A Message From Your Alpine Task Force Chair
I hope that this finds you healthy and ready to make the most of the coming season. I have to say that getting back on the snow has made a huge difference in my mental well-being.
Because of the abrupt end to last season, the Alpine Task Force had more time than usual this summer to work on projects. The dedicated committee members used the extra time to jump start their summer projects. As a result, we were able to complete four great projects. The completed work product for two of them is now available to members on our website. A third is being used by Resort Trainers and the fourth is being incorporated into the process of how Examiners receive candidate feedback.
A new Alpine Movement Analysis Tool is now on-line to help members with training, exam preparation and lesson content. It can be found at: Western Alpine MA Tool. The tool consists of two parts:
- A workbook utilizing videos with step-by-step descriptions of the components of Movement Analysis.
- A quiz with questions to answer based on photos and videos. This tool has been developed for Levels 1, 2 and 3, and complements the materials in the Alpine Technical Manual and the Teaching Snowsports Manual.
Also now on-line is an Exam Task Key, which consists of comprehensive spread sheets that have been developed to help clarify what candidates are being assessed on in each task during Level 1, 2 and 3 exams. The Exam Task Key is intended for use by the Education Staff, Resort Trainers and individuals who are training for exams. It contains everything you need to know (and need to pass) the certification exams. Please check it out here.
Resort Trainer materials have been updated and reflect the changes that are happening throughout PSIA across the nation with the Learning Connection Model and the implementation of the Teaching and People Fundamentals into our curriculum.
The Examiner Peer Review program, wherein examiners receive real time feedback on how they are doing their jobs, along with the candidates’ survey feedback allows us to see areas for improvement in our overall staff training. This summer we recognized a concern about inconsistency in the amount of feedback and coaching different examiners were giving during the exam process. We are in the process of clarifying and training on examiner performance feedback.
I would like to thank the Alpine Task Force Members and other Ed Staff contributors for their time and talent in developing and completing these projects. If you see Ron Kipp, Carol Levine, El Furtney, Dan Ray, Dan Browning, Kelly Coffey, Heidi Ettlinger, Libbie Sheldon, Mamood Sabahi, Mike Costello, Mark Spieler, Patrick Harrington, and Terry Peters this winter give them a huge thanks. They put hundreds of hours into these projects this summer and we could not have completed the projects without them.
I look forward to seeing everybody on the mountain this winter. COVID has really driven home for me how much we all need social interaction and, of course, skiing. My Christmas wish is that Santa brings us all the vaccine soon so we can ski together and socialize by the end of winter. Please continue to stay safe–on and off the mountain.
-Lynnea Anderson, Alpine Task Force Chair
