Scouting U/National sanctioned virtual IOLS is now a reality

[mashmaster]

I am hopeful this is not the way it will be long term.  I realize it probably is the way it will be.  

In person training is just so much far superior in most ways with good instructors.  I think parts of IOLS can be done well online like the SM fundamentals portions, but the outdoor skills, really need to be done in person.  Have you ever tried to teach someone to tie a knot virtually?  It is a frustrating experience for both people.  You really need to see and interact with the student to understand how to best help them.

We have adapted our Sea Scout meetings to have somethings done online and other things in person. There are things that do work but many do not.  IOLS is one of those things IMHO that needs to be hands on.

Sea Badge/Wood Badge for example can be taught online but you lose the most important part of the training which is the networking that is achieved.  I have gained so many friends/helpers from taking and staffing those courses that I wouldn't have gotten if they were online.  e.g. One of the people taking Sea Badge happenned to be a climbing Cope instructor.  Our scouts wanted to go climbing, I rang up my new friend and he helped our scouts get that setup.

[TAHAWK]

THERE IS STILL HOPE

 

[Protoclete]

My district, along with one other, just ran an authorized pilot of virtual IOLS. It was hugely successful. We are aware of one other pilot program that was not, but we suspect a significant part of that is ours retained the patrol method and the other did not for some reason. 

And to be clear, when I say ours, I had nothing to do with the planning or the staff, and only a small presentation. The work was all done by others who were outstanding. I merely get the benefit of more trained adults in my district.

It is something Scouters in our Council have been agitating for, for years. We are the largest council in BSA, and my district is the second largest in the council, third or fourth largest overall - the distance between my two most distant units is equal to the distance from San Francisco to Washington, DC. 

Requiring in-person IOLS or BALOO simply. does. not. work. here. Most of our units simply do not have people trained in BALOO or IOLS or anything else that BSA until recently absolutely required to be in person. At best, it would mean taking a weekend, spending over $1000 in travel and lodging, and traveling across three or four countries to get to a training. At worst, it is a continent away. 

So, while I am among the first to extol the priority of in-person over virtual training and experience for a lot of things, for this, I'm glad to say its about darn time this was offered. It is sad it took a global pandemic to make the powers that be acknowledge the needs of our daily reality, but it is a step in the right direction. 

When the pandemic is over, it really must be retained as an option for councils or districts where geography is a real factor. 

[InquisitiveScouter]

So, a synchronized event, because others must participate together at the same time??

Basically a webinar??

How long was long the course?

[CynicalScouter]

2 hours ago, Protoclete said:

My district, along with one other, just ran an authorized pilot of virtual IOLS. It was hugely successful.

Interesting. I was told that the pilots (National Capital Area Council) were deemed failures and that virtual IOLS was sent back to the drawing board. Looks like yours was a success, glad to see it.

[Protoclete]

22 hours ago, CynicalScouter said:

Interesting. I was told that the pilots (National Capital Area Council) were deemed failures and that virtual IOLS was sent back to the drawing board. Looks like yours was a success, glad to see it.

I'm guessing this was the result of the 'going back to the drawing board' improvements.