Unit rationale, description and aim
The ability to conduct outdoor programs in a variety of environments is central to sound outdoor education leadership practice. This unit explores guiding techniques, ecological literacy and conservation issues through outdoor pursuits, in the context of a marine and aquatic environment. In addition, the unit provides the foundational skills required for the responsible conduct of outdoor field work. The unit aims to enable students to understand the application of outdoor programs for health, wellbeing, education and behavioural change. This knowledge and skill base form part of the professional standards expected of all outdoor education practitioners and leaders.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Identify and explain a variety of aquatic conserva...
Learning Outcome 01
Identify and deliver instructional and session pla...
Learning Outcome 02
Identify and apply principals of safety and emerge...
Learning Outcome 03
Analyse a program that uses the outdoor environmen...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- Aquatic programs, applications and limitations for diverse outcomes
- Specifics of aquatic risk, safety management and organizational protocol (sun exposure, capsizes, water rescues, stingers, rips)
- Weather – Interpreting weather, understanding synoptic charts and forecasting, trigger points, understanding tides, currents, Beaufort Scale, weather systems, high and low fronts, severe weather, etc.
- Marine and aquatic conservation issues
- Traditional and contemporary aquatic environmental practices
- Conducting and implementing Activity Instructional Session Plans
- Briefing
- Demonstration models
- Site assessment
Assessment strategy and rationale
In order to best enable students to achieve unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes, standards-based assessment is utilised, consistent with University assessment requirements. A range of assessment strategies are used including: (i) a written project to assess student awareness of alternative applications of outdoor programs for health, wellbeing, educational and behavioural change; (ii) an educational presentation to assess understanding of conservation issues and sustainable practice in aquatic environments; (iii) a written test to assess student learning of unit content; and desired key concepts and (iv) practical field work to demonstrate the skills and competencies required for professional practice (hurdle task).
Overview of assessments
Written Project: Enables students to demonstrat...
Written Project:
Enables students to demonstrate their understanding of alternative applications of outdoor environments
30%
Educational Presentation: Enables students to de...
Educational Presentation:
Enables students to demonstrate their understanding of conservation issues and sustainable practice in aquatic environments
30%
Written and Practical Test: Enables students to ...
Written and Practical Test:
Enables students to demonstrate their ability to understand course content and describe key concepts
40%
Field Work Hurdle Task: Enables students to demo...
Field Work Hurdle Task:
Enables students to demonstrate competency, a culture of respect and professionalism in all field work.
HURDLE
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Learning and teaching strategies include active learning, collaborative and cooperative learning, and reflective/critical thinking activities, along with project, small group and team-based learning strategies, which are delivered over a semester. This range of strategies will provide students with appropriate access to required knowledge and understanding of unit content, and opportunities for development of competency in the practical skills of outdoor leadership. These strategies will allow students to meet the aim, learning outcomes and graduate attributes of the unit, as well as the industry professional practice standards. Learning and teaching strategies will reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and are required to actively participate in all classes, field trips and out-of-class tasks.