Wilderness Education Association Releases RSS Feed

Accreditation Billing 2010 - Provisional Accreditation

noemail@weainfo.org — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:00:00 GMT

As the WEA transitions to Accreditation this year, Affiliates will notice that the pricing structure for Accreditation fees varries depending on the level of desired accreditation. The fee structure is as follows: Steward Accreditation Annual Fee: $250 Outdoor Leader Accrediation Annual Fee: $550 Steward Instructor Accreditation Annual Fee: $625 Outdoor Leader Instructor Accreditation Annual Fee: $625 The annual accreditation fee billing cycle is transitioning to operate in line with the WEA Annual fiscal year. During this transition the Board of Trustees approved a 6 month extension on 2010 Affiliate fees for all Accredited Institutions. Accredited-Provisional institutions will be billed for Annual accreditation fees in March of 2010 with the total due by the end of June 2010. The membership structure of the WEA is changing along with the accreditation transition. Due to the changes in the WEA membership structure beginning in March '10, accreditation fees will no longer include...

8.0-10.0 Curriculum Clarification for Self Study Submission

noemail@weainfo.org — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:00:00 GMT

The WEA National Office has received a few inquiries regarding the 8.0, 9.0, and 10.0 series included in Section B of the Accreditation Manual and is offering this clarification to aid organizations looking to submit a Self Study for Accreditation. 8.0, 9.0 and 10.0 Series Overview 8.0 Series - Judgment Integral to the history and mission of the Wilderness Education Association, the 8.0 series was designed to ensure that Judgment remained the overarching theme that holds the curriculum together. Judgment is essential to each of the 6 Core Competencies; one cannot be an effective outdoor leader without the ability to apply Judgment and make appropriate decisions within the context of each of the competencies. View the full description of the 8.0 series here. 9.0 Series - 6 Core Competencies The 9.0 series encompases each of the 6 Core Competencies that the WEA believes are essential competencies for any person working professionaly in the field of outdoor leadership. Each of...

JOREL Call for Papers - Due April 15, 2010

noemail@weainfo.org — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:00:00 GMT

Call for Papers
Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership
Volume 2(1)
DUE DATE: April 15, 2010

The Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership (JOREL) is
currently soliciting general interest articles for inclusion in Volume
2(2) that focus on the areas of outdoor recreation, education, and
leadership. The JOREL welcomes manuscripts that contribute to
improving outdoor recreation, education, and leadership through the
publication and dissemination of peer-reviewed manuscripts centered on
professional practice, research, and theoretical discussions.

The journal solicits high quality manuscripts from authors inside and
outside of academia. Authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts that
present quantitative and/or qualitative research findings; conceptual or
theoretical discussions; or program practices. Published contributions
should appeal to a wide audience including practitioners, faculty,
students, policy makers, and others involved in outdoor recreation,
education, and leadership.

For information on how to submit an article go to: www.ejorel.com and
click “Author Instructions.” All manuscripts will be submitted
electronically through the Manuscript Submission Portal found on the
www.ejorel.com website.

Any questions should be directed to:

Dr. Aram Attarian
JOREL Editor in Chief
aram_attarian@ncsu.edu

Calling All Certified Outdoor Leaders!

noemail@weainfo.org — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Calling all Certified Outdoor Leaders! Participate in a master's thesis research study exploring outdoor leaders' emotional intelligence! The purpose of this study is to determine the emotional intelligence of a sample of outdoor leaders and explore possible predictors of emotional intelligence. Please follow the link below to begin participation. You will be directed to a short online survey of demographic information. At the end of this survey, you will be directed to the Mayer Salovey Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) to gather emotional intelligence information. In order to complete the MSCEIT, you will need an ID number (1080-001-000) and password (emotion). If you have any questions, please fee free to contact the researcher, Crystal Weaver, via email at crystal.m.weaver@gmail.com or by phone at (706) 936 - 0154.

JOREL Vol 1, Issue 2

noemail@weainfo.org — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Volume 1, Issue 2: Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership The Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership publishes quality manuscripts to disseminate the latest knowledge related to outdoor recreation, education, and leadership to help develop theory and practice. The journal seeks quantitative and/or qualitative research findings; conceptual or theoretical discussions; or program practices. Relevant topic areas (centered on outdoor recreation, outdoor education, or outdoor leadership) for the journal include, but are not limited to: outdoor recreation, adventure recreation, outdoor education, outdoor leadership, pedagogy, administration, programming, risk management, wilderness medicine, certification, participant behavior, trends, diversity, training, and outcomes. ---------------------------------------------- The second issue includes the following: Editor's Notes Aram Attarian The Development of Ecological Literacy among Novice Outdoor...

