Paddle Sports Program Design & Curriculum Development Flashcards

What is the primary purpose of a post-session debrief in ACA paddling instruction?

Answer: To reinforce key learning, address student questions, and connect experiences to course objectives

A structured debrief consolidates learning by helping students articulate what they experienced, connect it to objectives, and identify what they will practice next, deepening retention.

Which feedback approach is most effective when correcting a paddling student's technique in an ACA course?

Answer: Provide specific, timely, constructively framed feedback focused on one or two key changes at a time

Timely, specific, limited feedback prevents information overload, allows students to act on the correction immediately while the movement is fresh, and builds confidence through achievable incremental improvements.

What does ACA recommend as the role of a 'capstone experience' at the end of a paddling course?

Answer: To allow students to demonstrate and integrate all skills learned through a realistic paddling scenario

A capstone experience gives students the opportunity to apply all course competencies in an authentic context, demonstrating readiness to paddle independently in real-world conditions.

In ACA program design, why are reflection activities included after on-water paddling sessions?

Answer: They deepen learning by encouraging students to process and internalize their experiences

Reflection bridges raw experience and lasting learning by prompting students to consciously analyze what they did, why it worked or did not, and how to apply the insight going forward.

What is the primary consideration when an ACA instructor selects a teaching site for a paddling course?

Answer: Site conditions must be appropriate for the skill level being taught and allow for safe instruction

Site selection must first ensure conditions match student skill level and instructional goals — placing beginners in conditions beyond their ability creates unnecessary risk and inhibits learning.

When a student in an ACA course consistently struggles with a specific paddling technique, what is the best instructor response?

Answer: Analyze where in the movement the breakdown occurs, simplify the task, and apply targeted feedback with focused practice

Effective remediation requires diagnosing the specific point of failure, breaking the skill into a more manageable progression, and applying precise feedback — rather than simply repeating the same instruction.

Which statement best describes the ACA principle of 'participant-centered instruction'?

Answer: Designing and adapting instruction based on the needs, goals, and learning styles of the individual students

Participant-centered instruction places the learner's needs, goals, and readiness at the core of all planning and delivery decisions, as opposed to teaching to a fixed script or the instructor's own preferences.