Learning Environment

Instruction style

The COLT director hires instructors for the COLT program who are not only experts in their given field, but who are educators as well. These are people who are passionate about teaching their skills. They pass them on to you in a fun, supportive and structured way, specifically so you can eventually pass them on to someone else.

The purpose of the COLT program is not to be guided up a mountain or down a river, but for you to learn how to do it yourself. The instructors are there to teach and to keep you safe, but also to let you make mistakes and, more importantly, help you learn from them. As the course progresses you will take on more leadership responsibility until the students are leading the trips and the instructors are only participating.

Classroom

COLT utilizes indoor and outdoor classrooms to optimize skill retention and understanding. Evenings at the Lodge are often spent learning skills in a theoretical setting or watching educational movies. During the day is when the real learning takes place in a hands on supportive environment. It’s a group centred education. You’ll learn everything with your peers. We’ve found it to be one of the best ways to learn to live and work in a team. It’s a formula that encourages success.

Feedback

Regular oral feedback throughout the course is followed up with a written evaluation and interview with the COLT director at the middle and end of the semester. All earned certificates, including a COLT Certificate, will be mailed out to the student after the course.