NCOAE Curriculum
Getting to the Core of the NCOAE Curriculum, Part 1
…When it comes to describing the course of study for a school or university, the word “curriculum” is most often used, and it traditionally references all of the courses offered at a particular institution. Curriculum has been described as “a path for students to follow,” which is actually fitting when you think about the backcountry…
Wilderness Medicine
Wilderness Medicine and First Aid: Knowing What to Pack
…Backcountry and wilderness expeditions and daytrips can be a blast! One minute you’re stimulated by the views and having fun, and in some instances, the next minute you’re on the ground after tripping on a rock, asking yourself, “Where did all that blood come from?” Having the right medical supplies can turn a potential disaster…
NCOAE Curriculum
Understanding The NCOAE Curriculum, Part 4
…Judging from the headline atop this particular blog post, you can gather that this is the fourth in a series of posts about the curriculum we offer here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE). And if you haven’t taken a look at the first three installments, it would behoove you to do…
Staff Profiles
Get to Know Us: Ricardo Flores, NCOAE Field Instructor
…The thing that makes Ricardo Flores exceedingly well qualified to serve as a National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education field instructor is his love of the outdoors and experience in group dynamics through his corporate management experience. Specifically, Ricardo formerly worked as a logistics manager and a project manager for Proctor & Gamble, which…
Meet the Team
Meet the Staff: Kate Javes, NCOAE EMT Instructor, Clinical Coordinator and AHA Training Site Coordinator
…Kate Javes has been a huge part of NCOAE’s continued success for a number of years, most recently as our EMS program director. Recently, Kate has decided to step back from that leadership role following three years of developing our Hybrid EMT training program. In addition, Kate oversaw all of our EMT and AEMT courses…
NCOAE Curriculum
Understanding the NCOAE Curriculum, Part 3
…It hasn’t been a speedy process but we continue be excited about the deep dive we’re offering up on the curriculum offered here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE). As you might recall, our last blog post on this topic covered the educational group (Ed Group) topics of feelings identification, levels…
NCOAE Curriculum
Leave No Trace Figures Big in NCOAE’s Curriculum
…We’re sure the good folks over at the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics know this, but tt was Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, the father of Boy Scouting, who coined the phrase, “Try and leave this world a little better than you found it.” This retired British Army officer and founder of the scouting…
NCOAE Curriculum
Getting to the Core of the NCOAE Curriculum, Part 2
In Part 1 of this series, we told you about the unique curriculum offered here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) and the fact that its focus is much more than just developing outdoor skills for our students and adult course participants. In addition to teaching how to best use nimble feet…
Outdoor Education
The Value of Outdoor Education to Your Students and School’s Curriculum
…At NCOAE we understand the value of outdoor education and aim to incorporate outdoor and adventure-based experiential education into student’s curricula!…
NOLS and Outward Bound
What’s the Difference Between NOLS, Outward Bound, and Other Outdoor Programs?
…Curious what separates NCAOE from other outdoor programs like Outward Bound & NOLS? Check out our blog to learn more about the differences!…
NCOAE Curriculum
Thoughts on NCOAE’s 2016 ‘Instructor Candidate’ Workshop
By Stephen Mullaney, NCOAE Staff Development Director When The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) got together to host a multi-day “invitation only” event for instructional candidates, we took the same care as we would when building a campfire. As a rule, wood doesn’t burn on its own. It’s the gases released, along…
Outdoor Education
The Value of NCOAE’s Curriculum Focusing on Leadership and Personal Growth
…What happens when someone answers the call to outdoor adventure and enrolls in a wilderness education, outdoor education, or backcountry expedition like the ones we offer at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE)? They’re pretty much guaranteed they’ll be engaged in an experience that involves adventure, challenges, and fun, but most important…
Training & Certifications
Spend Thanksgiving in Patagonia With NCOAE’s 31-Day Outdoor Educator Training
…What are your plans for Thanksgiving? Here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education, we’re expanding our outdoor educator-training program on a global scale and announcing a month-long training expedition that culminates in a Thanksgiving celebration in Patagonia — a remote region at the southernmost end of South America that is shared by…
Staff Profiles
Staff Profile: NCOAE Co-Founder and Director of Operations Celine Adair
…Editor’s Note: In our continuing effort to introduce the staff at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), we decided we’d go straight to the top of the ladder and quiz Celine Adair, our co-founder and director of operations. Celine is in charge of a lot of things here at NCOAE, including grant…
NCOAE Recommends
How to Find Your Perfect Outdoor Partner
…It stands to reason that the success or failure of any non-solo outdoor adventure depends to a great degree on the person or people accompanying you. As a result, and long before you head out the door on your next adventure, you’ll want to ensure you don’t select a partner who can quickly turn either…
Outdoor Educator Training
Look Up! Cloud Identification and What the Clouds are Telling Us (Part 3)
…As we outlined in earlier parts of this series, our instructors are expected to possess a wealth of experiences, as well as areas of knowledge and skills that educate and keep course participants safe, engaged, and active in the backcountry. An example of that is learning about cloud formations and their relationship to weather. Just…
NCOAE Recommends
Summer 2016 Reading Recommendations From NCOAE
…No doubt about it. The wilderness is an absolutely inspiring place to visit. However, we certainly can’t be hanging out in the forests or atop the mountains all the time. So how do we stay connected and inspired? One excellent way to remain in contact with nature is through books — allowing words to describe…
NCOAE Recommends
Recommended Reads: Turning the Page on Adventure
As another summer draws to a close, your adventures may have come, gone, or never materialized. No matter which one of these is part of your Summer 2019 your story, it’s always nice to stay in the adventure mindset. That’s why we here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education decided to put…
Accreditation
Cognia Accreditation Further Demonstrates NCOAE’s Commitment to Excellence
…Learn more about NCOAE‘s upcoming accreditation with Cognia, allowing us to continue to improve out wilderess and emergency medicine training….
Life At NCOAE
Gratitude is an Action Word for NCOAE Staff
…Gratitude is most often used as a noun, describing as it does, the feeling of being thankful. This warm and comforting word is often bandied about during the holidays, when we reflect upon all of the things for which we are grateful. But for some of us — and in particular, many of our staff…


