Aerial Adventure Environments With HKPropel Access

Aerial Adventure Environments: The Theory and Practice of the Challenge Course, Zip Line, and Canopy Tour Industry With HKPropel Access provides a comprehensive and practical introduction to the aerial adventure industry. The first of its kind, this text combines the key components of high and low ropes challenge courses, zip lines, canopy tours, and aerial adventure parks into one essential guide for students and existing professionals.

Written by leading experts with both practical experience and theoretical knowledge in the field and endorsed by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT), the Professional Ropes Course Association (PRCA), and the European Ropes Course Association (ERCA), this complete resource contains the foundational information needed to understand the industry of aerial adventure environments. It provides practitioners with the tools they need to lead successful adventure experiences whether they are working directly with participants, designing and building structures, training staff, or conducting operational and marketing activities.

Readers will learn about the historical beginnings and global development of the industry, the theory and fundamentals behind aerial adventure programming, facility and equipment management, personnel training, and operational guidelines. The text presents practical information on understanding the desired outcomes of a variety of clients and how to design and deliver safe, effective, and inclusive adventure experiences with consideration for self-directed, guided, and facilitated experiences. The discussions of professional competencies and current industry issues and trends, as well as tips on how to obtain training, equip readers for success in the profession.

Chapter objectives, summaries, and review questions reinforce learning, and Putting It Into Practice elements illustrate practical applications of the content. Related online materials delivered via HKPropel include 21 checklists and forms that provide real-world value and include sample participant evaluation forms, job descriptions, challenge course questionnaires, program plans, and more. Special features throughout the book highlight four themes critical to the aerial adventure environment profession:

• Risk Management sidebars demonstrate how the management of risk must be embedded in every stage of the experience.
• Active Participatory Experience sidebars emphasize the hands-on nature of aerial adventures, whereby participants choose their level of challenge and their own adventures.
• Industry Standards sidebars cover best practices for subjects such as equipment selection, facility development, practitioner competencies, and management decisions.
• Social Justice and Human Diversity sidebars focus on the recent expansion of participants in aerial adventure experiences and the importance of inclusivity.

Aerial Adventure Environments is at the cutting edge of this exciting and fast-growing sector of the outdoor adventure industry and is an invaluable resource for navigating the industry and understanding current practices, philosophies, and trends.

Note: A code for accessing HKPropel is included with all print books.

Audience

Upper-undergraduate and graduate students in recreation courses, such as aerial adventure programming, team building leadership, ropes course facilitation, challenge course programming, and adventure education and facilitation. Also a reference for recreational professionals who lead adventure experiences.

Part I. Back to the Basics

Chapter 1. Introduction to the Aerial Adventure Industry
What Is an Aerial Adventure Environment?
A Different Outdoor Industry
Aerial Adventure Professionals
Professional Associations
Summary
Review Questions

Chapter 2. History of Aerial Adventure Environments
A Common History
Development in the United States
Development in Canada
Development in Europe
Development in Japan
Development in Costa Rica
Facility Changes
Understanding What Was Happening
Summary
Review Questions

Chapter 3. Purpose of Aerial Adventure Environments
Goal Orientations
Organizational Alignment
Summary
Review Questions

Chapter 4. Fundamentals of Aerial Adventure Operating Systems
Low Activities
High Activities
Summary
Review Questions

Part II. Learning the Ropes

Chapter 5. Facility Design, Installation, Inspection, and Maintenance
Design
Installation
Inspection
Maintenance
Summary
Review Questions

Chapter 6. Equipment Systems
Equipment in AAEs
Systems Approach
Selection
Use
Care
Summary
Review Questions

Chapter 7. Personnel
Who Are the Personnel?
Understanding the Participant
Preparing Aerial Adventure Leaders
Summary
Review Questions

Chapter 8. Operations
Layers of Operational Guidelines
Nodes of Operational Management
Summary
Review Questions

Part III. Delivering the Experience

Chapter 9. Knowing Your Audience
Mead’s Stages of a Recreational Experience
Obtaining Participant Information
Risk Management and Legal Information
Providing Inclusive Programming
Summary
Review Questions

