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IAESS | Workshop Ski Easy |
By Emma Christiansen
The IAESS (International Association Snowsports at Schools and Universities) is an international organisation with the mission to contribute to the development of snowsports for everyone in educational and training institutions.
The IAESS presented 3 different workshops at Interski all on the same theme of inspiring future generations to participate in snowsports. I attended the SKI EASY clinic, which was a lecture in/ ski out clinic.
Prior to heading out on snow the Project Leader Rado described how and why SKI EASY came about. He explained SKI EASY was born due to the evolution of snowsports and because of lifestyle changes (diet, fitness, lack of coordination), experienced by many of our guests, especially our younger guests. Due to these factors and the increased costs involved, many children and families have less interest in participating in snowsports.
Therefore, the IAESS focused on raising awareness of the importance of physical activity outside in our mountain environment. The SKI EASY program has been developed to appeal to individuals, families, and groups to enter the world of snowsports in a quick, easy, and fun way. With the hope of improving guest experience by adapting and improving procedures, teaching methods, tools to inspire children to engage in physical activity through snowsports. With the goal of creating lifelong passion.
Ana a member of the Slovenian National Team led the on-snow portion of the clinic. She explained SKI EASY as an International 5 step learner centred model of teaching snowsports, specifically to children. The projects main objects are within the EASY acronym:
E (education): to promote education in and through sport with a special focus on ski instructor and learner skills and competence development; to enrich (self)employment possibilities for professional and dual career development; teaching module – SKI EASY certificate.
A (accessible): accessible learning and promoting participation in sport; Snowsports Days to reach the population of deprived children.
S (simple): simple communication – implementing an educational model of teaching skiing (ski alphabet, dictionaries, and lively engagement) for ski beginners of all partners’ linguistic groups to simplify the ski teaching process.
Y (youthful): a youthful, state-of-the-art and IT-driven approach to teaching (interactive games, gadgets and ICT applications [animated films], mobile platforms and multimedia technologies for overcoming language and cultural barriers).
The clinic was an interactive approach with practical examples and explanations that demonstrated the SKI EASY curriculum. Ana did this through many useful games, props, and fun analogies.
Thank you IAESS, Rado and Ana I wish your program great success!
