Assignment Requirements: Your first assignment will help you keep a record of all that you learn during Semester 1. It will demonstrate how far your development and understanding of the basic competencies and skills underpinning safe participation in canoeing and kayaking have progressed providing evidence for LO1 namely your ability to participate safely, within a group, while canoeing and kayaking in inland and coastal environments and LO3 your ability to accurately self-evaluate your own level of skill, knowledge, and understanding with respect to a water-based adventure activity. It is worth 50% of your overall grade for this module.

Task: Complete all sections of the Reflective Journal for Semester 1. Much of it is of a personal nature and is best completed as soon after your practical session as possible. The theory pages, however, will require some additional research and as much detail as possible, please cite all research undertaken appropriately using APA (see SSHES handbook).

How will your reflective writing be marked?

A full breakdown of the assessment criteria and percentage weighting for each section of your journal is provided below however, the following is taken from Moon’s* guidance on levels of reflective writing and will hopefully provide you with help in gaining the grade you want.

• Journal entries containing only descriptive entries such as the following are adequate, expect D grades. No self-questioning. Emotions not explored. No standing back from the event. No external information considered

• Journal entries containing descriptive entries with some reflection such as the following are good, expect C grades. Some questions raised but not answered. Emotions beginning to be questioned. Some distance from the event. Some reference to external information.

• Journal entries containing descriptive entries with more reflection such as the following is very good, expect B grades. Evidence of self-questioning. Emotions placed in context and questioned. Evidence of standing back and questioning the event. Reference made to theory or literature

• Journal entries containing descriptive entries with deeper levels of reflection such as the following is excellent, expect A grades. Critical analysis of self and own behaviour. Recognition of the role of emotions in shaping events. Examination & appraisal of a range of perspectives. Integration of literature properly referenced

Submission: Handwritten or typed submissions are acceptable. If you are submitting a handwritten version please ensure your handwriting is legible; take a photo or scan each page and insert them into ONE SINGLE document. Turnitin will only allow one document per assignment to be submitted. If you wish to type up your journal, the relevant pages are attached for you to download and fill in.

An assignment briefing will take place in the library at Normal Site on 24/11/20 after which one-on-one tutorials are available at any time by arrangement from this date until the deadline.

Please submit your journal via Turnitin by 9am on Monday 30/11/20. Please note the University is very strict on hand in dates and times. Assignments handed in after this time will be capped at 40% unless you have applied to SSHES Admin for an extension due to mitigating circumstances and have sent their permission to the module leader via email before the deadline.

Assignment Specific Marking Criteria

1. Language & Composition: Has the student used clearly expressed language throughout? (2.5%)
2. Referencing: Has the student used the correct referencing as per the SHESS guidelines on Blackboard? (2.5%)
3. Reflective Journal and Personal Evaluation: Using Moon’s 'Journal Entries' guidance above how would you rate the students' reflective writing? (35%)
4. Equipment: Has the student described the personal and safety equipment a beginner should consider buying and explained any advantages or disadvantages of kit such as wetsuit compared to drysuit, nylon spraydeck compared to a neoprene one. (10%)
5. Boat design: Has the student described the range of boat/board designs currently on the market and explained what type of paddling discipline each design is best suited to (10%)
6. History of paddlesport: Has the student described the history of paddlesports, from its various origins across the globe to the present day. (10%)
7. Paddlesport Fundamentals: Has the student described posture, connectivity, power transfer and feel, as per British Canoeing literature and explained they are important for their skill development and how they help the new paddler become more effective and efficient. (10%)
8. Paddling environments: Has the students identified correctly types of paddling environments suitable for a beginner and explained what makes them so. Have they also provided local examples? (10%)

9. Access: Has the student provided a description and detailed explanation of the factors and issues surrounding access to water within the UK? Has the student also outlined the differences across the 4 Home Nations? (10%)

10. Moon, J (2004) A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning, Routledge Falmer, London.

Assignment Requirements: Here in North Wales, we are lucky enough to be surrounded by a wonderful coastline and seas that experience seemingly unfathomable tides, which even when you think you have mastered their calculation can change due to the weather. If you can plan and paddle in the seas off the coast of Anglesey, you can paddle anywhere in the world.

Your second assignment will provide evidence of your ability to identify, understand and adapt to the changing environmental hazards associated with canoeing and kayaking (LO2), It will further demonstrate your development and understanding of basic competencies and skills that underpin safe participation in canoeing and kayaking specifically with regards to coastal kayaking. It is worth 50% of your overall grade for this module.

Task: To plan a coastal kayaking day trip. During this semester you have been taught the importance of taking into account the tide, weather, and topography of the coastline when planning a coastal kayaking trip. This information is vital in helping you to risk assess the trip you are undertaking and create a safe and effective passage plan. Your task is to create similar plans to those you carried out in class for a day trip in a given area, all the necessary planning information, chart, and map extracts have been provided in your planning pack.

