Nitrox and other academic lessons online

[Diver0001]

PADI has announced its intention to put the Nitrox course online. Is this good for the dive industry and safe for the divers?

I haven't read the other responses yet but I'll say this.

It's fine by me if someone does the theory for any of the courses online as long as they can convince me that they know it.

I'd have a problem with online courses that result in certifications without the double-check of an instructor because you just can't be sure that the person you *think* did the test, really did the test.

R..

 

[Blackwood]

Maybe I'm off base, but I don't see pool or OW dives being replaced by on-line training.

I think as long as you have access to an actual instructor to address whatever questions you may have, the internet is just as good (if not better) a way to convey the information as hard-format books/videos.

 

[redacted]

Don't want to hijack the thread, but can someone explain to me the problem with On-line training for the academic portion of OW or any other class?

Using OW as an example, rather than reading the book and answering the questions then going over them with the instructor in the class you read the stuff on-line, answer the questions and the computer tells you when you are wrong. In both cases you then go to a pool for training and to OW for checkout dives. In my case it would have allowed me to save an hour in a class the 4 nights we did training and just go to the pool.

Maybe I'm off base, but I don't see pool or OW dives being replaced by on-line training.

It's simply a matter of costs, fees, and the distribution of those fees. Somehow, I suspect, the initial solutions will have the divers paying more so agencies, shops, and instructors don't lose anything.

 

[nilsdiver]

I have decided I'm got start my own online training organization to offer Nitrox training all online. In fact trimix is just another gas so there will be all online class for that too!!!

 

[Steve SDI/TDI HQ]

Online education, distance learning, eLearning have been the mainstay of advanced eduction for many years... I worked at IBM a generation ago and we used it then. I did the academics for an MBA online. There is little difference in reading a book or reading a computer screen except the latter has the added benefit of being able to deliver content-rich media and books with sound and movie clips don't exist.

The future of education... including diving education... in not in textbooks. We have something better available and we are using it.

We've had online nitrox (SDI computer nitrox) for a couple of years... we've had an online open water program for more than five. We also have several specialties online. Eventually, I would not be surprised to see TDI course work online too.

It's an option and a good one. It's academics that's all. no more no less.

I think I deliver a pretty good classroom lecture... but sometimes, I have off days... If I could record the good days and send the mp3 to my students, I'd do it. That's not poor teaching. That's progress.

 

[fireflock]

There's nothing to be learned about diving on them internets.

Who cares where or how someone learns the theory, as long as they know it. I always felt like an idiot who wasted my time preparing before class for every specialty class I've taken. The material is not very difficult if you have any kind of comfort with numbers and/or physiology, and I would have paid extra for the option to test out of sitting there for an hour or two of lecture.

 

[boulderjohn]

I'm guessing Open Water is next. I predicted this months ago and want credit when all PADI SCUBA classes are online with a quick checkout dive Someplace Warm on vacation.

Terry

Terry,

So far no agency has eliminated one second of pool or open water experience time in a program that offers the academics online. I have not seen any evidence that any agency has suggested they are thinking of doing this.

You have offered this opiinion before.

Do you know something I don't? Can you give the evidence you have for this repeated assertion?

 

[Teamcasa]

There's nothing to be learned about diving on them internets.

Who cares where or how someone learns the theory, as long as they know it. I always felt like an idiot who wasted my time preparing before class for every specialty class I've taken. The material is not very difficult if you have any kind of comfort with numbers and/or physiology, and I would have paid extra for the option to test out of sitting there for an hour or two of lecture.

I feel exactly the same way. Let me study on my own time then just hand me the test.

The physical skills part may/should need visual conformation by an instructor.

 

[nilsdiver]

I would have paid extra for the option to test out of sitting there for an hour or two of lecture.

I feel exactly the same way. Let me study on my own time then just hand me the test.

The physical skills part may/should need visual conformation by an instructor.

I would pay extra for an instructor that provides useful, interesting, entertaining lectures that are not a re-hash of what I already read. I have been in too many situations (ok 1 is too many) where lecture time is for lame videos, tests, cover the material for people that did not read the book, or just cut short if everyone read the book and passed the test.

 

[miked]

I agree with those who said the intro to nitrox course( <40%) is the one that most lends itself to online study and testing.
Regarding using the analysers- they are different enough that the shop giving the fill should be able to help -possibly for a small fee??