Evaluation Skills Information

[b1gcountry]

PADI DM has a requirement that you can perform "Demonstration Quality" skills for the 20 basic OW skills in a confined water setting. The problem is the 'ideal' skill is not defined anywhere in the DM materials. My instructor is going to let us borrow the OW DVD where they have the skills for the OW students, but I learn better when I can read about it.

Does anyone have descriptions of the Key Aspects of the 20 basic skills?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Paco]

I don't have what you're looking for. I just kept two things in mind: "critical attributes" and "make it look easy"

 

[AzAtty]

To get a "5" on a skill demonstration, the skill must be (1) performed correctly; (2) performed slowly; (3) performed with exaggerated movements; and (4) made to look easy. PADI Instructor Manual, Divemaster Course, at 4-4. Break down the skill into little steps, and perform the sequence of steps slowly while pointing out key features of the steps. The steps are not defined in the instructor manual, either. Your instructor should show you the proper sequence.

 

[Melicertes]

I'm not sure what you mean by the "ideal skill" unless you are referring to the ideal sequence of steps to follow when performing a skill for demo purposes? Start by taking each skill and write down a step by step "recipe" for yourself to complete that skill as if you are explaining it to a child. Something like:

1. Turn face towards students and point to mask skirt on face
2. Slightly lift skirt to flood mask partially with water
3. Face students and point to water level under eyes to show them mask is partially flooded
4. Hold out index&middle fingers to show students start of mask clearing procedure
5. Place index&middle fingers on top rim of mask; apply slight pressure
6. Inhale slowly through regulator
7. Look towards water surface at 45 degree angle
8. Exhale slowly through nose to clear mask.
9. Look to see there is no more water in the mask and show students with exaggerated movements that the mask no longer has any water in it.
10. Give OK signal
etc.etc.etc.

Do this for each of the 20 skills and then get in the pool and perform each of those steps slowly and deliberately exaggerate your movements - remember that what we think is clear to the student may not necessarily be so clear to them so make sure you check with them that they got the sequence and perform it twice or a third time if necessary. Demonstration quality means that it is smooth, appears uncomplicated, confident, comfortable, and demonstrates every step in the sequence clearly so a student who watches you perform the skill can see what they should do to complete the skill themselves.

As a DM you should have these skills down as second nature yourself so work on those you feel uncertain about (if any) until you can do them perfectly and effectively. One of the biggest things is to learn (and remember) to slow down your actions and exaggerate your movements a bit so students can clearly see why it works when you do it.

 

[Dapher]

My instructor is going over the skills in the pool and then I practice them just like she did them. Very slow, exaggerated movements. She is also sharing the "tricks" of the skills to help make them look good. Like adding a little air to your bc right before showing the students to make sure their bc is empty so they can see the air flow out. Wearing some extra weight in the pool so you don't get floaty when doing the weight removal & replacement or BC removal & replacement. Some of the descriptions can be found in the OW manual. The 5 point ascent & descent are in there. I just wish I could find my book that was 4 years and another house ago.

 

[chgodvr]

"Demonstration Quality" means that you should be able to do the skill slowly and comfortably so that students can how to do the skill and do it right. If the opportunity is ther, practice each skill until you are very, very comfortable doing it.

 

[narcossis]

This has got me too!

Shorly it would make sence to put in the DM manual a break down of the skills or at least on the DVD so that you ccan have a general idea of how to to the skill and practice in advance of the pool session. if any one dose have a break down i would be interested as well.

Narcossis

 

[Joe-Diver]

Narcossis,

Problem with posting a skills breakdown (at least doing it here) is that while the basic way to do it is somewhat universal, the detailed steps are not....some do it one way, others do it another...and these things generally degenerate into an argument with possible agency bashing and comments on genetic history.

In our Divemaster Program, we conduct a 20 Skills Workshop for our Candidates. This is a 3+ session pool workshop. Session 1: We show them Demonstration Quality Skills, all 20 and talk about each one. They then have 1 week to practice on their own. Session 2: They demonstrate the skills and are evaluated with feedback, many times doing the demonstration again. Depending on how many Candidates and how they do, we may do Session 2 several times. Another week or two to practice. Session 3: Demonstration for grading...this is the one that counts.

Your Instructor should work with you on this...none of us expects a Candidate to have Demonstration Quality Skills until we teach them.....

 

[DBailey]

To get a "5" on a skill demonstration, the skill must be (1) performed correctly; (2) performed slowly; (3) performed with exaggerated movements; and (4) made to look easy. PADI Instructor Manual, Divemaster Course, at 4-4. Break down the skill into little steps, and perform the sequence of steps slowly while pointing out key features of the steps. The steps are not defined in the instructor manual, either. Your instructor should show you the proper sequence.

I would change your #1 to "performed to meet the performance requirements".

For example, I want to dig into the Mask Removal, Replacement, and Clearing skill.

Here are the performance requirements from the Instructor's Manual:
Completely remove, replace and clear the mask of water while underwater.

No where does it say that you have to exhale through your nose to meet the performance requirements. You could snort the water and swallow it (seen it done before) or you could even catch your exahust bubbles. These may not be the preferred method, but they are not incorrect.

To get a 5 on each skill, I highly recommend watching your instructor perform the skills and mimic him/her. Imitation is the best form of flattery. When in doubt, go slower.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I struggled with the exact same thing while doing DM. I did a couple of things. First, I had the instructors demo it the way they wanted it done. I then took what I remembered seeing and broke it down into 4-8 steps per skill and wrote it down. Second, I poured through the OW Inst Manual and found all of the places where it talks about how an instructor is to evaluate each skill. In most places the manual breaks down the critical attributes that each skill must consiste of. I used this to update my list.

In this way I developed my own study guide/cheat sheet to review and re-review before doing my own skill checkouts. After awhile it eventually becomes second nature, but I do regularly review my cheat sheet to make sure I'm not cutting corners.