Thalassamania:
When an agency limits what an instructor can do by defining the exact skills that must be taught, the exact way in which those skills must be taught and even the exact order that the skills must be taught in, it is a doubled edged sword. This approach is of great help to the marginal instructor. Given this sort of rigid framework he or she might be able to turn out a student that meets the learning objectives of the course (and lets not argue about the appropriateness of those objectives for the moment). But the truly capable and competent instructor will be constrained by this sort of rigidity and while meeting the aforementioned learning objectives will be limited to that and nothing more (and thats where we can get into a discussion of the appropriateness of those objectives). Within a constrained training system the individual instructors contribution to the outcome is reduced, but the public is protected against the screw up.
I agree completely.
But here is how the Instructor can try to make a difference:
I can embrace the things that the agency does well.
Instead of being frustrated and feeling constrained, I strive to do the best possible job educating divers, that I can. I wouldn't mind being asked by the agency to adhere to higher standards, but they aren't standing around our pool making me lower my standards.
Our dive center has certified thousands of divers. Every one of them had to do the 200 meter swim, and a 10 minute survival float. That is our dive center's policy.
I made my own set of laminated cue cards that incorporate all required standards, resequence them within standards, and have the addition of a few of my own.
For example, at the end of CW 2, the PADI cue card says, "fun and skills practice." My card says, "4 full laps horizontal /neutral buoyancy. Use a different finning technique for each lap. CW 3, CW 4, and CW 5 add even more elements during the "Skills and funtime." section.
This is not refruting the fact that the capable and competent instructor is constrained. It is just an example of how a dive center and that instructor can work within the legal framework and do a better job.
Thalassamania:
Thats not unfortunate, thats premeditated. Now we have Adventures instead, as much of a misnomer as Advanced, (just trendier for the moment) sort of like a trip to Adventureland to wait in line for an Adventure. What crap.
Commercial land, home of the gullible, land of the label.
I used the word "Advanced", with tongue in cheek. Advanced, Adventure, whatever!
We know that its marketing! And its good marketing! Is Budweiser
REALLY the King of Beers? You are right! Its all crap!
The AOW program is still fun and worthwhile if done responsibly. It can still be a good experience. I did the AOW years ago with a group of friends, and we all loved it! It started me on my way to really pursue diving again. (After a decade away from it.)
None of us walked away from the 5th dive thinking we were hot s*** advanced guys now.