Table of Contents Criterion: Combining and/or sequencing skills effectively
EDU-1, EDU-2 and EDU-3 identify fundamental skills associated with entry-level recreational boat operation, but they do not prescribe the exact order or sequence in which the skills must be taught or learned. It is mainly up to the course designer or instructor to determine the order or sequence. However, there is a logical progression for some of the skills contained within the standards, making it more productive for a student to learn some skills before learning others. For example, it might make more sense for a student to learn the skill of stopping a boat before learning the skill to rescue a man overboard (MOB).
Some of the skills in the standards are larger in scope and more comprehensive than others. For example, the skill of returning to a MOB involves several different skills and behaviors combined to achieve a desired outcome—that is, to maneuver the boat back quickly and safely to a person in the water. This comprehensive skill might be difficult to learn in the aggregate, but it is an excellent learning opportunity that brings together several individual skills.
These more comprehensive skills will likely take more design time, as well as more actual time to learn during instruction. Considerations for this include:
• Allowing sufficient time to design more comprehensive skills. • Parsing comprehensive skills into smaller components. • Designing experiences for learning portions of a larger skill before other parts. • Planning to use more instructional time on skills that are larger in scope. • Being mindful about the type of boat used for learning comprehensive skills.
Using EDU-4 to Review and Update an Existing Program
EDU-4, along with the relevant domain-specific skills ANS, can be used to review and update an existing approach to on-water, skills-based instruction. Many of the guidelines written in the preceding section apply, and in this case, course developers can examine the existing approach to understand the extent to which it is designed and delivered relative to the standards.
Becoming familiar with content of the standards is equally important in designing a new course or updating an existing one. Additional guidelines for reviewing and updating an existing program include:
Gathering information and ideas from instructors about the existing approach and past student outcomes.
Since they are often the ones who experience all aspects of the instructional approach, instructors often have valuable perspectives about the existing instructional approach and ideas on how to improve it. Brief instructors on the standards and ask them to compare the elements with what they have experienced. Instructors can help determine if an existing approach might be missing certain skills or need improvement to better align with the ANSs.
Observing a “day in the life” of instructors or students to learn about how well the existing approach delivers the intended outcomes.
The appropriate ANS may be used as a checklist to help determine if all the elements are included in existing skills practical exams. Using the standard to observe the approach to instruction can help determine which characteristics (elements) are present and which might be missing or need improvement.
Determining what changes, if any, should be made to the instructional approach.
After performing the appropriate amount of analysis, decide the extent to which it follows the standards and what changes will have the biggest impact on raising the quality of the instructional approach. Perhaps the approach is sufficient as is and requires no change. Or perhaps gaps were found between the current approach and the characteristics or skills identified within the standards, in which case changes to the approach may need to be implemented. In either case, evaluating the existing program against the standards helps determine its level of quality and might suggest ways to strengthen the instructional approach.
10 This Technical Support Document was produced in part through USCG grant funds to develop National On-Water Skills Standards. ©2022 United States Sailing Association. Facilitated by Think First Serve.
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