Course Objectives

The aim of the course is to introduce students to outdoor life in the mountains, forests, along the coastline and on the various waterways of Norway. Students will acquire basic competence and skills in outdoor activities in all of these various environments, and will develop the necessary basic skills within the field of outdoor life. They will also learn to make demands concerning their own competence and work independently in developing this competence.

Course Description

The course is divided into three parts: coastline, mountains/forests and waterways.

- Coastline I, Skills and Knowledge:

• The importance of having enough energy in store when setting off on trips and hikes; choosing destinations and routes in accordance with one’s abilities, safety and realistic goals
• Taking responsibility for one’s own learning
• Outings in the wild: laws and regulations; the importance of leaving no traces behind
• Trip planning, sailing/rowing trips in groups, safety and guidelines for outings
• Sailing and rowing in small boats rigged with spritsails
• Lines, rigging and marlinspike seamanship.
• Mooring
• Finding shelter and establishing a campsite, setting up a lavo (a traditional Sami tent)
• Skerries and navigation, reading charts, deciding on destinations, choice of route
• Food, campfire and cooking utensils
• Fishing: nets, preparing fish, superstition and fishing
• Hygiene and first-aid along the coast
• Weather and weather signs
• Maintenance of boats and equipment
• The inhabitants of coastal Norway: the Nordic boat-builders, sail-makers, and lighthouse-keepers, fishermen and pilots
• Didactics: guidelines for outings, procedures, organisation, working methods, management and leadership

- Mountains/forests I, Skills and Knowledge:

• The importance of having enough energy in store when setting off on trips and hikes; choosing destinations and routes in accordance with one’s abilities, safety and realistic goals
• Taking responsibility for own learning
• Outings in the wild: laws and regulations; the importance of leaving no traces behind
• Planning trips; going on trips in groups; safety and guidelines for outings
• Clothes and equipment
• Shelter and making camp: choosing a campsite and making camp, constructing gapahuks (lean-to shelters), tents
• Orientation and route choice, charts and compasses, choice of destinations
• Food, building campfires and cooking utensils
• Harvesting and preparing berries and mushrooms
• Hygiene and first-aid in the forests and mountains
• Weather and weather signs
• People in the mountains: use of the mountains in a cultural-historical perspective
• Didactics: trip guidelines, procedures, organisation, working methods, management and
  leadership, learning from one another

- Waterways I, Skills and Knowledge:

• The importance of having enough energy in store when hiking in the wilderness, planning trips in accordance with one’s ability, choosing area according to ability, safety and objectives
• Taking responsibility for one’s own learning
• Outings in the wild: laws and regulations; the importance of leaving no traces behind
• Planning trips, paddling expeditions in groups, safety and trip guidelines
• Paddling canoes on calm water and in rapids, basic paddling techniques
• Inspection of rivers
• Wading in rivers
• Lifesaving: saving oneself in calm water and rapids
• Lifesaving: saving others in calm water and rapids
• Shelter and making camp: choice of campsite and making camp, canoe bivouac
• Orientation on route choice, reading maps, deciding on destination
• Food, campfire and cooking utensils
• Hygiene and first-aid on waterways
• Weather and weather signs
• People along the waterways: use of the waterways in a cultural-historical perspective, the river as a symbol, the history of the canoe, its use and development
• Didactics: trip guidelines, procedures, organisation, working methods, management and
  leadership, problem solving

Learning Methods

Instruction is given during the autumn semester. The course includes lectures, group work, and practical / problem-oriented guidance in connection with the trips in the various nature environments. The trips are obligatory and consist of 16 days with a guide and 7 days on an individual trip.
NB! All introductions to trips and group work concerning planning are obligatory.

Assessment Methods

Portfolio assessment and final oral assessment. The students will compile a portfolio for each part of their outdoor practice period. When the periods of outdoor practice in the practical courses are completed one of the portfolios will then be considered for assessment, and allocated a grade, which counts for 40% of the final grade. When the portfolio assessment has been completed, the students are given a final oral assessment, which is graded, and counts for 60% of the final mark. In order to be assessed orally, students must first have submitted all their portfolios, participated in the obligatory trips and individual trips and participated in other obligatory instruction.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean