10109197Outdoor Trips & Facilitation - Principles of Outdoor Pursuits
Course Information
Description
This course provides the fundamental knowledge, skills and experience necessary to lead people in outdoor recreational activities. The course includes topics on leadership methods, facilitation practices, safety procedures, equipment, and expedition behavior for a variety of activities.
Total Credits
3
Course Competencies
  1. Manage safety for clients, colleagues, and self during high ropes programs.
    Assessment Strategies
    Perform safety techniques including proper use and fit of harnesses, helmets, and lobster claws, and overall use of the high ropes course.
    Demonstrate proper belay techniques.
    Manage and monitor a belay team of participants.
    Set up and take down high ropes course.
    Implement risk management throughout a challenge course program from course set-up to take down.
    Criteria
    Prectice the safety standards of the Association for Challenge Course Technology for yourself and your clients.
    Demonstrate successful, safe belaying on multiple occasions.
    Teach and assess belay skills to others, intervening as appropriate.
    Demonstrate proper set-up and take down of relevant high ropes course elements.
    Incorporate risk management in all aspects of challenge course programming.

  2. Manage safety for clients, colleagues, and self during low ropes and portable initiatives.
    Assessment Strategies
    Teach spotting techniques.
    Implement and monitor spotting techniques as needed.
    Implement the communication system between spotter(s) and participant(s).
    Assess hazards in low ropes activities and portable initiatives.
    Criteria
    Teach safe and effective spotting techniques.
    Identify hazards during activities.
    Explain when spotting is necessary.
    Monitor spotting techniques.
    Assess safety hazards during activities.
    Alert participants to hazards in activities.

  3. Implement the challenge course emergency action plan
    Assessment Strategies
    Perform high ropes course rescues and other steps of the emergency action plan.
    Perform rescues and lowers of injured, ill, or distressed participants.
    Descend from a high element by self-lowering, rappelling, and climbing down.
    Criteria
    Participate in emergency simulations demonstrating teamwork, leadership and technical competencies.
    Demonstrate high ropes course rescues and lowers.
    Demonstrate the ability to properly descend from a high element via self-lower, rappel, and climbing down.

  4. Facilitate high ropes, low ropes, and portable initiatives for groups.
    Assessment Strategies
    Implement the sequencing of an experiential education experience as well as applying the use of icebreakers, cooperative games, initiatives, and trust activities.
    Implement briefing and debriefing techniques and adapting elements to be appropriate for different client groups.
    Criteria
    Facilitate high ropes, low ropes, and portable initiatives in class and with an external group.
    Sequence activities through lesson plan development, exams, and in class demonstrations.
    Develop briefing and debriefing techniques through in class demonstrations, discussions, and assessing classmates.
    Demonstrate different ways to adapt elements to best meet client’s needs.
    Explain the three primary activities used in challenge courses: high ropes, low ropes, and portable initiatives.

  5. Explore the history and philosophy of experiential education specific to challenge courses.
    Assessment Strategies
    Pass written exams on challenge courses and experiential education.
    Perform in-class teaching on challenge courses and experiential education.
    Criteria
    Document the history of challenge courses and the evolution of experiential education.
    Explain the experiential learning cycle and how it applies to challenge course facilitation.
    Participate in class discussions of challenge courses and experiential education philosophy.

  6. Apply ethics related to the challenge course industry
    Assessment Strategies
    Apply ethical standards on written exams.
    Apply ethical standards on written or oral scenarios.
    Criteria
    Describe common ethical dilemmas at challenge courses.
    Explain ethical standards as written by the Association for Challenge Course Technology.
    Participate in class discussion about ethical considerations.