Wanted: Roomate for Conference!

noemail@weainfo.org — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 17:00:00 GMT

The 2010 National Conference on Outdoor Leadership is approaching quickly ......... Do you have your room at the YMCA of the Rockies reserved yet? Click One: Yes No You clicked 'Yes' - that's great! So now the question is twofold: Do you have extra space in your room? Do you want to save some money?If you answered yes to both of these questions, we want to help match you with people who need a room to stay in and save a little money themselves! Post a note on the discussion forum letting folks know that you have space to share. If you have room share preferences (male/female/professional/students) be sure to include that information in your post as well as how many spaces you have available. Don't forget to check out the other posts and see if there is someone out there looking for a room! What a great way to meet some new people! You clicked 'No', and that's kind of a bummer. We want to help you find a place to stash...

The National Office Has Moved!

noemail@weainfo.org — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 17:00:00 GMT

When it was decided that Indiana University Outdoor Adventures was moving out of the IMU, they invited us to come along and offered us a beautiful spacious office in their new facility. We checked out the new space and were happy to jump on board and make our way to the east side of campus.

So on January 4th and 5th, the WEA National Office moved out of the Indiana Memorial Union across campus to Eigenmann Hall. We are excited to be closer to IUOA and to create more opportunities for collaboration between the WEA and Indiana University in the coming months and years.

Our new address is:

Wilderness Education Association

Eigenmann Hall, Room 029

1900 E 10th St

Bloomington, IN 47406

Our phone and email will stay the same:

812.855.4095

wea@indiana.edu

Our fax number will be changing.........we'll let you know when we confirm the new number!

If you are ever in the neighborhood, come by and say hello!

2010 BOT Elections

noemail@weainfo.org — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 16:00:00 GMT

The Wilderness Education Association invites you to consider becoming a candidate for the 2010 Board of Trustees Elections. WEA Board members play a crucial role for the association and are entrusted to provide direction and support towards the mission and vision of the association. BOT Function and Responsibility Candidate Eligibility Candidacy Submission Open Seats and Elections BOT Function and Responsibility The Board of Trustees works closely with the WEA National Office and the Executive Director to ensure that the operations and direction of the association are in line with the mission and vision. Board members serve a three year term, meeting monthly via teleconference and twice annually in person, once at the National Conference on Outdoor Leadership and once for a mid-year meeting. Board members serve either on the Executive Committee or as a Committee Chairperson for the Association. Determination of Committee Chair and Executive Committee positions are determined...

Membership - Navigate the Changes

noemail@weainfo.org — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:00:00 GMT

In addition to the structural changes that are taking place within the WEA as part of the Strategic Plan, your Membership with the WEA is also getting a facelift. Individual Memberships, as you recall, were assigned using criteria based on whether the member was a student, professional, associate, or received their memberships as part of their course fees. The new changes will make memberships more functional to perspective and renewing members, meaningful to those who wish to use their membership features to advance their professional development, and more affordable to those who wish to support the organization and take advantage of the Member Benefits Program. The new membership levels are as follows: IROL Membership Introductory Membership Premium Membership Accreditation Membership Organizational Memberships Attached is a document that maps out the differences between memberships and helps you determine the membership type that would be most beneficial to you/ your...

Accreditation Cliffs Notes

noemail@weainfo.org — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Throughout the past several months we have received feedback and questions from current and interested affiliates regarding the Accreditation Manual and the accreditation process. From that feedback we have compiled the following information that will hopefully provide members, current affiliates and interested organizations a more clear picture of WEA's accreditation. Levels and Pricing WEA will implement four different Accreditation levels. The four levels are as follows: Steward Outdoor Leadership Steward Instructor Outdoor Leader Instructor Steward Accreditation: Curriculum Coverage: An organization accredited to the Steward level (SA)is one that covers the content of two-five of the core curriculum competencies (9.0 Series). In addition to content coverage, the institution assesses and evaluates students in those competencies including student judgment and decision making (8.0 series) within the context of the individual competencies. International Registry of Outdoor...

Affiliate Accreditation-Provisional Status Transition

noemail@weainfo.org — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:00:00 GMT

The new accreditation program levels do not match the current WEA Affiliate structure requiring some guidance in the transition of current Affiliates to Provisional status. Recognizing this need, the WEA Board of Trustees approved a framework to assist current Affiliates in determining the appropriate accreditation level while in Accredited-Provisional status. It should be noted that regardless of accreditation level while in provisional status, affiliates can submit their Self Study aimed at any accreditation level desired. Affiliate Grandfathering into Accredited – Provisional Status Steward Affiliate – Provisional will be granted to current WEA Affiliates who are in good standing with the WEA and have an NSP Instructor or an IROL Instructor Level I Individual. Affiliates under this provisional status will choose 3 of the 6 core competencies to offer within their curriculum. Good standing means that all invoices are paid in full and that all course paperwork has...

Instructor - Grandfathering and New Applications

noemail@weainfo.org — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:00:00 GMT

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...

2010 - New Directions

noemail@weainfo.org — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:00:00 GMT

2010 will bring a defining year for the Wilderness Education Association as we make several transitions that will allow the association to better serve our members and the outdoor leadership industry at large. The WEA has been committed to the association's strategic plan for 2 years and we have seen marked progress in reaching our goals. We have looked outside of the box and have refocused our mission and vision to give the WEA a strategic purpose in the outdoor leadership industry. Most of the transitions will be happening over the course of the 2010 calendar year and may extend briefly into 2011. The goal is to make the transition as seamless as possible for WEA stakeholders as well as the National Office. The major transitions for the WEA include: Membership One of the transitions you will see in 2010 will be a change in the membership structure of the WEA. Up until now, the membership options have been focused on professional/student status. Beginning in March of 2010 there...

