HREC 138Outdoor Leadership and Ethics
Please note: This is not a course syllabus. A course syllabus is unique to a particular section of a course by instructor. This curriculum guide provides general information about a course.
I. General Information
Department
Health Recreation and Fitness
II. Course Specification
Course Type
Program Requirement
Credit Hours Narrative
3 Credits
Semester Contact Hours Lecture
45
Grading Method
Letter grade
III. Catalog Course Description
HREC 138 Outdoor Leadership and Ethics: This course is an introduction to the principles of leadership and its relationship to management. Emphasis will be on leadership techniques, group dynamics, facilitation styles, problem solving, decision making and communication techniques needed to inspire and influence. Students will apply leadership styles through experiential and group practice.
IV. Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, a student will be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to keep an outdoor journal and explain how the journal could be useful while working in the outdoor industry
- Explain how an outdoor journal could be a useful tool to attain a job in the outdoor industry
- Have an understanding of the foundations of outdoor leadership
- Demonstrate the ability to complete project #1 (organize an outdoor trip or participate on a trip with the OA
- Demonstrate the ability to give positive and constructive feedback to peers who are presenting project # and explain how this feedback can lead to improved presentations
- Demonstrate the ability to work as a group by completing project #2 (organizing a conservation project) and explain why it is important
- Develop and present project # (1 minute presentation) on an outdoor or conservation leaders that have had an influence on the outdoor industry
- Develop knowledge of outdoor leadership theory
- Develop knowledge of resource and program management
- Have an understanding of outdoor teaching and facilitation
- Have knowledge of several outdoor and conservation leaders that have had an influence on the outdoor industry
- Present an initiative activity to a group of peers and explain how the activity can influence a group
- Present project # on an influential outdoor or conservation leader to a group of peers
- To develop an Outdoor Journal of their experiences
- To develop knowledge about the various aspects pertaining to outdoor leadership and the outdoor industry
- To gain an understanding of the history of Outdoor Leadership, including influential leaders that have shaped the outdoor industry and the conservation movement
- To develop group facilitation and presentation skills
- To develop practical leadership skills
V. Topical Outline (Course Content)
Knowledge of the history and development of outdoor leadership theories
Ability to safely create and sustain an outdoor leadership activity with attention to learning and exploration.
VI. Delivery Methodologies
Required Assignments
In addition to regular class readings, five projects are required for the course. The projects consist of the following: Project #1: Leadership of an Outdoor Activity Plan and organize an outdoor activity. You have two options:
Option 1: Organizing an Outdoor Trip. Trips must be of a common adventure nature where individuals share in the expenses of the trip and must be at least six (6) hours in duration but an overnight trip is strongly encouraged. Choose activities which are fairly easy and something that other students would enjoy: hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, canoeing, etc. Class members are encouraged to recruit participants to share in the common adventure experience. Additionally, all participants must sign a common adventure sign-up sheet, a copy of which is to be turned with your Summary Paper. Requires instructor approval of trip. Option 2: Participate in an outdoor trip. Trips must be of a cooperative adventure nature where individuals share in the expenses of the trip and must be at least six (6) hours in duration but an overnight trip is strongly encouraged. Class members are encouraged to recruit participants to share in the cooperative adventure experience. Additionally, all participants must sign a cooperative adventure sign-up sheet, a copy of which is to be turned with your Summary Paper. Requires instructor approval of activity. Requirements include the following:
1. You must have everyone on the outing sign a sign-up sheet or liability release form.
2. You cannot charge for the trip. Trip expenses must be shared among the participants.
3. Report. A report of the activity, at least three pages long, should be turned in to the Outdoor Adventure Center by date indicated by the instructor. The paper must be typed. The first two pages should be an over-all summary of the activity. Include such topics as: a) The date, time, location and duration of the activity; b) Information on how you prepared for the event or trip; c) What specific activities were a part of the event or trip; d) What equipment was required; e) What problems did you experience; f) And finally, what did you learn through the activity. The last page should be a copy of a sign-up sheet or a liability release form with the signatures of all trip participants. If you helped with a class, include a list of the students in the class.
