Dive Theory: On Line vs On Your Own

[gldwing_rider]

I just started the Dive Master program a little over a month to go. I have completed the first 8 chapters, getting ready to begin the challenage of the Dive Theory chapter.

I am wondering what your thoughts are about paying the extra 125 and do it on line or just work through the Dive Master manual. I have read in several places the on line version is easier to understand and work through.

Thanks for your help and time!

Ken

 

[mmerriman]

if you work with an instructor and don't understand a concept he or she can work with you to ensure you get it. In elearning, you'll just get the same info repeated to you. That said, I've had DM candidates both ways, and just retook dive theory online for IDC Staff - IMO it was the way to go.....

 

[knotical]

How do you learn best?

There seem to be at least three options:
- online.
- from the book alone. This will require an instructor to administer the exams. Presumably at some non-zero cost.
- in a class. More instructor time.

 

[Hawkwood]

When I did the DM class, it was the "traditional way". When I did my IDC, we did a fair amount online. It was my first experience using the online training. I much preferred it as I had the time to go over the info at my pace, take the notes I needed, and work at it where and when I could. As knotical said, it all depends on what the best learning method is for you.

 

[Remy B.]

I initially was under the impression that Hand to Hand instruction for theory was the way to go and did my OW and AOW with an instructor, good experiences with both, then I took a online class, that later on your Instructor will go thru the questions you missed and explain them to you, this way you and your instructor saves a lot of time and spend more time under the water practicing the skills.

The difference I notice is that with an instructor you don't drive your self to much to find the answer and get to understand it by your self, with the instructor he just tell you what it is and you take it for granted with little of brain challenge, so basically it is the easy way, IMO, with the online way, you drive your self to read more and look at other resources if the one you have for some reason don't give you the picture for you to understand, once you get it in your own way how you assimilate information then it stays in your brain longer.

it is kind of do as I tell you, but you did not fully understand why you are doing it, to I understand now how it need to be done and will do it, just as an example.

my online test was 50 questions, the course had 10 chapters, each chapter had review questions, up to 10+ questions for each chapter, different courses I guess less quantity's., just to give you an idea.

 

[Frosty]

I think the only issue with online is that there is the assumption or perhaps the correct word is ability for only one correct answer.
whereas with an instructor you can discuss how and why you arrived at a conclusion/decision.

 

[Crowley]

I agree - I like eLearning for the OW and AOW classes as it does save a lot of time and you can concentrate more on the practical aspect of diving, assuming of course that the student diver has been actually learning stuff and not just googling the answers....

For the DM class, however - I prefer to go through the theory in its entirety for exactly the reasons Frosty mentioned above; I can teach it all, but combine it with real world experience which is inevitably much broader than the training material. That did annoy a student of mine who had paid to do the online stuff but he admitted later that he learned a lot more through having covered the material in person. For the DM class, as the first step on the professional ladder, for me at least, instructor-led classroom discussion is the only way forward.

Cheers

C.