this happens, OST staff can experience stress that causes them to become overwhelmed, exhausted, frustrated, dissatisfied with job responsibilities, and unappreciated. When OST professionals maintain a healthy balanced lifestyle, they are in a much better position to face the challenges of supporting and nurturing children and families with positive energy, enthusiasm, patience, and empathy. By developing self-awareness; linking their personal and professional goals; developing a healthy balanced lifestyle; and identifying and managing stressors effectively, OST staff can create and maintain a positive sense of well-being that allows them to maximize their ability to build positive relationships with children, parents, colleagues, and others.
Course 31: The Six "Ps" of Marketing School-Age Programs	2.00	Effective marketing of OST programs is a systematic process that involves research, analysis, assessment of market trends and needs, short-term and long-term planning, and development of effective strategies to promote OST program services and develop a positive image of the program in the community. It is important for OST leaders to recognize that marketing is a far reaching process that includes, but is not limited to, advertising and publicity. When OST leaders take a comprehensive approach to marketing, their programs and projects have an excellent chance of success. Knowledge and understanding of the marketing process is an invaluable tool for OST leaders as they plan and implement new programs and projects, assess the stability and need for improvement of current programs, develop plans for new or expanded programs, and develop a positive public image of the program and its services.
Emergency Animal Recall - Tigers	2.00	Welcome to Emergency Animal Recall. This collection consists of an overview course which covers the fundamentals of Emergency Recall training for exhibit animals, including: What exactly is Emergency Animal Recall, and why is it necessary? What are the benefits of Emergency Animal Recall? How do you generate support within your organization for a training program, and how do you decide which animals should be trained first? What equipment will you need, and what preparations will you need to make? What is the general outline of an Emergency Recall training program, and how do you maintain the conditioning once it has been established? After completing this Overview, you can continue with the species-specific Tigers Emergency Animal Recall course.
Emergency Animal Recall - Gorillas	2.00	Welcome to Emergency Animal Recall. This collection consists of an overview course which covers the fundamentals of Emergency Recall training for exhibit animals, including: What exactly is Emergency Animal Recall, and why is it necessary? What are the benefits of Emergency Animal Recall? How do you generate support within your organization for a training program, and how do you decide which animals should be trained first? What equipment will you need, and what preparations will you need to make? What is the general outline of an Emergency Recall training program, and how do you maintain the conditioning once it has been established? After completing this Overview, you can continue with the species-specific Gorillas Emergency Animal Recall course.
Youth Development Trends: Focus on Older Youth (Collection)	2.00	The Center for Early Adolescence at the University of North Carolina and the Search Institute have found that early adolescence is a time of rapid change in youth development and developmental needs. For many children, the characteristic needs of early adolescence begin to emerge as early as age nine, when children are still in elementary school and attending traditional OST programs. OST professionals who understand these emerging needs are better equipped to create successful program experiences with older children in their programs. The number of quality OST programs for children between five and twelve is steadily growing across the country. At the same time, there is increasing public interest in establishing programs that can also address and support the out-of-school needs of children over age twelve. For many years, communities tried to meet the needs of older youth by a problem-solving approach that focused on helping youth by fixing what was wrong. New trends in youth development take a more positive approach and are focused on working with youth to create positive outcomes. OST professionals who are knowledgeable about adolescent development and developmental needs and are knowledgeable about youth development research and trends can play important roles in helping their communities design and develop the next level of program services for children over the age of twelve. By learning about ways to support the developmental needs of older youth, OST professionals can join with others to create strategies and programs for continuing to build on the positive experiences younger children have in their OST programs.
Course 15: Designing Effective Indoor School-Age Play and Learning Environments	2.00	Planning effective environments is the first step to planning an effective program. When environments are attractive, interesting, and comfortable, they provide a backdrop for a varied program that can address the developmental needs of school-age children. The look and feel of well-planned environments send messages that let children know they are welcome and valued. They are inviting and encourage children to get involved and stay engaged with program activities and experiences
Guiding School-Age Children in Groups (Collection)	2.00	When large numbers of children are involved in the program, it is challenging to create and deliver school-age program activities that can meet the needs of all children. The key to success is taking a systematic approach to program planning. It is important for staff to understand how to select appropriate activity options and use effective management strategies that make it possible to offer a balanced variety of simultaneous activity options. This understanding will help staff plan and implement a program that effectively supports, nurtures, and guides individual differences and fosters positive interaction among children in groups.
