Competency Programme: Practical Outdoor Activities Programme (ED0794)

? Credit Points : 0 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : EDU-P-ED0794

The role of an Outdoor Educator as one who guides learning safely through diret experience out of doors leaves no room for those who do not have personal competency in appropriate outdoor activities. Whilst environmental awareness and social and personal development are acknowledged as important in this regard there is no doubt that much of this experience draws upon practical outdoor activities. In an area where physical and emotional safety are of paramount importance competence is of course regarded as an essential professional requirement. In this context, competence of the part of the leader is defined in three main areas: technical competence, professional competence and sound judgement.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : For PGD(OE) graduating student transcripts only. Enrolment on Postgraduate Outdoor Education Programme. This programme is not required for Postgraduate Certificate students but is required for all Diploma students. Those with substantial professional experience in the field may apply for direct entry to Masters level. In these cases studens may be eligible to complete only the Technical Element of the programme: namely the outdoor activities courses. In such cases a requirement to attend a Placement and an Expedition may be overtaken by previous experience and qualification. Such applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Programme team.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Education (Old Curriculum), (The Moray House School of Education, Schedule C)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : To be arranged/Unknown

? Contact Teaching Time : 30 hour(s) per week for 6 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of the course students will:
1. have compelted technical courses in a minimum of five outdoor activities selected from the range available. Of these at least one muct be land based and one water based;
2. have completed a five week placement or professional experience in an Outdoor Education Centre or equivalent agency;
3.have demonstrated sound judgement in initiating, planning, conducting, reviewing and reporting on a three week expedition. this may be physical, sicentific or personal in nature and should incorporate the ingredients of adventure, discovery, journeying an d working together in close teams which represent the essence of Outdoor Education;
4. understand the importance of professional competence within Outdoor Education and be able to articulate the essential role of outdoor experiences contextualised within all other PG Diploma courses.

Assessment Information

On completion of the programme course members will:
*satisfy the specific learning outcomes of the five selected technical courses;
*through the Learning Log demonstrate a reflective critical approach to all their learning experiences;
*where appropriate, show evidence that this approach has permeated through and have been applied in the assignments for academic courses;
*have received a satisfactory report from teh placement agency and the visiting member of University staff;
*have presented a short talk to the rest of the group describing placement experiences. This should include analysis of the success of the agency in meeting its stated learning outcomes etc;
*have successfully completed the agreed expedition and presented a group report on the whole process (see the appropriate course descriptor);
*through the Learning Log and Expedition Report demonstrate an ability to apply knowledge and principles derived from other aspects of the postgraduate program (and vice versa).