E-Learning: the way forward or maybe not?

[webjr]

I have one complaint about elearning. As a PADI instructor I'm not allowed to use it.
Any student wanting elearning has to sign up through a shop-not an instructor. I know students can do elearning online with any shop and come to me to finish, but thats not the point. P-A-D-I stands for Professional Association of Dive Instructors. Maybe they should change their name to P-A-D-S Professional Association of Dive Shops.

 

[I Dive]

I have one complaint about elearning. As a PADI instructor I'm not allowed to use it.
Any student wanting elearning has to sign up through a shop-not an instructor. I know students can do elearning online with any shop and come to me to finish, but thats not the point. P-A-D-I stands for Professional Association of Dive Instructors. Maybe they should change their name to P-A-D-S Professional Association of Dive Shops.

What does it take to become a "shop" with PADI? Would you be able to create a business name like "insert_your_name_here's SCUBA instruction" and then register that with PADI as a shop so your students can do E-learning and tag you as their "shop"?

 

[boulderjohn]

I am curious as to to rationale behind the posts saying that eLearning cuts down on instructional time.

The current model is that the student does independent study from a book and video and then comes in to have knowledge reviews checked, take a final exam, do confined water exercises, and do OW checkout dives.

The eLearning model is that the student does independent study from a multmedia-rich online resources, does the knowledge reviews through that resource. takes a final exam in the shop, does confined water exercises, and does OW checkout dives. The two systems are close to identical. Where is the instructional time difference?

Online instruction is going to take up student instructional time, or do you think the student plugs his brain into a USB port and has an instant information download?

 

[boulderjohn]

Just a reminder that eLearning has absolutely nothing to do with confined water and open water instruction, and any attempts to predict that something is going to happen there are completely off topic. If you want to start a thread predicting changes there, go ahead and do so, but arguing that here just muddies the water.

 

[boulderjohn]

When eLearning was first introduced, our shop's course director was adamantly opposed to it and refused to allow us to start it. We were thus very late in getting going.

After a while he gave in and the shop started using it.

Now that the shop has experienced it, they are enthusiastically supporting it.

Now, I am just a contract instructor and am not a part of the business planning for the shop, but I don't think that is an indication that eLearning is bad for the shop.

 

[String]

This is a good point. I guess for the time-poor potential student it is possibly acceptable to pay more, but maybe not an option for everyone?

Generally here it costs the student more but the instructors get paid less than a regular OW course so dive centre takes more profit.

 

[webjr]

What does it take to become a "shop" with PADI?

Lots of $$$. A regular store front. And membership in their retail (IRRA?)association.

 

[leapfrog]

I have one complaint about elearning. As a PADI instructor I'm not allowed to use it.
Any student wanting elearning has to sign up through a shop-not an instructor. I know students can do elearning online with any shop and come to me to finish, but thats not the point. P-A-D-I stands for Professional Association of Dive Instructors. Maybe they should change their name to P-A-D-S Professional Association of Dive Shops.

Webjr...we're simply not wanted. I've been told that this is more or less what turned some samurais into ninjas or ronins. Our feudal lords beware. :japanese::bomb:

 

[ScubaSista]

We have been participating in eLearning from the moment it was introduced and with few exceptions have found our students to be well prepared, despite the fact that our shop receives many of the completiong notice emails just hours from the start of the class! (We require our students to complete all eLearning prior to their first day of class). That said, it does seem that the folks who choose to participate in eLearning are from the demographic of people who are comfortable with and probably prefer doing things online.

Initially, it was difficult to keep open minds about this process - we all love the bonding, conversations, and of course learning from others in an actual classroom situation. The truth of the matter is though, that many people prefer to take their classes this way... I am taking two online courses at the moment myself!

Nitrox just became available online and we've enjoyed teaching that one as well.

 

[Acanthurus]

it would be interesting to have a view on a negative direct experience if any

Posted via Mobile Device

OK, here's my 2 cents.....I took the e learning route for 2 reasons; 1. I was not aware there was the ability to become certified where I live ( no LDS), 2. My schedule is very challenging

The learning worked well. I subsequently drove quite a ways to an LDS which would accommodate my schedule and did the pool time over one weekend and then a few weeks later did the open water dives. Unfortunately this meant 2 different instructors!

My open water dives were an uncomfortable experience with me joining another class. The instructor and I did not really "mesh" so to speak, in part perhaps because of our age difference. I did become certified but it is really thanks to my husband as well as some friends I met on Scubaboard (Bowl of Petunias and Thanks for all the Fish as well as reading TS&M's journal) that allowed me to become comfortable in the water.

The bottom line - e learning "works" but it is the relationship with the instructor in the water that is important. I might add that I did my dives in cold water and not a resort - although warm water dives are fun!