Backcountry Classroom : Lesson Plans for Teaching in the Wilderness

Rating:
Summary: Critique of The Backcountry Classroom
Review: This book is a good beginner's guide to the topics covered by the WEA's 18 point curriculum. It is easy to read, provides a simple structure for instruction of the lessons, and provide tips for implementing the instructional content, appropriate times for such, and extended activities. A couple of problems abound with this book and its content. Many times, the information that one would expect to find in this book is omitted. It leaves the reader with more questions than answers, forcing them to look elsewhere for, what in many cases is, pertinent information. It provides a general structure, but the subject matter is consistently lacking insight. As an instructional guide, it is mediocre. If not used as part of a WEA course, but rather a stand alone resource, it could benefit from more adherence to instructional design principles. It is somewhat confusing, at times, as to the type of content that is being covered. It follows well the WEA pedagogy of inform, demonstrate, and provide practice. An example of the short comings of this book can be viewed by a review of Chapter 26, Food Identification. The title leads one to believe his is going to gain insight into the ways to use sensory information to identify food he has in his food stuff sack, within his pack. However, only one small outline heading is devoted to such, and it only touches on such as a corollary item. Anyone who has ever mistakenly used brownie mix, instead of beans, or the like, has understood well the need to know how to use the various senses to identify food, without labeling. Additionally, using labels does not always end up being practical. As trips progress, people like to reorganize food into smaller or different bags, to maximize pack space. The field isn't the place to spend valuable instructional time on relabeling food. The rationale for food identification, suggestions for using memory tactics based on sensory information was omitted, yet was necessary. Many similar omissions can be found in other chapters. The book is compact, thereby making it easy to carry along on a teaching expedition, and provides a brief refresher to those who have previously acquired the knowledge in its full complexity and only need a job aid, and is consistent in its chapter format.

Rating:
Summary: Critique of The Backcountry Classroom
Review: This book is a good beginner's guide to the topics covered by the WEA's 18 point curriculum. It is easy to read, provides a simple structure for instruction of the lessons, and provide tips for implementing the instructional content, appropriate times for such, and extended activities. A couple of problems abound with this book and its content. Many times, the information that one would expect to find in this book is omitted. It leaves the reader with more questions than answers, forcing them to look elsewhere for, what in many cases is, pertinent information. It provides a general structure, but the subject matter is consistently lacking insight. As an instructional guide, it is mediocre. If not used as part of a WEA course, but rather a stand alone resource, it could benefit from more adherence to instructional design principles. It is somewhat confusing, at times, as to the type of content that is being covered. It follows well the WEA pedagogy of inform, demonstrate, and provide practice. An example of the short comings of this book can be viewed by a review of Chapter 26, Food Identification. The title leads one to believe his is going to gain insight into the ways to use sensory information to identify food he has in his food stuff sack, within his pack. However, only one small outline heading is devoted to such, and it only touches on such as a corollary item. Anyone who has ever mistakenly used brownie mix, instead of beans, or the like, has understood well the need to know how to use the various senses to identify food, without labeling. Additionally, using labels does not always end up being practical. As trips progress, people like to reorganize food into smaller or different bags, to maximize pack space. The field isn't the place to spend valuable instructional time on relabeling food. The rationale for food identification, suggestions for using memory tactics based on sensory information was omitted, yet was necessary. Many similar omissions can be found in other chapters. The book is compact, thereby making it easy to carry along on a teaching expedition, and provides a brief refresher to those who have previously acquired the knowledge in its full complexity and only need a job aid, and is consistent in its chapter format.

Rating:
Summary: Comments from the author
Review: We thought you might like to hear what some of the experts had to say about our book.

"This book is straight from the horse's mouth. Written by professionals with proven track records. It is the latest, "state of the art" for all professionals and amateurs who plan on leading into the wilds beyond the roadhead. It is invaluable for confirming one's own expertise as well as discovering voids."
Paul Petzoldt - Founder of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and Wilderness Education Pioneer.

"This is truly a 'user friendly' volume. The Backcountry Classroom serves as an excellent resource for those involved in instructing others about how to survive in, take care of, and enjoy the wilderness."
Robert I. Osgood, Professor of Education, Colgate University

"The Backcountry Classroom is a valuable reference work for every outdoor professional."
Jim Gould, Adirondack Mountain Club