Specifically, your plans you must include:

1. A completed tide time matrix
2. An in-depth analysis of the example synoptic charts and an interpretation of how they will affect the sea state and your group. These example charts depict the weather you can expect to experience during your expedition, rather than the actual weather forecasted.
3. A detailed risk assessment for the trip, identifying hazards, and providing control measures to reduce the risks caused by these hazards.
4. A completed passage plan.
5. Good prior planning will prevent many issues that arise due to ignorance, sometimes, however, with all the best planning in the world things can still go wrong. Explain what action you would take to safeguard yourself, your group, and the casualty in the following scenarios:
6. A simple capsize at sea, that is complicated by the swimmer letting go of their boat;
7. A debilitating case of seasickness in a group member whilst at sea;
8. One other identified in your risk assessment

Submission: A briefing seminar will take place in the library on Normal Site at 11am on 12/10/20 after which one-on-one tutorials will be available at any time from this date until the deadline, please email t.burke@bangor.ac.uk to make an appointment, these can be face-to-face or via Teams.

Please SCAN ALL PAGES of this assignment AS ONE DOCUMENT and then submit this single document through Turnitin by: 9am on Monday 15th March 2021. Please note that Turnitin will not allow you to submit more than a single document for any one assignment.

Please remember the University is very strict on hand in dates and times. Assignments handed in after this time will be capped at 40% unless you have applied to SSHES Admin for an extension due to mitigating circumstances and have sent their permission to the module leader via email before the deadline.

Assignment Specific Marking Criteria

1. Detailed Tidal Timing Matrix showing: Tide direction and rate each hour, expected sea state each hour, identification of possible issues due to the state of the tide each hour.

2. Detailed journey planner containing details relating to the route: i.e., Latitude and longitude references, bearings, distances, etc.

3. Detailed analysis of historical Synoptic charts, meaning explained and interpretation correct

4. A detailed risk assessment. Please add a copy of the map or chart extract with the identified environmental hazards marked on it for reference.

5. A detailed ‘what if plan’ for 3 scenarios, the two given and one further one identified in your risk assessment.

6. Presentation of work: clear, concise, good language and grammar

• 20-30 minutes of reflection in your Journals at home following each practical session
• 10 hours of private study required for assignment 1
• 10 hours of private work put into the production of assignment 2

• A 3-hour seminar introducing assignment 1
• A 3-hour seminar introducing assignment 2

Practical sessions in Year 1 take place on Wednesdays and alternate with the Land-based practical sessions. These sessions are aimed at providing you with real-life experience in which the human responses to the outdoors and performance in the outdoors can be examined. They are valuable sessions that enable you to see, first hand, how the theory learned in class is applied by professional coaches in the field.

The first 5 sessions in semester 1 introduce you to the fundamentals of canoeing and kayaking on lakes and rivers. There is a dedicated pool session to teach you rolling as well, normally saved for December when it's very cold and very wet or even snowing! The first semester's sessions cover LO1 and 3 namely:

1. Participate safely, within a group, while canoeing and kayaking in inland and coastal environments.

2. Develop and understand basic competencies and skills that underpin safe participation in canoeing and kayaking.

Semester 2 provides a change of scene, taking advantage of the wonderful Anglesey Coastline. During semester 2 you will be introduced to sea kayaking and taught to plan coastal trips and navigate on the sea, taking into account the extreme tidal flow in this area. These are complex tidal waters and it is often said that if you can navigate here, you can navigate anywhere in the world. This semester's work covers the following learning outcomes:

1. Participate safely, within a group, while canoeing and kayaking in inland and coastal environments.
2. Identify, understand, and adapt to the changing environmental hazards associated with canoeing and kayaking.
3. Develop and understand basic competencies and skills that underpin safe participation in canoeing and kayaking.

An ability to plan tidal trips is essential for those hoping to complete a sea kayaking expedition in the second year and as such we will put all students through the British Canoeing 'Coastal Navigation and Tidal Planning' course. This day-long course is run in February again when the weather is at its worst and people are happy to be inside. There is some theory in the morning, followed by an afternoon of practical planning activity. This day is essential in helping you to complete Assignment 2 and preparing you for an overnight expedition which will take place at the end of the semester.

It is important to note here that the delivery of the practical sessions for Water-based Leading and Coaching in year 2 are very different. These are divided into three blocks to take maximum advantage of the weather conditions and water temperatures. Consolidated effort like this also ensures maximum learning and retention of your newly acquired skills. It also frees up alternate Fridays for personal development in the outdoors and time to complete work for your second assignment in year 2. Make a note in your diaries now regarding the following dates:

1. Block 1: 3 full days of practical activity in September the week before Fresher's Week, this will include activities such as :
2. Coasteering on the West Coast of Anglesey
3. Wild swimming in the Menai Straits and

4. Rolling and rescue practice either in the surf or at Four Mile Bridge on Anglesey

5. Block 2: 3 full days of white water kayaking during marking week in January

6. Block 3: 4 days of Training and Assessment in Paddlesport Leadership and Paddlesport Instruction during the first week of the exams in May.