RCPT 441
Advanced Ropes Course Programming
RCPT 441. Advanced Ropes Course Programming
Three hours lecture/laboratory (3).
Prerequisite: RCPT 421 or by permission of instructor.
Students will practice advanced facilitation, leadership, technical and safety skills essential to ropes course programming. A five-day training workshop and fifteen (15) hours of service learning are required components of the course.
This course serves as the vehicle to implement safe and effective RU-ABLE (Radford University Adventure Based Learning Experience) ropes course programs. Advanced technical and facilitation skills will be taught, including rescues, sequencing, and leadership styles. Additional emphases will be placed on lead facilitator responsibilities, the full value contract and debriefing/processing the adventure experience.
Course Content Includes:
Development of Advanced Facilitation Skills
Development of Advanced Technical Skills
The course is intensive and heavily experiential in nature. Students have ample opportunity to experiment with and practice a variety of advanced technical and facilitation skills. A “community of learners” approach characterizes the course. For example, students work in cooperative learning groups while they apply creative problem-solving strategies to rescue scenarios. Students also coach, teach, and supervise each other throughout the course and receive comments from group members regarding their facilitation/leadership style effectiveness. Each student will develop an action plan based upon his/her technical and facilitation skills self-assessment. The action plan is a means of setting, monitoring, and receiving support and assistance for achievement of curriculum as well as individual goals and objectives. Finally, the student is required to participate in a service learning (SL) experience. The SL requirement involves co-leading and/or leading in the implementation of ropes course programming. It may also involve the development of ropes course policies and procedures.
Having successfully completed this course, students will be able to:
1. practice basic ropes course safety skills;
2. perform basic self-rescue, gear rescue and the rescue of other individuals on high ropes course elements;
3. evaluate current practices and standards regarding ropes course design, installation, equipment, hardware, safety inspections, and risk management.
4. experience the elements of ropes course philosophy models: the experiential learning cycle, challenge by choice, goal setting, and the full value contract.
5. practice climbing and rappelling techniques within the ropes course context.
6. develop sensory and a “critical eye” to the prevention of ropes course incidents and accidents.
7. safely and effectively plan and implement an eight-hour RU-ABLE ropes course combo program.
Assessment is based upon participation in class labs and the completion of a five-day workshop, self-assessments, demonstration of technical skills, completion of service learning, and a comprehensive exam.
General Policies and Considerations
1. The safety standards and guidelines for any adventure or experiential activity used in this course have been formulated through consideration of those provided the Association for Experiential Education (AEE), and the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT).
2. All RU rules and policies apply to all class activities.
3. Specific policies/procedures appropriate to each class activity will be provided. It is essential to the supervision, safety and quality of these experiences that students adhere to all policies and procedures or rules discussed before, during, or after activities.
DATE ACTION APPROVED
January 2005 Reviewed by Dr. Edward Udd, Chair