Chapter 10. Designing the Experience
Symbolic Interaction Theory
Program Outcomes
Understanding Domains for Participant Success
Sequencing
Program Plan
Summary
Review Questions

Chapter 11. Facilitating the Experience
Common Theory and Concepts of Facilitation
Facilitator Techniques
Summary
Review Questions

Chapter 12. Evaluation and Post-Experience Operations
Role of Evaluation
How Evaluation Is Done in AAEs
Levels of Evaluation
AAE Evaluation in Today’s World
Follow-Up
Summary
Review Questions

Part IV. Professional Preparation

Chapter 13. Professional Competencies
AAP Competencies
Summary
Review Questions

Chapter 14. Career Preparation
Career Development Model
Career Overview
Professional Preparation
Summary
Review Questions

Chapter 15. State of the Profession
Supporting Research
Current Issues
Summary
Review Questions

Elizabeth (Liz) Speelman, PhD, is a senior lecturer in the outdoor education program at Georgia College and State University, and she teaches challenge course, group development, and facilitation classes. She is also the director of the Outdoor Center at Georgia College, where she works with both university and community groups on the challenge course.

Speelman has facilitated and managed challenge courses since 2002. She earned her PhD with her meta-analysis on challenge course research, and she continues to focus on the current state of outcome-based challenge course research. She earned her Challenge Course Manager certification in 2018. She is a member of the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) and served on the research committee from 2010 to 2016. She is also a current member and former board member of the Association for Experiential Education (AEE).

Mark Wagstaff, EdD, is a professor of recreation, parks, and tourism at Radford University. He teaches a challenge course leadership class and oversees the Radford University challenge course program, which he founded in 2004. Wagstaff has managed and worked on challenge courses since 1988.

Wagstaff has conducted research and published articles on various challenge course topics. He has coauthored and coedited numerous publications, including Outdoor Leadership: Theory and Practice, Controversial Issues in Adventure Programming, and Technical Skills for Adventure Programming. He is currently a member of the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) and serves on their research committee. He is also a member of the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE).

Scott Jordan, PhD, is an associate professor in the Northern Michigan University outdoor recreation leadership and management degree program. Jordan has 16 years of experience managing challenge course programs and consulting in the challenge course industry, encompassing zipline canopy tours, aerial adventure park construction, and operational standards. Jordan is a former board member for the Professional Ropes Course Association (PRCA) and assisted in the development of the Ropes Challenge Course Installation, Operation and Training Standards (ANSI/PRCA 1.0-.3-2014).

Kathy Haras, PhD, is the vice president of Adventureworks! Associates in Dundas, Ontario, where she is responsible for risk management, quality assurance, and inspection services. She is a licensed zip line mechanic in the province of Ontario and an Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) level 2 professional inspector (with supervisor endorsement). She provides challenge course programming, installation, inspection, training, certification, and consulting services at approximately 80 sites annually and presents extensively on challenge course topics. Haras is currently the chair of the ACCT Design, Performance, and Inspection Standards Writing Committee.

Goal orientations of aerial adventure experiences
Participant evaluation of programs
Professional associations bring together like-minded professionals
What is an aerial adventure environment?

All ancillaries are free to adopting instructors through HKPropel.

Test package. Contains at least 20 questions per chapter in true-false, fill-in-the-blank, essay and short-answer, and multiple-choice formats. The files may be downloaded for integration with a learning management system or printed as paper-based tests. Instructors may also create their own customized quizzes or tests from the test bank questions to assign to students directly through HKPropel. Multiple-choice and true-false questions are automatically graded and student scores can be reviewed by instructors in the platform.

Instructors also receive access to all student materials in HKPropel. For Aerial Adventure Environments, this includes 21 downloadable checklists and forms from the book, including spotlights on various organization types, participant evaluation forms for zip line and challenge courses, job descriptions, facilitation log, challenge course questionnaires, staff skills evaluation form, program plans for varying outcomes, and precourse letter and interview questions. Also included are three unique documents consisting of a pre-use inspection form, a training plan worksheet, and an operations worksheet.