The WEA originally conceptualized the International Registry of Outdoor Leaders (IROL) as an interactive online portfolio system for students and professionals in the field of outdoor leadership. This concept is now becoming a reality in the form of a dynamic databasethat will provide a mechanism for the WEA take what it has been doing for 30 years and create a product that is practical, useful and essential for outdoor leaders accross the globe.
Set to become active in 2010, the IROL will serve several functions. The IROL will track student progression through the WEA's 6 core competencies as they work towards their Outdoor Leadership Certification (OLC) resulting in a professional portfolio that highlights their work. After certification the IROL will track continuing education to ensure that individuals holding the Outdoor Leadership Certification are maintaining their skills and knowledge.
Additionally the IROL will track professional progression through documenting field experience in an online experience inventory. As an individual gains field experience and maintain their OLC they have the opportunity to advance to Apprentice, Instructor Level I and Instructor Level II within the IROL.
Here are some of the highlights of the IROL that you can look forward to seeing in 2010.
Outdoor Leadership Certification
Individuals working to complete the WEA's 6 core competencies through an accredited institution will create an online portfolio that tracks their assessment through the curriculum. Whether you complete all competencies at one accredited institution or complete each competency at a different accredited institution your portfolio will follow you so that you can complete your Outdoor Leadership Certification at your pace in your time through the institutions that you choose.
Maintaining Outdoor Leader Certification: Tracking Continuing Education
Once OLC is achieved the IROL will provide individuals a place to document continuing education in each of the 6 core competencies. You can also ensure that your WFR and CPR cards are up to date by scanning them and uploading them to your portfolio. You'll simply log into your IROL account and fill out the appropriate form/submit the appropriate documentation and it will be added to your portfolio.
Portfolio Sharing
One of the great features of the IROL is that individuals listed in the registry, regardless of level, will have the ability to share their portfolio with others in the industry. This is a fantastic way to share your accomplishments and allow potential employers to review evidence of your best work and to show your training, ceu's and your trip leading experience inventory.
Many people have questions about the IROL and how it will work. The IROL will be tied to WEA's certification, membership and 'instructor' status within the vision of the strategic plan. This next section will address some of these items, while others will be covered in separate press releases.
How to Get Into the IROL
All initial access to the IROL will be completed through the WEA's accredited institutions. The IROL is designed specifically for individuals coming into the field of outdoor leadership through one or more of the WEA's accredited institutions. The IROL and its levels are based around the WEA's 6 core competency curriculum. When a student begins their course of work, the accredited institution authorizes the start of the student portfolio and pays for the initial year. Beyond that point, it is the responsibility of the individual in the IROL to ensure that their IROL membership is continued via an annual fee (See the Membership Transition article for more details).
Professionals currently working in the outdoor leadership industry will be able to enter the IROL through accredited institutions. Accredited institutions will have the flexibility to accept prior experience (based on evidence of competency submitted in a portfolio). This is not and should not be the primary focus of the IROL nor the primary entrance method into the IROL and should be reserved for individuals with significant outdoor leadership experience. This entrance method has been recognized as a need during the initial years of the IROL since there are many non-traditional ways to enter the outdoor leadership industry. The flexibility provided through this method is there so that individuals with significant prior experience do not have to do unnecessary remedial training to be listed in the IROL.
What are the Levels of the IROL?
There are 5 leves in the IROL; they are as listed:
IROL Levels
Student Experience Inventory
Individuals working to complete the WEA's 6 core competencies through an accredited institution will obtain an online portfolio that tracks their progress as they work through the curriculum towards obtaining Outdoor Leadership Certification. As each competency is completed students are able to upload supporting documents to help illustrate personal competency via lesson plans, videos of teaching, papers, etc. Instructors will assess student's porfolios and students have the option of adding instructor notes, grading scales and rubrics specific to the accredited institution(s) they attended as supporting documents.
Outdoor Leader
Once an individual has completed the WEA's 6 core competencies through one or more accredited institutions, that individual will be listed in the IROL at the Outdoor Leader level. At this point the student will begin obtaining continuing education credits to maintain their OLC. A certification manual will be distributed in early '10 that will outline these requirements in more detail. The Outdoor Leader will also begin to create their Wilderness Experience Inventory that catalogues their field leadership experiences.
Apprentice
Once a student has achieved Outdoor Leadership Certification through an accredited organization and can document a minimum of 98 field days* in a leadership position, they will be listed in the IROL at the Apprentice level. Once at this level, a student can begin completing the requirements within the 10.0 series for each of the 6 core competencies. These student-learning outcomes focus on Assessment and Evaluation of the 6 core competencies. Please note that field experiences completed as a participant of outdoor leader certification acquisition or other training programs taken as a student cannot be counted towards the 98 field days.
Instructor Level I
Instructor Level I in the IROL is for those individuals who have achieved Outdoor Leadership Certification through an accredited organization and can document 196 field days*. In addition to those achievements this individual must be able to document in their IROL portfolio the completion of the 10.0 series of student learning outcomes in two or more WEA core competencies. Please note that the 196 field days can be in combination with the apprentice requirements.
Instructor Level II
Instructor Level II in the IROL is for those individuals who achieved Outdoor Leadership Certification through an accredited organization and can document 196 field days*. They must be able to document completion of the 10.0 series of student learning outcomes in all WEA core competencies. Please note that the 196 field days can be in combination with the apprentice requirements.
Who made the IROL?
The WEA Board of Trustees has elected to work with a company called Foliotek to design and implement the International Registry of Outdoor Leaders. Experts in competency and assessment based portfolios, Foliotek has developed a flexible platform for the IROL that will meet the needs of the association and the industry at large. We are currently in the final design stages and will be presenting the Foliotek system at the 2010 National Conference on Outdoor Leadership.
*please see the instructor press release for details on field day requirements and limitations.
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