Calling all Certified Outdoor Leaders!

noemail@weainfo.org — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:00:00 GMT

International Registry o Outdoor Leaders: An Introduction

noemail@weainfo.org — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:00:00 GMT

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...

Membership Welcome Mailing Has Changed

noemail@weainfo.org — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:00:00 GMT

New and renewing Members will be welcomed to the organization with brand new mailings from the National Office. Post cards, printed on heavyweight cardstock will cost less to send, require less paper to construct, and will be more eye-catching when you pick up your mail.

The post card will confirm your ID, and the expiration date for your membership and point you in the direction of our Brand New Member Benefits Page on the website. The Member Benefits Page, if you haven’t already looked at it, is where you can access all of the member benefits that you recieve as a supporter of the WEA as well as updated information from the National Office that is specific to you as a WEA member. Checking the member benefits page is a great way to keep up to date with the association's happenings as well as to read the WEA Member Access News that is emailed to you monthly. If you miss a newsletter you can always check out the articles in the press releases section of the website.

We want you to get the most from your WEA membership and to take advantage of the great benefits. If you have any questions about your membership and/or the benefits program, or if you would like to renew your membership and get a post card of your very own -- contact the National Office.

Instructor Application Last Call

noemail@weainfo.org — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:00:00 GMT

All Instructor Applications under the current system of WEA Instructor approval must be turned in no later than February 28th, 2010. All application components must be turned in to the National Office by that date to be reviewed by the Standards Committee for approval. Completed NSP Instructor Applications include: Completed NSP or PSC with OL Certification including Ability Assessment Forms, Final Assessment Summary and written recommendation from the Lead Instructor. Completed Apprenticeship on an NSP or PSC with written recommendation from lead instructor for Instructor Status Successful completion of the Instructor Training Clinic Current WEA Membership Current WFR and CPR Current Resume Letter of Application (cover letter) for Note: WSP Apprenticeships are ok for individuals seeking WSP Instructor Status. WSP Instructor applications do not require the ITC component. The above list is detailed in the attached NSP Instructor checklist utilized by the WEA National Office to...

Accreditation Manual - Available for Member Review

noemail@weainfo.org — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:00:00 GMT

The initial draft of the WEA Accreditation Manual has been approved by the WEA Board of Trustees. This initial approved draft will be the Accreditation Manual used by the six initial WEA Affiliates submitting their Self Studies for Accreditation this fall. The Board of Trustees has made the Accreditation Manual available for member review for 60 days.

The Manual has been posted on the newly redesigned WEA Members Page along with a members only feedback forum.

http://www.weainfo.org/member-benefits-details/

Affiliates piloting the program this fall will make recommendations regarding the manual and the accreditation process. That feedback in conjunction with feedback received from the membership will be taken into consideration to assist the BOT in determining if any changes are needed to improve the manual and the process for future institutions moving through the accreditation process.

This project has been a long time coming and this is an important opportunity for WEA members to take advantage of. Your time and feedback is important and appreciated as this process moves forward.

National Office - Moving this fall!

noemail@weainfo.org — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:00:00 GMT

The WEA National Office is moving! That's right, our office is relocating. Where, why and when you might ask? Keep reading to find out! Where is the National Office going? The National Office will be staying on the IU campus here in Bloomington, IN. No major move acros the country, we are merely traveling about a mile northeast of our current location. Why is the National Office moving? The WEA has a history with IU, the IMU, and more specifically IU Outdoor Adventures since 2001. Through a series of decisions regarding space use at the IMU, it has been decided to move IU Outdoor Adventures across campus to Eigenmann Hall where it will function as an auxiliary unit of the IMU. The new space for IUOA will double their approximate size, provide a retail space, additional gear storage, loading docs for boats, a new kitchen and food area, new offices for professional staff, and two large classrooms. Having such a close relationship with IUOA, and often finding much mutual...

PRCA to Co-Host National Conference on Outdoor Leadership

noemail@weainfo.org — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:00:00 GMT

The WEA is pleased to announce that the Professional Ropes Course Association (PRCA) will be Co-hosting the 2010 National Conference on Outdoor Leadership! With two professional organizations joining forces for the 2nd year in a row, the 23rd annual conference promises to offer a wide range of workshops and pre-conference events. Budgets are tightening around the country in the public and private sectors, therefore it is essential that professionals organizations recognize this and work to ensure that professionals and students alike get the most for their money at conferences. For organizations and universities that have outdoor leadership programs and/or ropes courses this is an event not to be missed. Attendees from the 2009 conference gave positive feedback on the collaboration and felt that having multiple associations present made the conference a more valuable experience. The Events Committee is working diligently to ensure that PRCA and WEA members have...