BPW and teaching

[DrSteve]

Hi All,

I just signed up for a DM class. The shop was pretty cool and said there was no problem with my equipment and that if there was I could use rental gear. They even said my BPW was fine as they sold DiveRite.

BUT when I spoke to the guy who will be teaching the pool component he told me that a BPW was absolutely NOT OK for teaching and that I would have to wear the same style of gear as my students. That makes a lot of sense...what doesn't make sense is what the big difference is between a BPW and a rear inflate BC for teaching purposes (let's not get into the actual debate, they both have straps and a bladder on the back and a hose - I've dived both and prefer the BPW). He said there were issues as you cannot remove your BPW easily (I have no problem) and an issue with loss of weight once it is removed...at the same time I remember my OW and removing my BC which was weight integrated and ending up having to put it back on while inverted. I also remember getting into a bit of a tangle due to the cluttered nature of a non-minimalist BC. To compound this he told me that "all" the instructors have BPW which they use on boat dives ie. non-teaching.

Just curious what other people think of this? Having a teaching set of gear is one thing, but having a completely different style of gear for personal diving is another. Isn't this causing some diservice to the student and almost misleading them into buying one set of gear and then moving to the BPW later? Does anyone teach wearing a BPW? What about a transpac?

Cheers!

 

[The Kraken]

The only thing the director for my IDC has said about my rig is that I can't used the bungied alternate and long hose.

I think what I'll do is just take the bungie off my alternate, use it as my primary and take my primary and make it my "octopus".

the K

 

[Vayu]

Sounds like they are misleading students. I for one believe that if you dive a certain way then that is how you should teach. Giving openwater candidates exposure to that sort of stuff is a good thing. Don't compromise your diving style just because a shop commands you to. If need be take it from someone else.

-V

 

[cool_hardware52]

A local instructor here in So Cal teaches BOW in a BP&W. He puts his students in one also. (He maintains his own rental fleet of BP&W)

His basic students start with a bungeed BU, 7ft hose, H valve with two firsts and of course the BP&W.

He turns out pretty good divers BTW. Teaches for IANDT.


Tobin

 

[PaulSmithTek]

Bpw ?

 

[DBailey]

Bpw ?

Backplate and wing.

For the pool work, I think you should use gear similar to what is available to the students. Remember that you have to demonstrate the skill (not as a DM, but as instructor). An effective demonstration to me means that the students can see all the steps that they'd need to preform. Demonstrating BP removal and replacement with a BP/W is different from a jacket BC.

In for the open water dives, since you don't have to demonstrate, I would wear my typical OW set-up.

 

[Jason B]

Bpw ?

Back Plate and Wing

I type too slow (or should I say hunt and peck).

 

[Henryville]

Hi All,

I just signed up for a DM class. The shop was pretty cool and said there was no problem with my equipment and that if there was I could use rental gear. They even said my BPW was fine as they sold DiveRite.

BUT when I spoke to the guy who will be teaching the pool component he told me that a BPW was absolutely NOT OK for teaching and that I would have to wear the same style of gear as my students. That makes a lot of sense...what doesn't make sense is what the big difference is between a BPW and a rear inflate BC for teaching purposes (let's not get into the actual debate, they both have straps and a bladder on the back and a hose - I've dived both and prefer the BPW). He said there were issues as you cannot remove your BPW easily (I have no problem) and an issue with loss of weight once it is removed...at the same time I remember my OW and removing my BC which was weight integrated and ending up having to put it back on while inverted. I also remember getting into a bit of a tangle due to the cluttered nature of a non-minimalist BC. To compound this he told me that "all" the instructors have BPW which they use on boat dives ie. non-teaching.

Just curious what other people think of this? Having a teaching set of gear is one thing, but having a completely different style of gear for personal diving is another. Isn't this causing some diservice to the student and almost misleading them into buying one set of gear and then moving to the BPW later? Does anyone teach wearing a BPW? What about a transpac?

Cheers!

I think this is a commercial thing. One of our local shops teaches students in BP/W, and horizontal to boot (i.e. no kneeling on bottom, ever.) They also happen to be a Halcyon dealer, one of the largest.

I do buy the arguement that students and teacher should as much as possible be in the same configuration. Remember you are modelling behavior and imprinting it on your students, who won't know an octopus from a low pressure inflator. Having them see what you are doing and apply it themselves, without translating from one setup to another, is a big help.

Convincing a shop owner who has "always done it my way" to change could be a real challenge. Similarly, if that shop owner has a bunch of gear that is being rotated from rental to pool, then given the investment involved and the return to the owner, your chances of getting them to switch will I bet be close to nil.

If you look at your agency's standards, though, I'll bet you won't find anything that precludes diving this configuration - or teaching in it.

Bottom line, either find one of those rare shops that teaches in BP/W, go independent with all the attendant expense involved, or just live with the cognitive dissonance as most of us have to.

 

[boulderjohn]

Imitation is one of the most important factors in learning, and asking students to do something differently from the way you are demonstrating can cause confusion and put too much on them.

This is especially true with adolescents. Check Piaget's studies in child development to see that their ability to adapt what they are seeing to their own different situation is a developmental stage that they are going through at roughly the younger ages fro certification.

In fact--to change the topic slightly--I have seen several cases in which younger children have trouble with skills like free flow breathing and equipment removal underwater because they precisely mirror the demonstration, thus confusing left and right.