Winter Outdoor & Alternative Environment Physical Education
Curriculum guideline
60 total contact hours. Hours per week will depend upon condensed format for the semester or program.
- Experiential learning
- Discussion groups
- Practical applications and experiences
- Field observation
- Peer-led / Peer teaching
- Problem based / Inquiry-based
- Placed-based
1. Outdoor and alternative environment settings
1.1 aquatic settings
1.2 land-based settings
1.4 seasonal considerations
1.5 school-based alternatives
2. Risk management
3. Physical literacy and dynamic system considerations in alternative environments
3.1 individual dimensions: affective, cognitive and psychomotor
3.2 task and complexity structure
3.3 environmental considerations
4. Lesson and unit planning for outdoor and alternative environment settings
4.1 safety considerations
4.2 transportation planning
4.3 learning outcomes
4.4 equipment needs
4.5 planned activities
4.6 linking outcomes to BC Ministry of Education’s core competencies and other curricular areas
4.7 assessment and evaluation strategies
4.8 budgeting
5. Practical topic selection will depend on instructor experience, student experience, and availability of resources. The following is a partial list of possible alternative environment activities wherein students will participate as teachers and students with the aim of implementing the knowledge and skills of effective outdoor education in a safe and exciting context.
5.1 Land-based examples
5.1.1 skiing
5.1.2 skating
5.1.3 indoor rock climbing
5.1.4 winter camping
5.1.5 snowshoeing
5.1.6 velodrome cycling
5.1.7 snow caving
5.1.8 caving
5.2 Water-based examples
5.2.1 survival techniques
5.2.2 SCUBA diving
5.3 Culturally relevant activities
5.3.1 historical significance
5.3.2 related to “Place”
6. Instructional Strategies
6.1 alternative teaching approaches
6.2 incorporation of cooperative, inquiry, personal and social responsibility models of instruction
6.3 class management strategies
6.4 developmentally appropriate technical progressions
6.5 principles of effectively planning curriculum for classes according to seasonal activities
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Design an outdoor activity lesson including the following components:
1.1 risk management and safety considerations
1.2 learning outcomes
1.3 equipment needs
1.4 planned activities
1.5 assessment and evaluation considerations.
2. Analyze and observe outdoor or alternative environment plan/organization with regard to:
2.1 risk management and safety considerations
2.2 learning outcomes
2.3 equipment needs
2.4 planned activities
2.5 assessment and evaluation options
2.6 participant affective domains
3. Demonstrate satisfactory supervisory skills during outdoor and alternative environment activities
3.1 utilize teaching models related to personal and social responsibility, cooperative learning and inquiry-based learning.
4. Identify a number of relevant outdoor and alternative environment locations and organizational resources available for the relevant age group of teacher’s students.
5. Demonstrate basic personal movement competence in the chosen activities
6. Identify through an “ethics of care” appropriate environmental concerns and demonstrate low environmental impact strategies
Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with Douglas College policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluations will include the following:
- Professionalism and Personal Movement Competence (10% to 20%)
- observation, demonstration, preparatory and in-class work.
- Activity Knowledge (15% to 30%)
- quizzes, midterm, report, or presentation.
- Risk Management and Planning ability (25 to 40%)
- quizzes, final exam, report, or presentation.
- Instructional Knowledge and Skill (15 to 25%)
- creation of resource manual, lesson plan, activity outline, demonstration of instructional skills.
Consult the Douglas College Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Supplementary materials (i.e., article readings) or a Coursepack for SPSC 1319 may be required. Depending on the activity involved, students may incur a cost associated with transportation and/or equipment requirements for the course.