Beginning with an orientation, in which
students are given an introduction to PSIA- AASI and such things as the Skills Concept, the class includes a course outline, three days on snow, an optional fourth day indoors to go through the policies, procedures, and paperwork of actually becoming an instructor, and six hours of shadowing existing classes. Huston stresses that along with the on-
Students in the Dartmouth College Snowsports 6FKRRO HDUQ FUHGLW IRU HDFK 36Ζ$ $$6Ζ FHUWLfi FDWLRQ
level achieved.
instructor” course. “It’s a one-term class that basically takes place from mid-October and culminates in December,” said Huston, with the option that students can work for Loveland Ski Area while taking the class.
snow time, students are also taught the fi ner points of teaching methodology, teaching progressions, and child development. T ey are also immediately on track to get their Level I, and by T anksgiving can start teaching class. Along with helping Huston meet his annual hiring needs, the course also tends to produce fi rst year instructors who are more committed to the profession and to improving their teaching skills. “I think when you compare the students to a pure new hire, the students fi nish
THE COLLEGE OF SKIING, RIDING, AND TEACHING
By Dave Schuiling, PSIA-AASI Director of Education A new partnership with BASI has encouraged PSIA-AASI to carry on with the spirit of Interski by sharing information with international snowsports colleagues. BASI CEO Andrew Lockerbie, BASI Training Manager Roy Henderson, and Dr. Pete Allison, a BASI trainer and professor at The University of (GLQEXUJK DWWHQGHG 36Ζ$ $$6ΖȇV )DOO &RQIHUHQFH DQG /HDGHUVKLS Summit, establishing a valuable education exchange in which they shared their work to create BASI courses that earn credit at Edinburgh. Recognizing the vast set of transferable skills that an LQVWUXFWRU DFKLHYHV WKURXJK WUDLQLQJ DQG TXDOLfi FDWLRQ LV EULOOLDQW as our new friends would say. Balancing out the exchange, PSIA-AASI Team Manager Jeb
Boyd and I traveled to Zermatt, Switzerland, to attend BASI’s WUDLQHU WUDLQLQJ D YHU\ VLPLODU HYHQW WR RXU )DOO &RQIHUHQFH bringing all Trainers (examiners) together. It was evident that this group of 75 trainers was working very hard to get on the same page in terms of standards and consistency of language to ensure that the quality of all courses is maintained, regardless RI ZKR LV GHOLYHULQJ WKH FRXUVH ΖW ZDV PXFK OLNH )DOO &RQIHUHQFH ZKHUH WKH PDLQ JRDO LV WR UHYLHZ 36Ζ$ $$6Ζ V QDWLRQDO VWDQGDUGV and collaborate on how to create consistency across the U.S. while representing a very large membership base. BASI benchmarks all courses based on four criteria: learning objectives, learning activities, assessment activities, and assessment criteria. BASI trainers’ main job is to use this criterion to train and assess performance. A huge takeaway was that assessment and learning were ongoing, a very deliberate philosophy that allows for continual improvement and to observe candidate’s natural behavior and experience over WLPH LQVWHDG RI D RQH Rff SHUIRUPDQFH DVVHVVPHQW 0RVW %$6Ζ exams last 10 days, so there is some luxury in spending more time and allowing for more learning experiences combined with assessment activities.
66 | 32 DEGREES • SPRING 2017
the course with a Level I certifi cation, so they are on that track immediately once they show up,” Huston said. “T ey have homework and coursework that is required by the college, have more interaction with the advanced staff , and tend to be a lot more engaged in the process.” Asked what his perfect scenario would be if this kind of program were available to all PSIA-AASI members, Huston said, “My dream would be a college accredited, two- year degree program with a brick and mortar campus connected to a regional ski and ride center. Professors from diff erent fi elds would teach subjects related to sports education, along with courses taught by education staff from every division for on-snow training. I think this kind of education center could produce well rounded professionals with legitimate degrees in the fi eld of snowsports instruction.”
At PSIA-AASI's Fall Conference, BASI's Andrew Lockerbie, Roy Henderson, and Pete Allison shared insights on creating credit-conferring snowsports courses at the University of Edinburgh.
The focus on learning and continued professional development was inspiring and aligns with the values of PSIA-AASI’s Learning Connection. As we learn more and explore this direction, the VLPSOH Hff RUWV WR PRYH WRZDUG D PRUH DOLJQHG SURFHVV DUH already making our procedures more consistent. Working toward quality assurance will help validate PSIA-AASI credentials and provide more learning outcomes for all members. Just think, what if one day members could get college credit acknowledging that professional instructors are, indeed, professionals. Many possibilities lay ahead.
COURTESY OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
COURTESY OF BASI
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