Project #2: Plan and organize an Outdoor Conservation Project Plan, organize and conduct one of the following: a conservation project, community clean-up, or a project which helps the outdoor environment. Sample projects include organizing a work group to do maintenance on a hiking trail (removing downed timber and protecting it from erosion), organizing a crew to plant willows along a stream to improve fish habitat, organizing a group to clean-up a campsite, along a river, or a popular outdoor recreation area. Requirements include the following: 1. Before undertaking a project (and if appropriate), obtain approval from the appropriate public land manager. 2. The class will be required to establish a time in which all members of the class can participate. 3. The project should be at least four (4) hours in duration. 4. Document the project by taking before and after photographs. If you are unable to take photographs, carefully describe the conditions before and after you do your work. 5. Report. Put together a two-page report of your project. The report must be typed. Include the location, date, and names of individuals who helped, information on how you planned and organized the activity, and the results of your work.
Project #3: Compile an Outdoor Journal A final requirement of the class is to compile outdoor trip log and/or journal. Trip logs are useful as a resource for planning and organizing outdoor activities--and related experiential activities such as adventure games and team building exercises. They provide you with a personal record of your past outdoor activities. Moreover, they are particularly useful if you ever apply for work in the outdoor field. Oftentimes, applications for outdoor education jobs require a list of your experiences in the outdoors, and there's no better source of information from which to work as an outdoor journal.
For this project, you'll need a notebook. A good size to use is a notebook with the approximate dimensions of 9" x 6", but you are welcome to select a size and format that you are most comfortable with. Unlike the reports required for the first two projects, you do not have to provide the journal in a typed form. In fact, it is recommended that you write out the entries by hand, since the idea is to create something that is convenient and that you'll continue to use in the future.
You can make the journal as fancy as you wish. It is not required, but, if desired, you can paste in photos or maps, or drawings. Among the material that you hand-in, include one outdoor trip that you've taken sometime in the past, a description of at least two adventure games (ice breakers, initiative tests, or trust activities) that you can use with a group, your entries on the outdoor leadership project and conservation project and any professional-development portfolio activity assignments from the Outdoor Leadership text.
In the trip description, include the following: 1) dates; 2) where; 3) what you did; 4) who was with you, along with any other comments you want to add.
Project #4 Leadership presentation
Pick an outdoor leader that has made a significant contribution or is still contributing to the outdoor industry. Each student will present for 15-20 minutes with a PowerPoint presentation including photos or graphs of the chosen outdoor leader. Examples of outdoor leaders are Lynn Hill, John Muir, Will Gad, Alex Low, Theodore Roosevelt , Greg Lowe, Greg Child, Paul Pezold, Sir Ernest Shackleton, Sir Edmund Hillary, Merwether Lewis Tenzing Norgay, Yvon Chouinard, Steve House, Gary Fisher, Robert Falcon Scott, Roald Amundsen, John Wesley Powell, Zebulon Pike, William Clark, Lance Armstrong, George Herbert Leigh Mallory, Goran Kropp.
Each student must have their selected outdoor leader approved by the instructor.
Project #5 Initiative activity
Each student will select one initiative activity and facilitate the activity for the class participants. Resources to find activities include but are not limited to Rohnke, K. & Butler, S. (1995). Quick silver: Adventure games, initiative problems, trust activities and a guide to effective leadership. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendal/Hunt Publishing. Rohnke .K. (1984). Silver Bullets: A Guide to Initiative Problems, Adventure Games and Trust Activities Dubuque, Iowa: Kendal/Hunt Publishing and http://wilderdom.com/games/TrustActivities.html. Each student must have their selected activity approved by the instructor before sharing with the class.
Specific Course Activity Assignment or Assessment Requirements
In addition to regular class readings, five projects are required for the course. The projects consist of the following: Project #1: Leadership of an Outdoor Activity Plan and organize an outdoor activity. You have two options:
Option 1: Organizing an Outdoor Trip. Trips must be of a common adventure nature where individuals share in the expenses of the trip and must be at least six (6) hours in duration but an overnight trip is strongly encouraged. Choose activities which are fairly easy and something that other students would enjoy: hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, canoeing, etc. Class members are encouraged to recruit participants to share in the common adventure experience. Additionally, all participants must sign a common adventure sign-up sheet, a copy of which is to be turned with your Summary Paper. Requires instructor approval of trip. Option 2: Participate in an outdoor trip. Trips must be of a cooperative adventure nature where individuals share in the expenses of the trip and must be at least six (6) hours in duration but an overnight trip is strongly encouraged. Class members are encouraged to recruit participants to share in the cooperative adventure experience. Additionally, all participants must sign a cooperative adventure sign-up sheet, a copy of which is to be turned with your Summary Paper. Requires instructor approval of activity. Requirements include the following:
