Experiential Learning
Define: Experiential Learning
Learning by doing, combined with reflection about that learning & application to a new skill
List the 5 skills of building group relationships
Communication: Enables you to share knowledge, instruct, cooperate and discuss
Active Listening:able to restate information from the speaker that shows understanding
Assertiveness: Being able to stand up for your rights without putting down the rights of others
Negotiation: the method by which people settle differences
Conflict resolution: Involves being able to sort out arguements, being able to find a peaceful resultion to a disagreement
Identify the idea behind Maslow's hierarchy of needs. (I.e. what does it demonstrate?)
A motivational theory.
People are directed toward goal attainment by achieving the hightest levels to which they are capable.
Describe how clouds are formed?
Made up of floating water drops or ice crystals. The sun warms the earth causing water to evaporate into the air that turn to clouds.
Out of HIGHS and LOWs, identify which circulates CLOCKWISE and which circulates ANTICLOCKWISE and which is a CYCLONE direction and which is an ANTICYCLONE direction.
High - ANTI CLOCKWISE - Anticyclone
Low - CLOCKWISE - Cyclone
What are the 4 steps for successful experiential learning?
1: Complete activity
2: Reflects on activity
3: Breaks down skill into PARTS to FORM NEW IDEAS
4: Applies NEW IDEAS to the skills. Decision making and problem solving improve skill level
List the 3 essential parts of communication skills & give an example of when you could use EACH.
1. Verbal - activity briefing
2. Non Verbal - Whistle/hand signals through rapids
3. Active Listening - recipient through briefing for each rapid
Draw Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid and provide a definition of the bottom two stages.
Self Actualisation
Ego (esteem)
Social (belonging)
Safety (security)
Physiological
Safety: Physical safety, economic security, freedom from threats
Physiological: Physical survival needs: water, food, sleep, warmth etc.
Identify 3 clouds you might see on a fine summers day
Cumulus, Cirro cumulus, Cirro stratus, Cirrus
Describe how wind is caused both locally and on a large scale (synoptic scale)
Large Scale: Wind is formed by the pressure gradient Force (PGF). When there is a difference in air pressure between two locations, air moves from the HIGH to the LOW to try and reach a balance. On a synoptic chart, wind speed is determined by how CLOSE the ISOBARS are. The closer together, the higher the pressure gradient, the stronger the winds.
Local Scale: Driven by THERMAL CONTRAST between the LAND and OCEAN. The sun heats the land faster than the water. The air above the land heats up, causing it to rise resulting in a low pressure zone. The cooler, denser air over the ocean (a local HIGH pressure), rushes over the land to replace the rising air. This results in the afternoon sea breezes (Fremantle Doctor). Night time can create the opposite effect called the Land Breeze
Give an example of when you have used Experiential Learning in an Outdoor Experience
Completes skill - Kayaking day 1 Murray River
Reflection - Debrief regarding working as a team, line taken through rapids, fatigue, energy management & food
Breaks down skill: Identification of key parts: Paddle grip, teamwork on white water, reading the water
Application: Attempts day 2 paddle implementing the feedback and reflection from the debreif
Define assertiveness and outline a time when it could be used on an outdoor experience.
The honest expression of opinions, needs and feelings directly and respectfully.
During the expedition I was feeling really fatigued and wasn't able to control my kayak safely through rapids, so I communicated the need to rest in an eddy for 5 minutes before continuing
Define: Monitoring & give an example of when it may be used in an Outdoor experience
Identify which cloud turns into nimbostratus (the rain cloud) and their identifying features.
Also discuss how long after seeing these clouds until you can expect rain/severe weather. (Hint - it will depend slightly on the colour and thickness of these clouds)
AltoStratus clouds
Alto = (mid level) Stratus = (sheet)
Explain the difference between a RIDGE and a TROUGH
Ridge: An area of higher pressure extending out from a HIGH (anticyclone). (a bulge in the isobars pointing away from a high). Weather - similar to a high, stable, clear sky and light winds
Trough: an elongated area of low pressure extending from a LOW (cyclone). On a map it is usually marked as a dotted blue line. Air movement - rising (convection). Brings unstable weather, clouds, showers and potentially thunderstorms. Doesn't always bring a massive drop in temperature. Very commonly bring WAs summer thunderstorms.
