SparticleBrane
Contributor
My problem with AOW is that most of the thing in it aren't adequate, or I feel they should be taught in OW...
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My problem with AOW is that most of the thing in it aren't adequate, or I feel they should be taught in OW...
I don't think they aren't adequate, I just think there are too many instructors/shops who are "diver factories" just seeing how many they can pump out per week. So it gets to a point with some where a student doesn't have to demonstrate mastery of a skill as much as he/she just has to go through the motions and give the illusion of mastery.
Which brings up some interesting points of implementation ...Just a few things off the top of my head -- night diving, deeper diving, navigation. I think those should be included in OW. They're not particularly difficult and wouldn't take too much time to add to the curriculum.
The main thing I feel that is inadequate in AOW is how the deeper dives usually seem to be conducted. "Dive deep, back on the boat with 500. Don't run out of air." Most people don't seem to have any sort of gas management taught.
Perhaps my main hangup is the attitude of most instructors -- "You did great!" when the students actually suck.
I absolutely recognize that there are fantastic instructors who teach way beyond the basics, but I also know they're few and far between. Daniel from what I've seen you post, I'd venture to say that you're one of the rare types.
Add DIR F to that and you've just described the GUE OW class that's been talked about for the past five years or so.Bingo, we have a winner!
I'd say that my dream OW course would be a few months long and cover everything that's currently taught in OW, nitrox AOW, and rescue. But hey, I'm not an instructor, so what do I know?
Just a few things off the top of my head -- night diving, deeper diving, navigation. I think those should be included in OW. They're not particularly difficult and wouldn't take too much time to add to the curriculum.
The main thing I feel that is inadequate in AOW is how the deeper dives usually seem to be conducted. "Dive deep, back on the boat with 500. Don't run out of air." Most people don't seem to have any sort of gas management taught.
Perhaps my main hangup is the attitude of most instructors -- "You did great!" when the students actually suck.
Bingo, we have a winner!
I'd say that my dream OW course would be a few months long and cover everything that's currently taught in OW, nitrox AOW, and rescue. But hey, I'm not an instructor, so what do I know?
Correct, I did. I will readily admit that there were a few places lacking, but I received a good underlying foundation and trim and buoyancy.Which brings up some interesting points of implementation ...
- How long should an OW class take?
- How many hours of pool time should be involved?
- How many dives should be involved?
- How much should it cost?
I believe, Sparticle, that you took your OW class as part of a college curriculum, yes? How did the questions above apply to your class?
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
The bottom line is that running a class such as that is $$$$$$, and people want cheap. The class I just outlined isn't feasible for most people, instructors or students.
Going back to the dive shop argument in the other thread -- I firmly believe that if we have divers who are better trained, dive shops would have more repeat customers. The mentality of a $200 class and then $2,500 worth of gear, and then the customer never dives again, has to go.