10109199Adventure Processing & Facilitation
Course Information
Description
This course provides the skills necessary to facilitate client groups in a variety of outdoor and experiential settings. Topics include philosophy of experiential learning, adventure-based processing, leading group discussions, debriefing, frontloading, metaphor development, and transfer of client learning. Students will develop and facilitate a program with a client group.
Total Credits
3
Course Competencies
  1. Demonstrate the process of facilitating groups in outdoor education settings.
    Assessment Strategies
    Explain the history, purpose, and value of processing and facilitation in the outdoor education process through written exams and in-class demonstrations.
    Implement challenge by choice and the full value contract concepts with outdoor education clients in an age appropriate manner.
    Stretch your comfort zone
    Set up safe environments that allow clients to extend their comfort zones.
    Model the generations of facilitation, various processing techniques, and types of transfer through written exams or in-person demonstrations.
    Criteria
    Explain the history, purpose, and value of processing and facilitation in the outdoor education process.
    Describe challenge by choice and the full value contract concepts
    Implement challenge by choice and the full value contract concepts
    Explain the meaning of comfort zones and disequilibrium.
    Demonstrate your ability to expand your own comfort zone
    Safely create disequilibrium and opportunities for clients to stretch beyond their comfort zones.
    Explain the generations of facilitation, processing techniques, and types of transfer.

  2. Demonstrate facilitation roles and responsibilities
    Assessment Strategies
    Use experiential assessment models to plan, design, implement, and evaluate an outdoor education program.
    Conduct a needs assessment of a real client group.
    Develope and implement an outdoor education program based on client’s needs, including goals and objectives, proper activity sequencing, and using a variety of facilitation and processing techniques and strategies.
    Demonstrate competence by giving and receiving feedback with classmates and colleagues.
    Criteria
    Use experiential education models to develop a written plan for an outdoor education program.
    Design and conduct a needs assessment of a real client group.
    Develop and implement an outdoor education program for a client demonstrating program design and facilitation skills, based on client needs..
    Assess your classmates and provide them with appropriate feedback.
    Practice active listening skills and receive feedback from classmates and clients.

  3. Demonstrate facilitation techniques appropriate for outdoor education experiences
    Assessment Strategies
    Facilitate in-class activities for peers using a variety of facilitation techniques.
    Facilitate an external client group and applying appropriate techniques for the group.
    Use props to aid with group processing.
    Use closed-ended and open-ended questions when processing with a group.
    Criteria
    Prepare and facilitate adventure activities in class and for an external client demonstrating a variety of facilitation techniques.
    Use processing props during class discussions.
    Ask closed-ended and open-ended questions appropriate to the context when processing with a group.

  4. Demonstrate professional competencies required of outdoor education professionals
    Assessment Strategies
    Prepare for facilitation of adventure activities that include an activity plan, clear goals, discussion guide, props, setting up activity in advance, and planning for safety procedures.
    Dress professionally for facilitation of adventure activities, including having clothing and equipment appropriate for the environment and activity.
    Criteria
    Prepare and facilitate adventure activities in class and for an external client.
    Dress appropriate when facilitating for an outdoor education professional

  5. Apply theories of human behavior and learning to outdoor education programming.
    Assessment Strategies
    Explain stages of group development and how it impacts outdoor education programs.
    Describe different learning styles and how they impacts group facilitation.
    Explain flow theory and how it applies to the experiential learning cycle.
    Criteria
    Design outdoor education programs based on the group’s stage of development.
    Adjust your plan as needed according to the group's stage of development and abilities.
    Facilitate and process in a way that is accessible for people with different learning styles.
    Explain flow theory and its connection to experiential education.

  6. Design unique experiential processing tools and activities.
    Assessment Strategies
    Design new activities in class
    Develop a unique processing tool that can be used with a client.
    Criteria
    Design experiential activities for class.
    Test experiential activities in class.
    Explain the purpose of processing.
    Design unique processing tools that demonstrate craftsmanship and innovation.
    Present unique processing tools that demonstrate craftsmanship and innovation.