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Effective Outdoor Program Design & Management (EOPDM)
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The course is currently under revision and expected to launch in 2026
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About EOPDM
Outdoor trips do not exist in a vacuum; organizations design and operate them for a reason, typically expressed in a mission statement. Some are simple: clients learn how to paddle a canoe or kayak, climb a rock or mountain, live outdoors using indigenous technologies, etc. In addition to developing a specific outdoor skill or skills, organizations with more complex missions seek to foster positive relationships between trip members or with the environment. As a result, their mission statement may include character development, communication, or decision-making skills.
Regardless of their mission, the structure of all outdoor trips is the same. Each trip consists of multi-day blocks subdivided into individual day and activity blocks. Designers choose outcomes for each block that they hope will progressively lead students to a set of course outcomes defined by the program's mission. |
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Program directors are responsible for designing the trip macrostructure and hiring, training, and scheduling instructors. Field instructors manage the daily activity progression to ensure the block outcomes. The longer the trip, the more time instructors have to fine-tune the microstructure. Accidents and injuries occur when the competency/design balance is off and instructors lack the necessary site management skills to maintain the safety of an activity. A series of minor incidents precede each significant accident and injury, much like falling dominos precede the fall of the last domino. Program directors and instructors must have the ability to recognize seemingly minor incidents and intervene before the final domino falls and a severe injury occurs.
Our online course is modeled after our highly successful conference workshops and is designed for program directors, staff trainers, and senior instructors. The format is a progressive series of text, graphics, and video lectures that focus on identifying and understanding key design and management concepts, followed by exercises designed to give you practice using the material; students may submit their work for instructor feedback. Tuition includes three hours of one-on-one online discussion with a senior WMTC risk management instructor; you may break down the discussion time into hour or half-hour blocks and schedule them throughout the course. Additional consulting time is available for purchase.
Our online course is modeled after our highly successful conference workshops and is designed for program directors, staff trainers, and senior instructors. The format is a progressive series of text, graphics, and video lectures that focus on identifying and understanding key design and management concepts, followed by exercises designed to give you practice using the material; students may submit their work for instructor feedback. Tuition includes three hours of one-on-one online discussion with a senior WMTC risk management instructor; you may break down the discussion time into hour or half-hour blocks and schedule them throughout the course. Additional consulting time is available for purchase.