1. You must have everyone on the outing sign a sign-up sheet or liability release form.
2. You cannot charge for the trip. Trip expenses must be shared among the participants.
3. Report. A report of the activity, at least three pages long, should be turned in to the Outdoor Adventure Center by date indicated by the instructor. The paper must be typed. The first two pages should be an over-all summary of the activity. Include such topics as: a) The date, time, location and duration of the activity; b) Information on how you prepared for the event or trip; c) What specific activities were a part of the event or trip; d) What equipment was required; e) What problems did you experience; f) And finally, what did you learn through the activity. The last page should be a copy of a sign-up sheet or a liability release form with the signatures of all trip participants. If you helped with a class, include a list of the students in the class.
Project #2: Plan and organize an Outdoor Conservation Project Plan, organize and conduct one of the following: a conservation project, community clean-up, or a project which helps the outdoor environment. Sample projects include organizing a work group to do maintenance on a hiking trail (removing downed timber and protecting it from erosion), organizing a crew to plant willows along a stream to improve fish habitat, organizing a group to clean-up a campsite, along a river, or a popular outdoor recreation area. Requirements include the following: 1. Before undertaking a project (and if appropriate), obtain approval from the appropriate public land manager. 2. The class will be required to establish a time in which all members of the class can participate. 3. The project should be at least four (4) hours in duration. 4. Document the project by taking before and after photographs. If you are unable to take photographs, carefully describe the conditions before and after you do your work. 5. Report. Put together a two-page report of your project. The report must be typed. Include the location, date, and names of individuals who helped, information on how you planned and organized the activity, and the results of your work.
Project #3: Compile an Outdoor Journal A final requirement of the class is to compile outdoor trip log and/or journal. Trip logs are useful as a resource for planning and organizing outdoor activities--and related experiential activities such as adventure games and team building exercises. They provide you with a personal record of your past outdoor activities. Moreover, they are particularly useful if you ever apply for work in the outdoor field. Oftentimes, applications for outdoor education jobs require a list of your experiences in the outdoors, and there's no better source of information from which to work as an outdoor journal.
For this project, you'll need a notebook. A good size to use is a notebook with the approximate dimensions of 9" x 6", but you are welcome to select a size and format that you are most comfortable with. Unlike the reports required for the first two projects, you do not have to provide the journal in a typed form. In fact, it is recommended that you write out the entries by hand, since the idea is to create something that is convenient and that you'll continue to use in the future.
You can make the journal as fancy as you wish. It is not required, but, if desired, you can paste in photos or maps, or drawings. Among the material that you hand-in, include one outdoor trip that you've taken sometime in the past, a description of at least two adventure games (ice breakers, initiative tests, or trust activities) that you can use with a group, your entries on the outdoor leadership project and conservation project and any professional-development portfolio activity assignments from the Outdoor Leadership text.
In the trip description, include the following: 1) dates; 2) where; 3) what you did; 4) who was with you, along with any other comments you want to add.
Project #4 Leadership presentation
Pick an outdoor leader that has made a significant contribution or is still contributing to the outdoor industry. Each student will present for 15-20 minutes with a PowerPoint presentation including photos or graphs of the chosen outdoor leader. Examples of outdoor leaders are Lynn Hill, John Muir, Will Gad, Alex Low, Theodore Roosevelt , Greg Lowe, Greg Child, Paul Pezold, Sir Ernest Shackleton, Sir Edmund Hillary, Merwether Lewis Tenzing Norgay, Yvon Chouinard, Steve House, Gary Fisher, Robert Falcon Scott, Roald Amundsen, John Wesley Powell, Zebulon Pike, William Clark, Lance Armstrong, George Herbert Leigh Mallory, Goran Kropp.
Each student must have their selected outdoor leader approved by the instructor.
Project #5 Initiative activity
Each student will select one initiative activity and facilitate the activity for the class participants. Resources to find activities include but are not limited to Rohnke, K. & Butler, S. (1995). Quick silver: Adventure games, initiative problems, trust activities and a guide to effective leadership. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendal/Hunt Publishing. Rohnke .K. (1984). Silver Bullets: A Guide to Initiative Problems, Adventure Games and Trust Activities Dubuque, Iowa: Kendal/Hunt Publishing and http://wilderdom.com/games/TrustActivities.html. Each student must have their selected activity approved by the instructor before sharing with the class.