How Managed are Your Risks? The Risk Assessment & Safety Management (RASM) Model: A Risk Management Tool & Curriculum Component.
Rick Curtis - Princeton University

How to Safely Build a Program on a Shoestring
Randy Knaggs – Marlboro College
Daniel Garcia-Gali – Bennington College

Program Sustainability: Will Your Outdoor Orientation Program Last?
Dr. Brent Bell – University of New Hampshire
Jason Clayton – Clemson University

The Chicken or the Egg? Train the Leader to Host the Trip or Create the Trip to Fit the Leader Skills?
Randy Knaggs – Marlboro College

Bring Home the Good Stuff: Fresh Ideas to Make Every Program Stronger – Student Panel Discussion.
Winsie Carroll – Harvard First Year Outdoor Program

Freshmen Orientation Programs and Curriculum Integration into Challenge Course Activities
Nathan Harlan – West Virginia University

How to Bridge the Gap: Tips on Integrating Place Based Learning into a College Outdoor Orientation Program.
Abby Rowe, Mary Milodragovich, and Stephanie Tubman – Colgate University Outdoor Education

Outcomes-Based by Design: Increasing Student Retention and Engagement through Outdoor Orientation.
Jason Clayton – Clemson University

The Outdoor Orientation Program as a First Year Experience.
Dr. Brent Bell and Mark Diedering – University of New Hampshire

Multiculturalism, Diversity, and Leadership Opportunity in Outdoor Orientation Programs
John Abbott – University of Vermont

I think you can see that there is a really broad set of topics that wilderness orientation programs are dealing with at this pre-conference event, which also happens in the fall as a preconference event at the AEE National Conference and the Association of Outdoor Education and Recreation (AORE) on alternate years. What's particularly exciting is the number of student presenters who are involved in the program, a fantastic way to help new professionals in the field.

Other preconference workshops included:

Improve your Artistry as an Experiential facilitator through Equine Enahnce Learning
Pam McPhee -Browne Center, University of New Hampshire

Adventures in Learning & Teaching
Jen Stanchfield - High 5 Adventure

"Learn where you Are" with GPS in Hand: Using Modern technology to Connect to Past & Place
Hutch Hutchinson - Bostom University Sargent Center

SOLO WFA/WFR Recert Course
Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities

The full AEE Regional Conference began on Friday evening with a keynote address by David Sobel.

"David T. Sobel, M. Ed., is the Director of Teacher Certification Programs in the Education Department and Director of the Center for Place-based Education at Antioch University New England.   Prior to 1997, he served as the Chairperson of the department for a dozen years. He was one of the founders of The Harrisville Children's Center and has served on the board of public and private schools. He is a member of the editorial board of the journal Encounter: Education for Meaning and Social Justice and has served as a  correspondent for Orion Magazine. His published books include Children's Special Places, Beyond Ecophobia: Reclaiming the Heart in Nature Education, Mapmaking with Children: Sense of Place Education for the Elementary Years  and Place-based Education:  Connecting Classrooms and Communities. and the upcoming Childhood and Nature: Design Principles for Educators.   His articles examine the relationship between child development,  school curriculum and place-based education. He was the winner of a 1991 Education Press Award.  David is currently Director of Project CO-SEED (Community-based School Environmental Education).  This project creates partnerships between communities, school districts and environmental organizations in an effort to collaboratively improve schools and support community development."

David gave a fascinating presentation on how placed-based education, and the notion of "learning close to home" should be part of our educational system. According to David it is much more effective to start teaching first graders about life in their neighborhood rather than the solar system. He says as children get older the "range" of place should expand to include the broader world. He talked about a number or projects that he has worked on in New England schools that incorporate place-based learning.

The rest of the conference was filled wth over 60 different workshops from presenters from around the country. I was able to get to a number of great workshops that included:

Redefining Adventure: Engaging Students Who are on the Autism Spectrum  
Suzanna Collinson T
his workshop will offer adventure practitioners the opportunity to learn about common characteristics and behaviors of students who are on the Autism Spectrum.

Intentional Programming for Social Emotional Learning.
Angel Krimm
Adventure activities have been used to address social and emotional learning concepts for years.  This experiential workshop will show you how to intentionally frame, debrief and sequence adventure activities to provide support for SEL concepts.

The Risk Assessment & Safety Management (RASM) Model: A Risk Management Tool and Curriculum Component
I gave this workshop both at the OOPS Preconference and the full conference
Are you ‘passionate’ about risk management? If not, you will be after this workshop! The Risk Assessment & Safety Management Model is a comprehensive approach for identifying the causes of accidents, assessing changing risk levels, and managing risk.

Bridging the Gap: Tips on Integrating Place Based Learning into a College Outdoor Education Program
Abby Rowe, Stephanie Tubman, Mary Milodragovich
Does the environment play an integral role in your programs or is it merely a scenic backdrop?  Learn how to integrate place based education – whether you’re on the trail, in the classroom, on the river, or at a climbing wall.

The Greeks Do Love the Freaks: Collaborating to Find Healthy Alternatives to Hazing and Alcohol Abuse
Todd Miner
Hazing is a significant national problem on college campuses and a growing problem at the high school level.  This workshop will pull back the curtain of hazing and demonstrate how adventure education can be a leading technique to displace the practice.  

Diversity and Inclusion at a Programmatic Level: Identifying and Removing the Cultural and Logistical Barriers 
Jessica Ross, Crystal Cubbage
Interested in moving beyond your personal experiences with diversity? Wondering how you can apply your knowledge and experience of diversity to your program? This workshop is designed to explore theories of cultural competency and foster collective brainstorming on how to make your program more inclusive.

You can see the complete Workshop list for information on the other workshops and details about the presenters.

On Saturday evening was the annual Josh Miner Dialogue Series.

"In an effort to capture the essence of the wisdom he shared, in 2003 the Northeast Region Advisory Council established the Josh Miner dialogue series. The series consists of a public dialogue or conversation between the years' honoree and another professional in the field. The "interview" traditionally takes place during the Northeast Regional Conference. This format gives conference attendees a chance to get to know the honoree in an informal setting that often reveals best practice advice and nuggets of wisdom, as well as personal stories and mistakes to avoid."

This year was an interview of Pam McPhee, director of the Browne Center of the University of New Hampshire. Pam gave an inspiring talk about her history in the field, and her vision of experiential learning. As one would expect, Pam also made the event about the audience's learning through a fun experiential activity.

The New England Regional is one of my favorite conferences because I get to see close friends and colleagues in a rich educational and fun environment. Keep your eyes out for next year's conference scheduled for April 18-19, 2009.

Thanks to conference convener Julie Clemons and the entire conference hosting committee and the staff at the Sargent Center for a great weekend. Watch for more information online about this year's conference.