Using Information Technology In The Administration and Delivery Of Outdoor Education Programs

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Using Information Technology In The
Administration and Delivery Of Outdoor Education
Programs
Ian Boyle Outdoor Education Association of
Queensland Conference July 2008
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Session Overview

• Research on Accidents What do the stats say?
• Trip Reconnoitring Knowing hazards risks
• Mapping Video Technology Aiding the Reccie
  Process
• Student Hike Briefings Using PowerPoint, photos,
  video
• Documenting Trip Procedures Trip Notes
• Using Web Based Technology To Manage Trip
  Procedural Information Policies, SOG.
• Staff Trip Briefings
• Pre-Trip Check Lists Are you ready for take off?
• Risk Assessment Forms
• Communications New Possibilities.
• Weather Monitoring Using the BOM to its full
  potential
• Emergency Readiness Assume the worst will happen
• Liaising with Emergency Services
• Post Trip Evaluations Dynamic evolving.
• Emerging Technologies Future Possibilities.

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The Glengarry Campus
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1999 Glengarry Accident

• Resulted in our organisation searching for ways
  to improve our risk management and administrative
  practices.
• What follows is an illustration of some of the
  areas that we have developed.
• A major focus of the presentation will look at
  how we are using technology based software tools
  to help in the admin and delivery of our outdoor
  program.

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The Challenges We Face?

• A major increase in Administration
• Accreditation
• Policy, procedures, risk management, trip notes,
  moderation of standards, OHS, etc, then managing
  this information and keeping it current.
• I have wondered if others have found the
  administration of programs increasingly
  challenging to manage in their organisation?
• What challenges has your organisation been
  facing?

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Research On Fatalities During Outdoor Education
Trips

• Andrew Brookes (2002) surveyed over 100 outdoor
  accidents in Australia that led to injury or
  death.
• A common theme emerged
• A significant number of accidents occurred with
  adolescent males who were unsupervised in terrain
  that had cliffs or unmarked cliffs, or required
  the negotiation of moving water.
• These findings had major implications for
  participants leadership of our client group.
• I wanted a means of addressing this so that
  students and leaders are as informed as they can
  be about hazards before they leave on a trip.

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Statistics Informing Practice

• If you conduct trips that have not had a reccie
  by your leaders which deliberately looks at
  hazard Identification.
• EG Cliffs, tree fall at camp, river crossing
  flood potential etc
• If you have casual staff that lead trips that are
  not familiar with the terrain you hike in.
• If you conduct student expeditions, with teenage
  males and you are not leading from the front with
  them in hazardous terrain.
• It might be time to re-evaluate your systems and
  protocols.

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Overview of Presentation

• For the first part of this presentation I am
  going to share the process and IT tools that we
  at Glengarry use in preparation for a trip to
  Apple Tree Flats on the Shoalhaven River near
  Kangaroo Valley.

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Trip Reckie ID Potential Hazards
Start
River crossings
Our Hike Route
Off track hiking
Cliff line safety
Unmarked Cliff lines
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Group Management With a partner next to you,
introduce yourself and then look at the map with
a vision of extracting key hazards that you might
need to apply your safety systems/ management
strategies to, in order to ensure leadership is
optimised to manage your group effectively?

• Cliff Line Safety
• Off Track Walking
• Passage through Unmarked cliff lines
• River crossing safety/high water alternatives

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Trip Reconnoitring Knowing What The Hazards
Risks Are

• All staff in a leadership role must have
  reconnoitred the trip theyre leading.
• During this reconnoitre
• Familiarisation with route, terrain and resulting
  teaching opportunities.
• Hazards are identified
• Risk reduction management plans are discussed.
• Staff leadership roles can be clarified
• Digital photos can be taken to prepare student
  briefing
• Need to inform parents of trip hazards
• Student trip briefing needs to occur.

Parent Info
Google Reccie
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Pre-Trip Briefing For Participants Addresses
Issues Raised in RAMS FORM

• Increasing Awareness Prior To Trip Commencement
• Prior knowledge of hazards
• Prior knowledge of how to manage these hazards
• PowerPoint can take your group on the trip and
  identify key danger spots before actually getting
  there. It address directly many of the issues
  raised in a risk analysis of hazards.

ATF Briefing
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Memory Sware
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Unpacking The Support Infrastructure That
Supports This Apple Tree Flat Trip
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Trip Documentation Utilising Simple IT Tools To
Manage Information ????
Is documentation important in OE Programming? In
the 20 years I have been involved in OE
requirements have changed immensely. Dept Ed,
Accreditation etc.

• Trip documentation can help ensure
• Teaching progressions are followed
• Teaching is moderated across all groups even
  though led by different leaders
• Safety protocols are clearly stated, and
  therefore need to be followed. Eliminates
  ambiguity or interpretation. what if clause
• Organising this information to aid leaders can
  make their preparation easier. Can prepare from
  home via the internet!

