The process by which instructors are approved within the structure of the WEA will be changing in 2010. This change is multifaceted and will set the instructor progression, application and approval process in line with the WEA 6 core competency curriculum as well as the accreditation model. Over a year ago February 28, 2010 was set as the final date that the WEA would accept instructor applications to be reviewed by the Standards Committee under the current format. All individuals planning to submit an instructor application by that date should contact the WEA National Office ASAP to ensure that the correct contents for the application are being prepared. Extensions will not be granted.
Instructor Grandfathering
The following details regarding grandfathering and the timeline for implementation were approved by the WEA Board of Trustees in December of 2009. Please read the following information carefully - it contains time sensitive information!
Active NSP Instructors will be grandfathered into the International Registry of Outdoor Leaders (IROL) at Instructor Level II
Inactive and Lapsed NSP Instructors will be required to become active (current membership/CPR/WFR/resume) by the end of March, 2010 to be allowed to be grandfathered into the IROL. The transition/'grandfathering' into the IROL will occur when the Instructor's membership expires between March 2, 2010 and February 28, 2011. If the Instructor status is Active at the time of renewal between those dates, they will be listed as Instructor Level II int he IROL upon their initial integration into the IROL. WSP Instructors will not be grandfathered into the IROL beyond the Outdoor Leader level due to the inconsistencies between the old WEA system and the requirements for listing at Instructor status in the IROL. WSP Instructors may apply to an Outdoor Leader Instructor Accredited institution to receive Instructor Level I or II status under the requirements of the IROL.
New Applications
All individuals seeking to apply for instructor status will be required to do so through an institution accredited at the Steward Instructor Accreditation or the Outdoor Leader Instructor Accreditation in which they are a student. An individual may also submit a portfolio to challenge the IROL to one of these organizations. The WEA Standards Committee will no longer be the body that approves instructor applications. The applications themselves will be more extensive and based on a portfolio review done by the accredited institutions.
The portfolio review will be done focusing on the 10.0 series of Assessment and Evaluation. To be approved int he 10.0 series an individual's portfolio must demonstrate their competence in Assessment and Evaluation of the contents of the 6 core competencies. This portfolio might include samples of assessment rubrics you have developed for use in the field, video samples of you teaching in the field, etc. The required content to be submitted for the portfolio review is dictated by the individual accredited institution. The portfolio is ultimately assessed using a rubric provided in the IROL.
There are additional requirements including minimum field days in a leadership position to reach both the Apprentice level (the level at which you can begin working on the 10.0 series) and the instructor levels. The details of these field day requirements and their formats can be found on pages 40-42 of the Accreditation Manual.
It is the intent of the new instructor approval system to increase the rigor of being called a professional in the outdoor leadership industry and to ensure that individuals listed at that level in the IROL have field experience and the ability to assess and evaluate students in each of the 6 core competencies.
|
•
del.icio.us
digg
facebook
E-mail this release to a friend (requires login).
