COURSE SYLLABUS
EDUC 311 (Wilderness Instructors Course)
1-3 semester hours
Instructors: Alexia Springer & Gail Clark
Course Overview:
This course is an intensive practicum for the developing outdoor educator. Emphasizing
opportunities for practice and feedback, students will both study wilderness first aid and
emergency care and travel in the backcountry learning and teaching outdoor skills such as
navigation, campcraft, group facilitation, judgment, risk assessment, and leadership. The
first part of the course will consist of a Wilderness First Aid and Emergency Care oncampus component. Taught by an outside wilderness first aid training company (SOLO),
this component will lead to a 3-year certification (WFR). This part of the course will take
place in a classroom on campus and will involve numerous experiential practicum and test
components outside. Expect a very full and very intense 9 days!
Following the WFR course, we will travel to Killarney Provincial Park in Ontario to take
part in a 10-day wilderness canoe expedition. During the expedition, the course focus will
be two-fold. First, students will undergo a “training” phase, ensuring technical competence
and confidence in wilderness canoe travel. After the training phase, students will begin to
take on more of the leadership of the course, teaching lessons, facilitating group processes,
and practicing judgment and decision making skills. During the “main” portion of the
expedition, we (Alexia and Gail) will offer feedback, support, and several pertinent lessons
in leadership, decision-making, risk management, and lesson plan design and delivery.
Throughout the experience, reflections in the form of group discussions, journaling, and
mentoring sessions will function as a core component of the educative process.
Due to group size limits, the expedition will be limited to 7 students and 2 faculty for a total
group of 9.
Required Readings:
A packet of readings will be provided. Natural history guidebooks and other reference
reading will also be provided.
Grading:
Academic performance for EDUC 311 will be assessed in the following ways:
33% Course Participation (discussion, readings, etc.)
33% Field Evaluation (mid-term and final)
33% Reflective Essays
1% Number of desserts provided to course instructors
Grading philosophy for this course: You will begin the course with a straight “B.” Work
above and beyond expectations will move you up in the “A” range. Less than satisfactory
work will bump you down to the “C” range. As this is an advanced, off-campus program it is
expected that students will not perform below C-level work. Students will receive a written
and oral evaluation at the middle and conclusion of the program from the course leaders in
addition to graded comments on required assignments.
Assignments:
Reflective Essays- Several times during the course, you will be required to write short
essays reflecting on your experience. The essays are designed to help bring together the
experiences that you will go through with the theory and ideas that we will cover on the
course. Specific framing questions will be given to help guide your thoughts. We suggest
that you keep notes on your day-to-day experience and that you use these “field notes” to
elaborate on at the end of each component. Essays will be assessed based upon depth of
insight and analysis and connections of theory to practice.
Teaching/Leading Practicums- You will also have the opportunity to both lead the group
and teach specific lessons. In each of these, you will be assessed on quality of preparation
and organization of your practicum opportunities as well as the degree to which you take
feedback and incorporate it into your next opportunity for leading and/or teaching.
Students will be evaluated by both peer and instructor feedback which will be summed up
in the mid-course and final course evaluations.
Course Participation- We expect a high level of participation and engagement on this
course. Please do not expect to be guided on this experience—students will take on the
bulk of both planning and day to day leading of the course. Students who are highly
engaged will constantly be asking, “what else can I do?” both in terms of physical work and
emotional/group leadership support. Exceptional “expedition behavior” is the benchmark
of effective outdoor leaders and is expected of all on this course. Feedback on course
participation will be given in both the mid-course and final course evaluation meetings.
IMPORTNANT LOGISTICS
All students must have a valid passport to cross back into the US from Canada. Please
ensure that your passport is current and valid. If you do not have one, apply immediately as
the delay can be substantial. See IPO for more information.
Student housing and meals are “on your own” during the on-campus portion of the course.
If you wish to stay in on-campus housing at Earlham during the WFR component, there is a
fee assessed – see residence life for more info. Once on our expedition to Canada, housing
(in the form of luxurious tents) and food are provided.
Planned Itinerary: (Subject to change!)
May 14-15
On-campus WFA component (8am-4pm daily)
May 14-22
On-campus WFR component (8am-4pm daily)
May 23
Pack out Day (equipment, food, duffle shuffle, etc.)
May 24
Depart for Killarney Provincial Park
May 25-June 2
In Field
June 3
Out of field, travel ½ way back to Earlham
June 4
Return to Earlham, clean up (off-program by 6pm)