AOW vs e-learning AOW

[Marie13]

I liked the e-learning for OW and nitrox, but I preferred having the books for my Advanced specialties to refer back to.

 

[Dogbowl]

I agree with @Bob DBF .

I just spent a week in Cozumel end of December completing AOW and Nitrox. I read and write for a living (very technical stuff), so it is supposed to be an "easy" task for me. It was not. My mind was on the beach with a margarita in my hand, which was not very conducive to reading and keeping the info in my head.

My husband, who hates to read in general, was cursing me all vacation for having signed him up for 2 courses and wasting his precious vacation time making him read "books".

No, the AOW manual is not as much info as the OW manual, but you'll want to read and retain the info well, so you should put a little effort in it. Plus, I did learn some stuff from the manuals. And you do need to do the Knowledge Reviews, cause we took those up "in class".

So, to repeat, speak with the dive op to organize which dives you'll do on top of Deep and Navigation, buy the manual locally if the dive op is ok with this (they should be or maybe they can mail it to you?), and read all the appropriate chapters before you go. I wouldn't waste my money on eLearning either.

One last thing...I found the AOW manual rather good, full of useful info, for me at least. I, for one, will re-read that book.

 

[Sean Walberg]

I can't see any reason to spend more money on the e-learning for this course. The online course will have exactly the same information as the book.

I've been doing some light research into taking my PADI AOW and I see most dive shops include the book in the base fee but also encourage you to take e-learning at an additional charge. Is the e-learning then redundant?

For my OW I was given a book and a DVD, the latter I didn't find terribly helpful. No idea if we paid extra for it as it was the only option.

I can happily learn from a book and don't look forward to online videos. So it would seem I don't need e-learning?

 

[Dogbowl]

I've been doing some light research into taking my PADI AOW and I see most dive shops include the book in the base fee but also encourage you to take e-learning at an additional charge. Is the e-learning then redundant?

For my OW I was given a book and a DVD, the latter I didn't find terribly helpful. No idea if we paid extra for it as it was the only option.

I can happily learn from a book and don't look forward to online videos. So it would seem I don't need e-learning?

My understanding is that it's eLearning or the manual, no need for both.

 

[pconsidine]

My understanding is that it's eLearning or the manual, no need for both.

you are correct-same materials either way.

 

[yle]

I've been doing some light research into taking my PADI AOW and I see most dive shops include the book in the base fee but also encourage you to take e-learning at an additional charge. Is the e-learning then redundant?

Yes, the e-learning is redundant. The real reason they want you to take the e-learning is that it makes their job easier. If you do all the knowledge reviews online, you print out your confirmation, they put it in their file and then they don't have to go over the material with you... in other words, they are covered for liability purposes.

In a traditional AOW class, you would have some classroom time where, at the very least, the instructor would go over the knowledge reviews, make sure you know what you're doing, give you an opportunity to ask questions. E-learning allows the instructor and the shop to skip all this... saves them a lot of time.

So in short, you pay a lot extra to do the e-learning, and then get a lot less time with your instructor for the class.

 

[yle]

For my OW I was given a book and a DVD, the latter I didn't find terribly helpful. No idea if we paid extra for it as it was the only option.

PADI standards for the OW course requires OW students to watch the DVD. Some shops handle this by showing the video in class, some loan their students a copy for use during the class, and some sell every one of their students a copy of the DVD. Of course the shop makes more money with the last option. Whether it was bundled with the class or not... you paid extra for it somehow.

The stuff presented in the DVD is redundant to the material in the book. General feedback from my students agrees with your assessment of the DVD.

 

[pconsidine]

PADI standards for the OW course requires OW students to watch the DVD. Some shops handle this by showing the video in class, some loan their students a copy for use during the class, and some sell every one of their students a copy of the DVD. Of course the shop makes more money with the last option. Whether it was bundled with the class or not... you paid extra for it somehow.

The stuff presented in the DVD is redundant to the material in the book. General feedback from my students agrees with your assessment of the DVD.

I agree with you 100%

 

[TMHeimer]

I have the old "Adventures" manual. When I took the course I did all the chapters and KRs for the heck of it. I too, re-read it, and the other PADI manuals I have, a page or 2 a day. Don't know how that works with e learning. It's always good to review, especially with the EFR (CPR, etc.)--I do that one daily.

 

[pconsidine]

I have the old "Adventures" manual. When I took the course I did all the chapters and KRs for the heck of it. I too, re-read it, and the other PADI manuals I have, a page or 2 a day. Don't know how that works with e learning. It's always good to review, especially with the EFR (CPR, etc.)--I do that one daily.

Elearning is only good to review fo 1 year then it disappears.