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Administrative Benefits

• Leaders or Students can review trip information
  any time at their leisure.
• Staff and students can be briefed with IT
  assistance.
• Saves hours of photocopying Interactive, video,
  photos, multimedia, engaging, environmentally
  friendly.
• Any changes can be made instantly, thus the
  document always remains current.

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Making Trip Information User Friendly IT Aiding
The Risk Management Process.

• Computer Based Leader Hike Briefing
• Trip Notes
• Online Policies
• Camp routine
• Weather
• Equipment
• Standard Operating Guidelines

Go to GG Intranet
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Administrative Systems Pre-Trip Check List

• Pre-Trip Check Lists
• Airline pilots use them to ensure all aspects of
  safety readiness are covered before take off.
• Outdoor Ed leaders can utilise them too in order
  to make sure all areas of planning and
  preparation are covered before a trip commences.

ATF Pre-Trip List
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Administrative SystemsRisk Analysis Management
System RAMS

• Identify major hazards that may cause injury or
  loss to the group
• Document how these hazards will be managed
• Knowing the hazard and level of risk, weighing
  this against the skill experience of the group
  helps determine the best management strategy.

Balancing Risk Vs Group
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Accident Potential
Human Dangers
Environmental Dangers
Accident Potential
When humans begin to interact with environmental
dangers and their awareness level is low, the
potential for an accident increases. Being aware
of this increased potential is a critically
important skill for leaders.
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RAMS Form Completion

• Staff at Glengarry meet for a pre-trip review of
  safety issues and RAMS form.
• Each staff member signs off stating that they
  understand the major hazards and the agreed
  management strategy for these hazards.

ATF RAMS
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Safety Officer

• Ready for the worst. Organisations should be
  operating under the assumption that if something
  goes wrong everything is in place to respond
  effectively and in an efficient time frame.
• When groups are in the field someone needs to be
  observing conditions.
• Are they changing?
• Is this increasing the accident potential?
• Utilising the BOM to its full potential.

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Emergency Planning Is About
Having systems in place to reduce the likelihood
of accidents occurring. Being Prepared For When
Things Go Wrong.
There is field staff readiness, then there are
systems to support them.
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Weather Impacts On Safety
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Clear Operating Guidelines Helps With Safety
Decision Making
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Live Storm Rain Tracking
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Linking BOM Data to Video For River Level
Identification
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Emergency Action Plan Are you prepared when/if
things go wrong?

• Despite the best planning and intentions things
  can go wrong.
• What systems can be in place to ensure timely and
  professional response?
• An emergency action plan is a must for any
  organisation. It must be rehearsed and role
  played so staff know how it works.
• Following are some things we have instigated at
  Glengarry that maybe of interest to others.

Emergency Action Plan
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Emergency Readiness

• Safety Officer 24-7 monitoring weather, comms
  phones
• Highly reliable comms. No radio shadows in
  operations area. 3 mandatory radio scheds per
  day. Weather updated
• Emergency Vehicle packed and loaded for immediate
  departure with
• Rescue Packs, Rescue Box, Stretcher, Oxy-Viva
  Resuscitation kit Nursing sister on ten minute
  call.
• Journey Intention Route plans with Police,
  Ambulance National Parks
• Dialogue and regular visits by emergency services
  to our facility.
• Emergency scenario training with full staff.
  Independent audit of our emergency readiness
  every three years
• Have in place Systematic check lists to guide
  emergency response

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Communications

• Base Station with safety officer by radio any
  time trips are in the field.
• Mobile repeater can be deployed to improve comms
  in isolated places.
• Satellite phone used as an emergency back up.

Base
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Reliable Communications
Ph Andrew Bradfield 9477 5999 

• When/if things go wrong contacting help is
  instantaneous.
• Any student led trip without staff supervision
  MUST have reliable comms. Examples
• All these items can be purchased or hired.
• Companies like Karera Communications will go to
  your hike area set up a repeater and provide
  handsets.

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Emerging Technologies
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Emerging Technologies
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Post Trip Program EvaluationEnsuring Learning
Is Not Lost

• Much learning often occurs among a leadership
  team on a hike. Unless this information is
  captured it gets lost, and learning does not get
  shared with other leaders.
• Therefore similar mistakes could be made in the
  future.
• Post Hike Program Evaluation

That was a near miss, I must share that learning
with the rest of the team!
Risk Meeting
Email Form
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Google Earth Geo Tagging Photos
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Labeling Google Earth Routes
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Adding Video To Your Maps
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http//www.teachertube.com/groups_home.php?urlkey
outdooreducation
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?Discussion, Questions, Comments?
i.boyle_at_tsc.nsw.edu.au
For more Info
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If we cant find our way soon we will radio staff
station 1 for help
Student Led Rogaining All groups have radios