Identify 4 of the 7 Principles of Experiential Learning
1. Provide direct and planned experiences
2. Provide challening and appropriate activities
3. Participatantes make decisions and manage consequences (and receive feedback)
4. Participants progress at their own rate
5. Reflection is crucial to internalise change
6. Participants are responsible for their own learning
7. Teachers can only assist individuals with facilitating this process.
Identify and explain the 5 stages of Conflict Resolution
1. Define the conflict: focus on the present, try to understand their point of view and use clarifying questions.
2. Examine possible solutions: brainstorm ideas either together or seperately, look for solutions that are win-win
3. Test the solution: mentally to see how you feel, put into practice and review if not acceptable
4. Evaluate the solution: did it resolve the conflict? is the situation better than before? Share feelings and evaluations with the other person
5. Accept or reject the solution: If you accept the solution you are ready to put it into permanent operation - conflict is over.
Define: Commitment
Define: Flexibility
Define: Time Management
Commitment: Involves a pledge to yourself towards a certain purpose or behaviour
Flexibility: Being able to adapt to new, different and changing situations
Time Management:The way you organise and plan the length of time you spend on specific activities
Explain the difference between Dew and Fog
both are forms of condensation caused by moist air cooling to its dew point, but the difference is where that condensation happens.
Dew forms on solid surfaces on clear, still nights when the ground loses heat rapidly. When the surface temperature drops below dew point, water vapoir from the air condenses directly on the cold object
Fog: forms in the air (a cloud at ground level). Instead of just the surface cooling, a thick laer of air colls down to its dew point. The water vapour condenses into tiny particles suspended in the air.
Identify 3 out of the 6 typical features of a summer synoptic chart over Australia.
1. High pressure systems follow a southerly path across southern Australia
2. Northern Australia is warmed by an overhead sun and low pressure systems develop (warm moist air flows in from tropical waters resulting in humid conditions and heavy rain)
3. Northerly winds over Eastern Australia carry hot, dry air from the inland southward over Victoria and Tasmania, creating potential fire risks. (Visualizing Wind: Because air flows anticlockwise around the High, it pulls hot air from the desert southward over VIC and TAS. If isobars are close together, the winds are strong, significantly increasing fire risk)
4. Southern Australia breezes tend to be hot and dry with coastal sea breezes (On a chart, if a High (ANTICLOCKWISE) is positioned south of WA, it will push easterly winds across the land. In the afternoon, the sea breeze will "fight" this, shown by arrows pointing from the ocean toward the coast )
5. Inland tropical Australia has harsh and arid conditions as a result of the high-pressure belt (Look for a large, stable "H" over Central Australia with very few isobars. This indicates sinking air, which prevents cloud formation and leads to the harsh, dry conditions of the desert. )
6. Sometimes a front passes over the southern half of Australia, bringing southerlies which carry cooler, humid air
Identify all 4 of the benefits of experiential learning
1. Deepens knowledge though repetedly doing and reflecting
2. are moremotivated to develop skills they see as relevant
3. learn to confront unfamiliar situations and task in a real world context and can transfer skills
4. become self-directed learners
After being together on an expedition for some time, a group will typically experience a period of conflict as the members attempt to establish themselves within the group.
Identify and outline two skills that leaders could use to progress a group through this stage.
Conflict resolution was used on an expedition when two students were arguing over who was going to clean the trangia after dinner.
The teacher used good conflict resultion skills and the two students came to an agreement that whoever did not make dinner would clean the trangia.
Identify a scenario when a group could drop down to the bottom stage (physiological) whilst on an Outdoor Experience.
You are on a four-day kayaking expedition on the Blackwood River in the South West of WA. On the morning of Day 2, you observe the sun has a distinct "halo" around it and the sky is covered in a thin, veil-like white cloud. By lunchtime, these clouds have thickened into a uniform grey sheet that is blotting out the sun.
Question 1
Identify the two types of clouds described in the scenario and name the weather system that is likely approaching.
Question 2
Predict the weather conditions the group should expect over the next 12 to 24 hours. Refer to precipitation, wind, and temperature in your answer.
Identify 4 of the 7 features commonly seen on a WINTER synoptic chart of Australia?
1. Huge cells of high pressure migrate from a southerly to a more northerly location across Aus.
2. Southern Australia is influenced by low pressure systems (bringing westerly winds and cold fronts)
3. Very cold and unstable air south of Tas, Vic and South-East NSW reduces temps. These fronts move slowly resulting in successive cold fronths and showery weather for eastern Australia.
4. Low-pressure systems passing over the South-West of WA bring cold, wet weather
5. Trade winds travel east across the north of Australia, bringing heavy rain to the coast of QLD
6. Lots of cold fronts reaching far inland, sweeping across southern Australia (summer fronts mostly stay off the coast)
7. Stronger Highs - Winter anticyclones are often more intense (higher central pressure numbers like 1030+ hPa) (summer highs are more like 1-15-1025hPa). This means the air is denser and creates the cold, crisp, frosty winter mornings but clear, fine weather.