Work-Study Certificate Leading to Diploma in Outdoor Education

Foundations of Environmental Studies

You will be introduced to a holistic understanding of key environmental processes and the socio-economic, political, and ethical issues related to contemporary concerns and the management strategies. Topics include major terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems as well as international and local (Singaporean) conservation issues and movement. The emphasis is on developing positive, environmentally responsible value formation.

Landscape Interpretation

You will be introduced to the concepts and approaches of environmental interpretation and its application to outdoor learning programmes for various participant profiles.  Topics include knowing, interpreting, and appreciating the environmental elements of Singapore, specifically the ecological, sociocultural, and historical landscapes. The emphasis is on exploration and acquiring skills to interpret the environment, primarily in the context of urban and natural landscapes.

Biodiversity in Singapore

You will learn general patterns of plants and wildlife in Singapore. Topics include observation techniques, nomenclature, and characteristics of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. The emphasis is for you to identify, observe and describe common plants and wildlife, bringing about meaningful educational and recreational experiences.

Facilitation and Supervision: Challenge Course Activities

You will learn theories and strategies to engage, supervise and manage programmes participants in challenge course activities. Topics include game leadership, instruction, facilitation, supervision strategies, and strategies to manage behavioural issues. The emphasis is for you to implement outdoor activities effectively, bringing about safe and meaningful educational and recreational experiences. It includes the leader-level syllabus of the governing standards.

Facilitation and Supervision: Climbing and Abseiling

You will be introduced to theories and strategies to engage, supervise and manage participants in abseil activities. Topics include game leadership, instruction, facilitation, supervision strategies, and strategies to manage behavioural issues. The emphasis is for you to implement outdoor activities effectively, bringing about safe and meaningful educational and recreational experiences. It includes the leader-level syllabus of the governing NSA.

Instruction and Facilitation in Experiential Education

You will be introduced to theories, concepts and approaches of pedagogy, instruction, and facilitation in experiential learning settings. Topics include experiential teaching and learning model, instructional techniques, facilitation processes and strategies and transfer of learning methods. There will be an application of prior knowledge in outdoor adventure settings. The emphasis is on acquiring skills, knowledge, and attitude to competently plan and instruct entry-level skills in outdoor pursuits, as well as to plan and facilitate experiential education experiences to meet learning outcomes.

Facilitation and Supervision: Water-based Activities

You will be introduced to theories and strategies to engage, supervise and manage participants in kayaking and improvised rafting programmes. Topics include game leadership, instruction, facilitation, supervision strategies, and strategies to manage behavioural issues. The emphasis is for you to implement outdoor activities effectively, bringing about safe and meaningful educational and recreational experiences. It includes the leader-level syllabus of the governing NSA.

Foundations of Adventure Education

You will learn theories, concepts and approaches of planning and implementing programmes of adventure education and outdoor learning for various participants’ profiles. Topics include setting appropriate challenges, group development, risk assessment and management, stages of group development, programming, and programme administration. The emphasis is on acquiring skills and knowledge to plan effective adventure education programmes, primarily in the context of multi-day camps for schools.

Expedition Principles, Practices and Management

This module examines the principles, concepts and approaches of leading and managing expeditions. Topics include trip planning and organisation, implementation of safety procedures, expedition administration and crisis management. There will be practical application of prior knowledge and skills in coastal kayaking, group management and programming, psychological first aid and incident management. The emphasis is on acquiring skills to efficiently and effectively support expeditions with land and sea components in tropical environments.

Outdoor Leadership

This module examines the theories, concepts, and approaches of leading and managing various participants and group profiles in adventure education and outdoor learning programmes. Topics include ethics, certification and accreditation, legal issues, outdoor leaders as a profession, as well as leadership models, principles, and concepts. There will also be application of prior knowledge in risk management, group management and programming for specific client groups. The emphasis is on acquiring skills and inculcating values to lead and manage groups safely and effectively during adventure education and outdoor learning programmes, primarily in the context of multi-day camps.

Introduction to Experiential Education

You will be introduced to the concepts and theories related to experiential education and forms of experiential education, which include outdoor & adventure learning, environmental education, civic engagement, and service learning. Topics include risk management, outcomes of experiential education, components of experiential learning, strategies to engage learners in experiential education, and integration of experiential education in the Singapore education landscape. The emphasis is for you to discern safe and meaningful experiential education programmes.

Outdoor Skills: Land-based

You will be introduced to personal proficiency skillsets in land-based activities. Topics include land navigation, camping, outdoor cooking, backpacking, hiking and camp craft. The emphasis is on acquiring skills to participate safely and competently in land-based outdoor pursuits, primarily in the context of short multi-day hiking expeditions in tropical environments.

Outdoor Skills: Kayak

You will be introduced to personal proficiency skillsets in kayaking. The emphasis is on acquiring skills to participate safely and competently in kayak-based outdoor pursuits, primarily in the context of short multi-day coastal kayaking expeditions in tropical environments. It includes levels 1 and 2 of the kayaking syllabus of the govern ing National Sports Association. If you fulfil certification requirements, you will be awarded with 2 Star award under the Singapore Canoe Federation (SCF).

Outdoor Skills: Climb

This module introduces personal proficiency skillsets in climbing. The emphasis is on acquiring skills to participate safely and competently in climbing activities, primarily in the context of single-pitch man-made sites. It includes the level 1 and level 2 climbing syllabi of the governing NSA. If you fulfil certification requirements, you will be awarded with Singapore National Climbing Standards (SNCS) Level 2 under the Singapore Sport Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (SSCMF).

Outdoor Skills: Abseil

This module introduces personal proficiency skillsets in abseiling. The emphasis is on acquiring skills to participate safely and competently in abseiling activities, primarily in the context of single-pitch man-made sites. It includes the level 1 and level 2 abseiling syllabi of the governing NSA. If you fulfil certification requirements, you will be awarded with Singapore National Abseiling Standards (SNAS) Level 2 under the Singapore Sport Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (SSCMF).

Youth Outreach and Development

You will be introduced to concepts and theories related to youth development in Singapore. Topics include positive youth development, lifespan and development stages, motivational factors, local policies, support systems, and community-based resources. The emphasis is for you to shape your attitudes towards youth development and discern the means to develop and support youth in Singapore.

Portfolio: Professional Practice

This module seeks to develop you to be reflective outdoor educators. You will reflect on your motivations to pursue the profession and thereby develop your own personal philosophy to serve as a beacon in your professional practice. You will base your reflections on appropriate learning theories or conceptual frameworks in the profession.  Accordingly, you will also reflect on your life journeys through outdoor education, how it has made an impact on your lives and how you will, in turn, seek to impact the lives of others through it. Beyond that, you will also be challenged to consider contemporary issues that contribute to the growth of the outdoor education sector.

Introduction to Sport Coaching

You will be introduced to principles and applications in general sport coaching. It identifies skills, techniques and components in coaching. You will have opportunities to analyse techniques required to improve the performance of athletes. You will also learn to plan, deliver, evaluate and modify effective coaching sessions, achieve sporting excellence across age-groups, manage children in sport, and understand more about drugs in sport, sportsmanship and fair-play.