Re: [Paddlewise] Kayaking for Credit

Natalie Wiest wrote:
> 
> I am considering offering kayaking as a for-credit physical education
> offering here at Texas A&M University at Galveston.  The "flavor" of the
> kayaking is almost certain to be sea kayaking since there is no appreciable
> whitewater within a 2 hour driving distance and campus is right on the
> Galveston Channel.  Are you aware of any four year college or university
> that offers such a course?  I'm not talking recreation, but physical exercise.
[snip]
> This will be an interesting departure for me:  I'm a librarian by training
> and direct employment, and a long time paddler of kayaks and canoes.  The
> administration approached me about doing the kayak thing - who could resist
> such a temptation to combine vocation and avocation?

Sounds like fun.  Hope you do the class.  Small caveat -- secure support ahead of time from the
administrator(s) in charge for the right to "deselect" students who show inappropriate awareness
and/or care about safe practices on the water.  It only takes one meathead/bozo to make such a class
a trial instead of a triumph.

If you contact others in your area who teach similar watersport classes, they will have an array of
approaches to this problem -- one will probably fit your style and comfort level.

Re:  is this sort of class taught elsewhere.  Yup.  Lots of community colleges do this kind of
thing, although most finesse liability other issues through a "club" type of format, and do not seek
to award academic credit for it.

Like you, I have training in another area, and sometimes teach classes out of my "official"
expertise -- pretty common at community colleges.

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************