Continuing Education

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When I took my YMCA OW my instructor Cecelia Connelly really IMO turned out some great students. The class was long and no one slipped out of her class with a c card and very little skill. Her class was truly pass or fail and if you failed you were invited to try again in her next OW class, with out paying again of course. She had us doing fire drills chucking all of our gear in the pool diving in and gearing up, doing underwater gear exchanges, and lots of things I don't think are included in open water training much anymore. I remember her always saying your mask is a privilege not necessary for diving, and by the end of my OW class you should be comfortable operating all your gear blind. It was a good training class I got a ton out of. It was IIRC a 12 week OW class.
Most of the drills you just described are now in the DM training. Nowadays you can begin DM training with as little as 20 dives ... and complete it with 60. So you may have had more bottom time in your 12-week OW class than some of these DMC's have by the time they're considered dive leaders today.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
 
You have made it this far. Anyone planning on becoming a better and more knowledgeable diver this year? I see alot of questions on the board... What are you going to do this year to become a better diver?

I pretty much plan on just going diving a lot and enjoying myself, take the boat out, maybe spear a few fish, take some pictures, lobster season is over two months away so I plan on a lot of exploratory dives so I know where they are. Just kick back and relax with my diving. No plans.
 
Sounds like a good plan. I think the way we all become "better" divers is to maintain our equipment ( including our bodies ), practice safe diving habits, and always maitain neutral buoyancy. Each dive gives us a chance to review safe practices and improve our skills. Bottom line- the way to become a better diver is to be an active diver.
DivemasterDennis
 
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Hi, my hosband and I got our OW last June and by fall we knew there was so much more to learn so we took our AOW courses during a trip April. We are so glad we did! The things we learned made our remaining dives during our vacation awesome. It's incredible to actually achieve neutral buoyancy all the time.
 
CE an excellent idea, I have taken a lot of specialty courses, they are invaluable, I was Master Scuba Diver in 09, this year I made Dive Master, and next week I take the PADI IDC / instructor exams. Scuba can be an expensive hobby. Thankfully it is also one where instructors and students receive training and certification, for many sports, that is not the case. Yes experience is vital, but experience is enhanced by a basis of education. 40 meters down is not the place to discover gaps in either your education or your experience.
 
Your book... I get it now, give you the money for your book not other instructors. Better to buy your book then the long standing tradition of formal training and continuing education.

He didn't mention getting his book as a requirement for continuing education. He stated you could gain a lot of very useful information without having to shell out any money. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe his book is not free. I think you like to argue.

I felt a bit ripped off on my AOW classes. I thought I would be getting to know how to deep dive, navigate underwater, etc but the course only scratched the surface and I never felt very confident in my skills after finishing the course. I do feel more confident now having practiced the skills more on my own but I think that should have been addressed in the course itself rather than the "one and done" method I was subjected to. I felt I learned more in my OW class than my AOW.

I guess I should just take the individual classes seperately than take an AOW but I would have liked to know that prior to taking the course. The book was rather vague on that point and I wound up getting into an argument with the dive shop owner over it since I was mistaken in thinking I would be getting other certifications than the AOW.
 
He didn't mention getting his book as a requirement for continuing education. He stated you could gain a lot of very useful information without having to shell out any money. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe his book is not free. I think you like to argue.

I felt a bit ripped off on my AOW classes. I thought I would be getting to know how to deep dive, navigate underwater, etc but the course only scratched the surface and I never felt very confident in my skills after finishing the course. I do feel more confident now having practiced the skills more on my own but I think that should have been addressed in the course itself rather than the "one and done" method I was subjected to. I felt I learned more in my OW class than my AOW.

I guess I should just take the individual classes seperately than take an AOW but I would have liked to know that prior to taking the course. The book was rather vague on that point and I wound up getting into an argument with the dive shop owner over it since I was mistaken in thinking I would be getting other certifications than the AOW.

If you felt ripped off on your AOW, then taking more classes will only help if you take them with a different instructor. There just isn't ever a reason for someone to walk away from a class feeling like they didn't learn anything. Instructors who teach that sort of class are just lazy, and won't earn the money you pay them no matter which class you take.

AOW can be a very useful class ... if it's taught properly.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
 
The AOW course as layed out by PADI is "Adventures in Diving" and gives you a taste (the first class) of different diving under the watchful eyes of an instructor .. so AOW it is not, and I did not feel that I was (even though I have since learned that my training/instructor was/is very thorough)
... Bob is right ... the instructor can tailor the PADI course in a way that you do learn and do become a more confident and safer diver
... if your after a good way to acheve the latter, take Rescue with an instructor that will stress you a bit and show that you CAN do more than you think you can (and there is no reason not to take it, even with very few OW dives ... you will have a great feeling of accomplishment afterwards and be a better, safer, more thoughtful diver, for you, and your buddys)
 
What am I doing to become a more knowledgeable diver this year?

I recently became a Lifeguarding Instructor, Bloodborne Pathogen Trainer, Lifeguard Management Instructor, and have assisted with some WSI courses at the local pool. I've also taught several CPR for the Professional Rescuer Courses for the local chapter of the Red Cross. Hopefully by year's end I will be a WSI Instructor and own a full set of manikins, etc, for CPR/AED/O2 instruction. I've also begun studying for a personal training certification to support my degree in Fitness and have worked professionally in aquatics since 1985.

I've enjoyed this thread; however, the impulse to push the experience vs classroom education debate seems to overwhelm just about every conversation or debate we attempt to have. I agree mostly with Jim L on everything except the rescue skills to new divers which, to me, is a gross miscalculation of ability to multi-task while diving. Task loading a new student is a recipe for disaster, particularly with regard to rescues in emergency situations, where an unskilled diver/rescuer will not only be incapable of making a relatively SAFE rescue but will undoubtedly complicate the rescue for a real professional rescuer.

If you disagree with the above statement, ask yourself this question: In what other area would a novice, with zero experience, be expected or trained to perform rescues in an inherently dangerous sport or hobby?
 
Rock climbing, Mountain climbing, when I was in boy scouts in the late 60's /early 70's we were doing tows and bringing a person up from the bottom on day three of swimming program. As well as learned how to assist a drowning victim and how to approach someone who was panicking. But I do agree as far as the programs that only require students be in the pool for 4-8 hours. That is too much task loading. Those divers are often just barely capable of keeping themsleves safe and for some that is a stretch. But I have OW students in the pool for 16 hours and they have been task loaded with buddy breathing swims, no mask swims, doff and don, bailout, and gear exchanges while sharing air and buddy breathing. Rescue skills are no more difficult for them to grasp and perform well.

As an instructor I often dive with those who had no rescue skills in OW when people from other agencies come to me for AOW or specialty training. That's why there are rescue skills of some type in every class I teach. I would not let a loved one dive with someone who could not perform a basic rescue or buddy up with them. I would let them dive with any OW diver I have trained the day they complete their checkouts and know that they would be ok with that person. Because if there was a problem the new OW diver could handle it. I don't give a card if that is not the case.
 
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