Growing as a Professional in School-Age Programs (Collection)	2.00	Caring for school-age children in a school-age program is a relatively new field of work. The field itself is constantly changing and expanding. In view of this "newness" and change, those who work in the field are playing an important role in shaping and defining what it means to be a school-age professional. They are guiding school-age care as an emerging profession. In the search for a definition of professionalism in school-age programs, it is helpful to examine the common characteristics of professionalism in other fields. The next step is identifying qualities and characteristics associated with professional behavior in the school-age field, itself. As a school-age professional, it is also important to understand the importance of acting as a public policy advocate on behalf of school-age children and their families. An important part of professionalism is continued personal growth and development in relation to the field. This requires using appropriate resources and strategies to further individual professional development. It also requires considering what constitutes ethical conduct in the field and developing an ongoing commitment to ethical behavior.
Course 09: School-Age Care as a Family Service - Part One	2.00	Strong, positive, cooperative relationships with parents and families are at the heart of quality school-age programs. Unfortunately, positive relationships with parents and families are not always easy to achieve because parents, like children, have widely varying personalities; some are easier to reach than others. Parents in school-age programs have different ideas, values, concerns, knowledge, pressures, lifestyles, plans, dreams, resources, and constraints. Staff who are successful in building positive relationships begin by recognizing the importance of accepting parents as the most important people in children’s lives, regardless of differences among them. They understand that staff attitudes toward parents can have a strong effect on whether or not staff can establish positive relationships with parents. Staff in quality programs make a commitment to learning as much as possible about parents’ needs, interests, wants, and concerns and develop effective strategies for making positive connections with parents.
Course 16: Developing and Implementing Effective Indoor Interest Areas	2.00	In order to operate an effective school-age program environment, it is essential for staff to know how to design, set up, and operate a variety of different interest areas that meet the developmental needs of school-age children. Effective interest areas are multi-dimensional; they provide a wide variety of activity options within the area. Effective interest areas provide children with opportunities to work and play independently on their own or with others. They also provide a setting for focused, staff-led activities designed to introduce children to new concepts and skills. Staff in quality school-age programs know how to work with colleagues and children to define, develop, and manage a wide variety of interest areas
Current Trends and Issues in Out-of-School Time Programs (Collection)	2.00	It is important for OST professionals to understand how the field has developed since its inception and to be knowledgeable about the current status of the OST field. With this knowledge and understanding, it is possible for OST professionals to participate in shaping the field as it grows in the future. The field of OST is growing and changing as national researchers learn more about what works best in OST programs for a wide range of children and youth, their families, and their communities. Other positive changes are occurring as advocates for OST succeed in creating more public awareness about the need to make quality OST services available to all children and youth across the country. In addition, the OST field is undergoing a metamorphosis as experienced professionals in several different disciplines and fields share and contribute their knowledge, skills, and insights with the goal of creating national models that represent the best possible OST programs. In this climate of change, OST programs face a number of important issues, revolving around the availability, affordability, and accountability of programs. Many national trends and issues have implications for OST at the state and local level. When OST professionals are well informed about national developments in the field, they can become more effective OST advocates as they design and implement high quality, sustainable programs that are responsive to youth, family, and community needs.
Course 23: Providing Homework Support	2.00	The National Standard Objectives of Learning (SOL) have raised questions about the role of school-age programs in providing homework help and support. Research indicates there are many different ways to provide effective homework support in school-age programs. Some are more structured than others. When planning a homework support program, it is important for school-age programs to develop a homework philosophy that is consistent with the program’s overall philosophy and reflects current research on best practices for providing homework help. The homework philosophy should also reflect the needs of parents and children in the program and strike a balance between homework needs and other experiences that help children grow and learn out-of-school. When staff know how to design homework environments, identify appropriate homework materials, and use effective strategies to guide children’s efforts, homework support can be an effective component of ongoing programs.