Instructor Development Program

Instructor Development Program

 

Instructor Development Program (IDP) is open to all ASU students, faculty & staff members. 

IDP focuses on providing outdoor education and instructor development curriculum for anyone interested in working in the field of outdoor recreation & education.  IDP Foundations & Essentials are special workshops held each Fall Semester for students interested in becoming an Outdoor Programs Trip Leader. 

IDP is also Outdoor Program’s professional development for current OP staff in all programmic areas, especially trip leading.

Being an outdoor leader is more than being able to climb or paddle; it’s a synergy of passion, training, and experience. IDP provides you the tools to pursue a life of adventure.   Whether you want to be Outdoor Programs Trip Staff, work for camps or other adventure programs, or just looking to enhance your personal pursuits; IDP has something for everyone.

 

IDP Spring Workshop Schedule

How to Write An Outdoor Resume

  • Monday, January 28th from 3:00-4:30p
  • Tuesday, February 5th from 3:00-4:30p
  • Details

Meal Planning & Food Preparation

  • Tuesday, January 29th from 6:00-7:30p
  • Details

IDP Backpacking Field Experience

  • Friday-Sunday, February 1-3rd
  • Details

The Ideal First Aid Kit & Usage

  • Wednesday, February 6th from 6:00-7:30p
  • Details

No & Low Props

  • Thursday, February 7th from 3:00-4:30p
  • Details

IDP Climbing Field Experience

Outdoor Cover Letter & Trip Log Writing

  • Wednesday, February 13th from 3:00-4:30p
  • Monday, February 18th from 3:00-4:30p
  • Details

Case Studies in Wilderness Risk Management

  • Thursday, February 14th from 3:30-5:00p
  • Details

IDP Rafting Field Experience

  • Saturday-Sunday, February 16-17th
  • Details

Single Pitch Rescue for Climbing

  • Tuesday, February 19th from 4:00-6:00p
  • Details

One Match Fire

  • Thursday, February 21st from 4:00-6:00p
  • Details

IDP Whitewater Kayaking Field Experience

  • Saturday-Sunday, February 23-24th
  • Details

Outdoor Programs’ Emergency Protocols

  • Tuesday, February 26th from 3:00-4:30p
  • Details

Mechanical Advantage Systems for Climbing

  • Wednesday, February 27th from 3:00-4:00p
  • Details

Managing Conflict

  • Thursday, February 28th from 3:00-4:30p
  • Details

Wilderness Medicine Scenario Review

  • Tuesday, March 5th from 5:00-7:00p - Trauma
  • Wednesday, April 10th from 5:30-7:30p - Medical
  • Details

Backcountry Cooking - RESCHEDULED, DATE TBA

  • Thursday, March 21st from 6:00-8:00p
  • Details

Leave No Trace Trainer Certification

  • Friday-Saturday, March 22-23rd
  • Details

Coaching for Competence in Outdoor Education

  • Tuesday, March 26th from 4:00-5:30p
  • Details

Gender & Leadership in Outdoor Education

  • Thursday, April 4th from 3:00-4:30p
  • Details

Rope & Haul Systems in Climbing

  • Thursday, April 4th from 4:30-5:30p
  • Details

Useful Wild Plant Walk - RESCHEDULED due to lack of flowering plants.  RESCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY, APRIL 26TH FROM 5-7 PM

  • Friday, April 5th from 3:00-5:00p
  • Details

Diversity & Inclusion in Outdoor Education

  • Monday, April 8th from 3:00-4:30p
  • Details

Tolerance for Adversity in Outdoor Education

  • Tuesday, April 16th from 3:30-5:00p
  • Details

Outdoor Photography (Part 1 & Part 2)

  • Monday, April 22nd from 4:00-6:00p – Part I
  • Thursday, April 25th from 4:00-6:00p – Part 2
  • Details

 

Instructor Development Program Curriculum

1. Foundations:  Take three Foundations workshops. These FREE workshops meet 2 times each for an hour and a half each - pick which times work best for you. The schedule of classes is located on the IDP Foundations website. You can sign up for Foundations courses in the Outdoor Programs Basecamp. Three workshops have been developed to provide insight to the rich history and key philosophies important to understanding your role as an outdoor leader, about how groups work together (or not) and how people learn, and to understand the role of risk in our programs and how we address adverse situations in adverse settings.  Workshops include:  Introduction to IDP and History, Philosophy & Roles in Outdoor Education, Risk Managment in the Wilderness Setting & Group Dynamics.

2. Participation:  Sign up for 2 Outdoor Programs day trips, or go on one overnight Outdoor Programs trip as a participant. On these trips, you'll learn what Outdoor Programs is all about, and see how Outdoor Programs Trip Staff work together. The Outdoor Programs trips calendar is available on our website.

3. Essentials Workshops:  These FREE workshops teach you the essential skills for becoming an outdoor leader.  There are 6 Essentials Workshops provided and as IDP candidate you're required to attend a minimium of 3 workshops.  The workshops include:  Outdoor Leadership, Leadership & Learning Styles, Teaching & Facilitation, Debriefing & Communication, Trip Planning and Decision Making & Judgment.  The more workshops you attend, the more prepared you will be to "check out" to be trip staff. The clinics list is located on the Essentials Workshop website, and you must sign up in the Outdoor Programs Basecamp. You can attend essentials at any time, no matter how much you have done with IDP thus far.

4. Apprentice:  After completing Foundations and participating in two Outdoor Programs trips, you'll be ready to apprentice some Outdoor Programs trips. Apprentices go on Outdoor Programs trips for FREE, and they are responsible for working with Outdoor Programs Trip Staff to plan trip logistics, manage safety, and teach outdoor skills to participants. Once you are an apprentice, you will receive emails from Outdoor Programs that let you know about opportunities to apprentice these trips.

5. Certifications.  The following certifications are required to work on Outdoor Programs trips: First Aid, CPR for the Professional Rescuer, Blood Borne Pathogens, and Van Driver Approval. The dates for each of these are listed on Master IDP Calendar website. These are offered through the University Recreation Department, located in the Student Recreation Center. You can sign up for them at the SRC console desk. Van Driver approval is offered in conjunction with ASU Motor Pool; dates are TBA.

6. Trip Staff:  Depending on your skill level, you will be asked to join the Outdoor Programs Trip Staff after apprenticing enough trips to become an outdoor expert and completing the necessary certifications. This process takes a different amount of time for each IDP student. You will go through an "Instructor Check Off" session in the field, in which a current OP staff person will make sure you have all of the necessary skills to lead trips.

7.  IDP Extras Workshops:  You're finally in the field working as an Apprentice or you've been a Trip Leader for 3 semesters but want to freshen up your skills, than IDP Extras are just the thing for you.  This is what we like to call our IDP Professional Development.  The Worshops are not required, but are a great way to keep your skills current and even learn to fun new skills.  Topics vary each semester from navigation skills, rope rug making, backcountry cooking, wilderness medicine refershers, outdoor resume writing and more.  IDP Extras Workshops can be found here at the Essentials Workshop website.