Please fill out the education survey at: http://aerc.org/survey.asp. You will use your AERC number as an identifier to validate your vote. The survey will be available starting on October 10 and will close November 10.
The Education Committee, with the help of Mike Maul, will be conducting an electronic survey of you, the AERC membership, in the October time frame. Please be on the lookout for an e-mail with the subject line "Education Survey" and please do respond.
AERC members, both through the Education Committee and as individuals, have created great educational material, provided in multiple ways:
-- In person contact through formal and informal seminars, the AERC convention program, and mentoring
-- Electronically through the AERC website, e-mail exchanges, and electronic discussion groups
-- Paper through great articles in Endurance News and annual mailings to the membership.
The Education Committee's charter calls for us to "gather and disseminate information pertaining to the riding of horses over long distances . . ."
We have done an excellent job of the "gathering" of educational material. But in disseminating ("to spread abroad as through sowing seed," according www.merriam-webster.com) I believe we -- AERC and the AERC EC -- can do better.
Therefore the EC has agreed to focus on the following question: How do we substantively increase the dissemination of education to the membership though in person, paper, and electronic means?
Your answers to the EC electronic questionnaire will provide valuable input so that we can disseminate the information to you in ways that will meet your needs. Your input is key to determining our focus and priorities.
As background for answering the questionnaire, here is a brief summary of the the EC work plan from now until the 2009 convention:
Supporting the convention. AERC's theme for the 2009 convention is "Best Condition." The EC will support the convention by assisting the office in choosing educational speakers, running mini-clinics at the trade show, and manning the AERC education booth. We may offer an all-day educational seminar pre- or post-convention if the questionnaire determines there is a market for this.
Education through online discussion groups. More EC members will proactively participate in the electronic discussion groups in order to point AERC members and prospective members to sources of appropriate educational material on the AERC website or elsewhere.
Mentorship and outreach programs. The EC is analyzing means to substantively increase the effectiveness of the mentorship and outreach program. We are working on development of a "star-rated" mentor program, and expanding the "ask a mentor" program. The committee is also exploring the use of the mentor program for proactive outreach to new members.
Website review/update. The questionnaire will cover use of the website's education pages.
Seminars. We plan to facilitate Beyond the Basics clinics in all regions within the next two years, and New Rider seminar presentations at the majority of AERC rides.
Educational videos. The questionnaire will determine if there is interest in educational videos, and the best format for them.
The topics just discussed summarize different means of educating yourself to become a better endurance rider. We hope for the sake of your horse that you are using these opportunities. In summary, we have developed great education material. We need your input to know what works for you. Please answer the electronic questionnaire and/or contact members of the EC directly.
