Item: PARTICIPANTS’ SHARED PERSPECTIVES ON A SEASON-LONG AVALANCHE COURSE
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Title: PARTICIPANTS’ SHARED PERSPECTIVES ON A SEASON-LONG AVALANCHE COURSE
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop 2024, Tromsø, Norway
Authors:
- Tove I. Dahl [ CARE Center for Avalanche Research and Education, UiT The Arctic University of Norway ] [ Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway ]
- Tarjei Skille [ CARE Center for Avalanche Research and Education, UiT The Arctic University of Norway ] [ Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway ]
- Richard Fjellaksel [ CARE Center for Avalanche Research and Education, UiT The Arctic University of Norway ] [ Department of Health and Care Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway ]
- Gerit Pfuhl [ CARE Center for Avalanche Research and Education, UiT The Arctic University of Norway ] [ Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway ] [ Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology ]
- Tim Dassler [ CARE Center for Avalanche Research and Education, UiT The Arctic University of Norway ] [ Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway ]
Date: 2024-09-23
Abstract: What would we find if we dug up what learners think they walk away with after an avalanche course and not just what instructors thought? Often the story of avalanche course learning is reported in terms of content covered, performance checks in an “course” environment and self-evaluating tests/questionnaires based upon preset learning goals. All of these are grounded in the perspective of avalanche course providers, researchers, and instructors. What else could we learn if we asked participants to report what they learn on their own terms, as experts on their own learning? Ten backcountry skiers and snowboarders with little formal avalanche education (2 women and 8 men, 25-68 years old) participated in a season-long, 11-day avalanche course (January-May 2023) with two avalanche course instructors and a participant observer skier. The season-long course was designed to facilitate conceptual and practical learning, in part, through active reflection on participants’ experiences. One year later, eight of the ten participants returned for two more days on the mountain to ski together as peers. Two weeks afterwards, the participants gathered to discuss what they had learned through stories told to each other. This inquiry-based conversation is a method that focuses on uncovering what people think and feel about a topic. It is a curiosity-driven approach that poses questions to evoke participant thoughts and develop an understanding of the reasons behind them. We explain the method and report resultant themes from the big lessons participants report taking away from the course. We report the recommendations they have for future avalanche course development.
Object ID: ISSW2024_O13.2.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s):
Keywords: Reflection-based learning, Reflective practitioner, User involvement, Inquiry-based conversation, Avalanche course
Page Number(s): 1697 - 1704
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