L&D - 500 yrs of Extension wisdom, successful research lab, Spanish modules, water fights, work smarter

May 27, 2026
By Jodi L Azulai

UC ANR Learning & Development

Landing page | Archived webANRs | Learning & Development Resources

On this page learning opportunities for your work in:

Extension Methods & Delivery - Explore training and resources to improve how you design and deliver effective extension programs and educational outreach.
Building Support - Learn strategies for developing partnerships, engaging stakeholders, and securing resources to strengthen your work.
Inclusion & Belonging - Access tools and learning opportunities to create welcoming, equitable, and inclusive environments for diverse audiences.
Office, Team & Personal Development - Find professional development resources to enhance workplace skills, teamwork, and individual growth.

EXTENSION METHODS & DELIVERY

Let’s do this work together – building our skills, strengthening our programs, and increasing our collective impact. Whether refining your approach or exploring new ideas, these upcoming learning opportunities are designed to support the meaningful, community-centered work you do every day. From research-based strategies to real-world program insights, there’s something here to spark inspiration, strengthen your practice, and expand your impact.

We've Tried That Before: 500 Years of Extension Wisdom (Book)

Tap into 500+ years of collective Extension experience from 30 professionals across 15 universities. This story-driven read offers enduring insights to strengthen your program delivery and decision-making. Consider working with your colleagues to organize a reading and book discussion. Learn more about We’ve Tried That Before: 500 Years of Extension Wisdom.

Helping Preteens Thrive Through Change (Extension Foundation)

June 3 | 8 – 9:30 a.m. PT
Build skills to support youth navigating transitions, including self-advocacy, maintaining friendships and staying connected. Earn CE credits while gaining actionable strategies. Register for Helping Preteens Thrive Through Change. Find details about this session.

Building a Successful Research Laboratory: Creating a Home for Science and Collaboration (NCFDD)

June 9 | 11 a.m. – Noon PT
Discover strategies to build a productive, collaborative lab culture with clear research goals, strong mentorship and sustainable workflows. UC ANR pays for your account to the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity. Log into your account to register for this webinar.

Building Online Courses for Adult Learning: Evaluation and Improvement (Extension Foundation)

June 11 | 11 a.m. – Noon PT
Learn how to gather feedback and make small, impactful improvements to strengthen your online courses over time. Get full details and register for this webinar.

Insights and Best Practices from the USDA Summer Food Service Program (Extension Foundation)

June 11 | 8 – 9:30 a.m. PT
Learn how to expand access to summer meals, strengthen partnerships and implement effective nutrition programs in your community. CE credits available. Learn details and register for this webinar.

Produce TRAINer: Developing and Evaluating a Multimedia Food Safety Toolkit for Farmworkers (Extension Foundation)

June 24 | 11 a.m. – Noon PT
Explore an innovative USDA-funded toolkit designed to improve on-farm food safety training through engaging multimedia resources. Learn details and register for this webinar.

Whiskey is for Drinking, Water is for Fighting Over (Mark Twain, attributed)

Explore how water scarcity is shaping agricultural decision-making across regions. This Farm Press article highlights shared challenges among Sunbelt farmers and offers insights relevant to California’s water and landscape. Read the article.

Top of page ↑

BUILDING SUPPORT

You’re not in this work alone. Across UC ANR, there are people, tools and resources ready to partner with you —whether you’re building relationships in your community, advocating for your unit, seeking grant funding, connecting with donors or sharing your program’s story. Think of this as your support system behind the scenes, here to help lighten the load, strengthen your efforts, and grow the reach and recognition of the work you care about most.

Development Services (Fundraising & Philanthropy)

Strengthen your ability to secure funding, build donor relationships and elevate program impact through strategic fundraising support. See how Development Services resources can help you.

Government & Community Relations

Strengthen your ability to engage effectively with policymakers, community leaders and stakeholders to advance UC ANR priorities. Access resources to support relationship-building, strategic communication and policy-aligned engagement – helping you elevate the impact and visibility of your programs. Explore Government & Community Relations resources.

Strategic Communications

Sharpen your messaging, storytelling and outreach to boost program visibility and engagement while strengthening the UC ANR brand. Access tools and resources to help you reach diverse audiences and elevate your programs. Visit the Strategic Communications webpage.

Office of Contracts & Grants

Identify funding opportunities, submit stronger proposals and manage awards with confidence to grow program resources by working with the Office of Contracts and Grants team. Identify the information you need from Contracts and Grants.

Top of page ↑

INCLUSION & BELONGING

At the heart of Extension work is connection – meeting people where they are and creating spaces where everyone is heard and valued. These learning opportunities are here to help you deepen your cultural awareness, strengthen inclusive practices and build meaningful relationships across diverse communities. One way to dive in is to learn a new language.

Cultivating Cultural Competence and Inclusion: Inclusion doesn’t just happen (LinkedIn Learning)

Inclusive work environments can yield greater creative output, boost employee morale, and benefit a company’s bottom line. But inclusion doesn’t just happen, and one of the key factors is cultural competencethe ability to recognize, engage, and adapt across cultural differences. Contact UC ANR IT at help@ucanr.edu to request your free account. Engage with this course on LinkedIn Learning.

Spanish for Absolute Beginners – Introduction (LinkedIn Learning)

Start speaking Spanish from day one with simple, audio-based lessons designed for real-world conversations. Contact UC ANR IT at help@ucanr.edu to request your free account. Give this course a try on LinkedIn Learning.

Essential Spanish in Two Hours with Paul Noble (LinkedIn Learning)

Learn practical Spanish quickly with a relaxed, no-pressure approach – perfect for building confidence and everyday communication skills. Contact UC ANR IT at help@ucanr.edu to request your free account. Dive into this course on LinkedIn Learning.

Top of page ↑

OFFICE, TEAM, & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Taking care of how we work matters just as much as the work itself. These resources are here to support you along the way – helping you grow as a leader, teammate and individual. You’ll find practical ideas to stay focused, work well with others and create a workday that feels a little more balanced, manageable and fulfilling.

Coaching Skills for Leaders and Managers – Coaching Basics (LinkedIn Learning)

Build stronger teams through effective coaching, feedback and goal-setting strategies – with opportunities to practice in real-world scenarios. Contact UC ANR IT at help@ucanr.edu to request your free account. Get started with this course on LinkedIn Learning.

Work Smarter, Think Sharper, Live Better: 15 Tips for Igniting Your Potential (LinkedIn Learning)

Learn practical strategies from Daniel Pink to boost productivity, think more creatively and build habits that support purposeful, confident work and personal growth. And sometimes, it’s just as helpful to focus on what not to do – he even suggests creating your own “to don’t” list to stay focused on what really matters. Contact UC ANR IT at help@ucanr.edu to request your free account. Jump in to view this course on LinkedIn Learning.

Top of page ↑

What will you learn today and apply tomorrow?

Image by Christoph Partsch from Pixabay
Image by Naassom Azevedo from Pixabay