Dive world is better off with tougher courses?

[all4scuba05]

There has been plenty of talk about how easy it is to get OW and AOW certified. If it was made significantly tougher, there would be alot less divers nowadays. Which for Business would be bad. While those that can't stand "dumb and dangerous " divers would be happy. If half the divers that exist now don't deserve a Cert and had them revoked, would it not affect business such that the dive industry would suffer monetary losses? and if so, would that not cause prices to be driven up in order to compensate for the great loss of cash in the industry?
What would you prefer? Think of how it might affect you.

 

[The Punisher]

I think it would be better if the courses where harder. My Instructor was a hard *** we had a lot of students drop out I thought it was a good thing but thats my opinion

 

[MikeFerrara]

There has been plenty of talk about how easy it is to get OW and AOW certified.

I don't think that's an accurate description of the discussions. There is always plenty of discussion concerning whether or not dive training should be more thorough but, in my experience, a more thorough course is actually much easier and makes post-cert diving also much easier.

If it was made significantly tougher, there would be alot less divers nowadays. Which for Business would be bad. While those that can't stand "dumb and dangerous " divers would be happy. If half the divers that exist now don't deserve a Cert and had them revoked, would it not affect business such that the dive industry would suffer monetary losses? and if so, would that not cause prices to be driven up in order to compensate for the great loss of cash in the industry?
What would you prefer? Think of how it might affect you.

Why would a change in curriculum necessitate revoking anything? First of all, a certification isn't a license. Second, anyone who successfully completes a course derves a certificate of completion. Those viewing certificates must decide for themselves what the certification actually indicates. Personally, I don't view most certifications as being very indicative of much as it is.

 

[Nemrod]

It would be much better if the Advanced courses were really advanced and much tougher, much more book and pool work, much stricter swim standards, included introduction to rescue and nitrox, deeper diving and limited deco. The Basic OW course could remain much like it is, maybe tighten up a little bit on swim standards and introduce real world skills but it should remain a welcome mat and therefore not terribly intimidating. Advanced should mean your an accomplished diver with solid skills and watermanship.

It is the advanced courses that need to be "toughed" up. This would be good for the dive world because charter operators could then trust "advanced" divers to be able to actualy assemble their gear and get in and out of the water without nearly drowning--as I commonly see today by PadI Advanced and PadI Tech divers. The Advanced should proably take at leat 8 weeks (fours hours per week, half class and half pool) and include dives that challenge and demonstrate skills.

It is OK to flunk someone, they either rise to the challenge or move on to golf or keep working and succeed. If they are really interested they will put in the effort to succeed.

I took scuba in 68, it was a 12 week course, two nights a week, half pool and half lecture. You had to be able to swim, there were no BCs and we were using double hose regulators. Somewhere between that and the PadI online course with two hour pool checkout and dive in the local quarry or "referral" should exist a happy medium.

N

 

[MikeFerrara]

But hey, if someone wants my OW or AOW cert, they can have it.

 

[MikeFerrara]

It is OK to flunk someone, they either rise to the challenge or move on to golf or keep working and succeed. If they are really interested they will put in the effort to succeed.


N

You mean actually require them to occomplish something? You would really exclude those who didn't? What if you hurt someones feelings?

Worse, how are you going to sell them gear and trips if you don't certify them? Now you want instructors and dive shop owners to actually occomplish something or risk starvation.:no

You sir, are one mean man

 

[freediver]

I would say make the courses more thorough but not necessarily tougher. However, you must understand that even making it more thorough or even tougher does not guarantee any future competence.

 

[MikeFerrara]

I would say make the courses more thorough but not necessarily tougher. However, you must understand that even making it more thorough or even tougher does not guarantee any future competence.

I think that only God can guarantee anything about the future. A more thorough course, however, guarantees a higher degree of competence at the time of course completion. You can't use or lose what you never had.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Making the classes "tougher" doesn't have to mean alienating the weaker divers. A tough class isn't push-ups in full gear it's a class that requires the divers to be competent by the time they finish the final certification dive. A good class will push individual students at their own pace providing encouragement and a slower pace to those who need it but increasing the challenge for the ones who seem to be "naturals." All the divers will end up being competent, the timid ones have a great sense of what they have accomplished if you make them meet a high standard but take them there slowly. The really motivated students can finish their certification dives looking like they've been diving much longer than they have. This is something that takes time and a willingness on the student's part to spend that time learning. Sometimes "tough" isn't because something is hard, it's because it requires a time commitment and a level of focus people aren't willing to commit to.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Garrobo]

Look, elitists, if the short courses that they are giving nowadays created a dangerous situation we'd have a s***load of beginning divers drowning. Scuba isn't all that complicated you know. If an old fart like me can jump into it like I did, anyone can do it.