Arctic Escape

Arctic Escape (3 credits)

Introduction

This programme is designed to make students competent to organise and/or help run an Outdoor Education programme in a school or centre.

The course includes:

Theory (1/2 credits): About outdoor activities, management training and equipment.

Practical outdoor activities (2,5credits): Map reading and navigation

      ++Water. Canoeing and fishing

Course Objectives

By the end of the course the students should have achieved the necessary skills to work in an outdoor environment in addition to individual practical experiences and development.

During the course the students should have:

• Practical knowledge about surviving and hiking in different environments like water, woods and mountains.
• Outdoorlife experiences in the summer.
• Knowledge of outdoor activities as a part of the Norwegian culture.
• Knowledge of outdoor equipment for use in outdoor activities.
• Knowledge of organisation and guidance of these activities adjusted to different ages.

Subjects

The  theory part has three parts:

• Knowledge of outdoor activities and its  history and traditions in Norway.

• How to work methodically and teach about outdoor activities, the environment and culture. The students should have an appreciation of the specific problems in the role of management training in relevant  activities.

• An understanding of the basic principles of clothing and equipment design and their relationship to outdoor activities.

The practical part is divided in two:

Woods

Skills and knowledge of hiking and camping in the woods, around lakes and watercourses. These are the components:

• Canoeing.
• Safety and rescue.
• Fishing in the lakes (in the summer). 

Organising and working methods:

The practical subjects

The lectures will mainly be held in teams. During the course there will be given tasks that requires the students to work independently and as a part of a group. Management training is an important working method. It might be necessary for each student to practice individual training to achieve the necessary skills in some activities.

The theoretical subjects

Every day there will be an outdoor theory session lasting two hours. It includes lectures, discussions and also the possibility to discuss individual practical experiences. Through the lectures the students will go thoroughly into different parts of the syllabus. It may also help the students to draw the guidelines in a particular topic, and thereby help them with the structure in their individual work/task.

Evaluation

The students will be continuely evaluated during the practical activities. Approval of the course requires 80 % participation at every seminar.

Syllabus

Langmur, Eric: Mountaincraft and leadship 3. Ed. MLTB Scotland 1995(page 1 –329).

Foster, Nigel: Open Canoe Technique