History of Diver Training

[Slamfire]

I'm not proposing that schools live by that slogan. I fully agree with you about the purpose of schools. All I'm saying is that the slogan is fairly representative of what you should expect in the real world. Students should be very aware of this and prepare accordingly. It's not about schools, it's about students. It's not the agency, it's not the instructor, it ultimately is the student. It's particularly about the student after the student left the educational setting.

 

[Kingpatzer]

It's particularly about the student after the student left the educational setting.

Exactly. Which is why things are better today than ever - the student has access to so much more high quality information , presented in so many more ways than anytime in history, as well as so many more high quality divers to function as mentors.

It's an ideal age for anyone who wants to teach or learn.

 

[Slamfire]

Exactly. Which is why things are better today than ever - the student has access to so much more high quality information , presented in so many more ways than anytime in history, as well as so many more high quality divers to function as mentors.

It's an ideal age for anyone who wants to teach or learn.

I think we are talking about different things. The poll/question as I interpreted it refers to current formal education i.e. within the formal educational setting. You are quoting me and referring to availability of information after the student left the educational setting -- going outside the OW course materials. It is obvious that information is so easily available in this digital age. However that does not make up for the major points that have been removed from the formal OW courses.

Furthermore, the formal programs are not designed to foster independent research and informal education in the student. Quite the contrary. As a student you are going to be bombarded to formally take other courses if you want to further your education: if you want to know how to use your computer, take the computer diver specialty course; if you want to learn to deploy an SMB, take the SMB deployment specialty. And to add further "grievance" to the situation, instructors are advised (ordered?) to no longer teach SMB deployment as part of the OW course -- to me that effectively sounds like pushing education away from the student, until they sign up for another course.

 

[seaducer]

Diver training has changed considerably over the past several years. How do you envision the training that you've received to-date with similar training courses in the past? How does today's training stack-up? Do you feel that you are better trained, or have received less training than divers 10, 20, 30, or 40 years ago? Please explain why you feel the way you do. Why have the training requirements changed so much?

I think that some things have gotten better in mainstream dive training over the last 20ish years since I first took an OW course, and some things have not.

The positives, I think the materials have gotten better at explaining things to people who may not know very much about diving going in. I also think that continuing education has become more accessible.

The negatives, first on my list is the level of swimming one must have to get certified. I am sorry but if that is all someone can do, then one may still be certified to jump off a boat, in water 100's of feet deep with 30+ pounds of gear on...not smart. Certain skills have been dropped. When I learned, buddy breathing was a requirement. Real buddy breathing, off one 2nd stage. I know it is not a skill anyone is likely to need in real life, but there is more to the skill than just the physical lessons. Lastly the time it takes to become certified, and the level of experience needed to instruct are things that I feel need to improve.

If I had my way, people would have to work harder to get certified. In all honesty I do not think what the agencies are spitting out are people who are a danger to themselves so much (not enough incidents to support that thesis IMHO), but the training is easy enough now that people who are only somewhat interested in the UW world can get certified and dive every now and then for something to do on vacation besides stand in line for roller coasters. The result is people draping themselves over VW sized pieces of brain coral because they do not care to know better.

In my OW class, it was just hard enough that nobody was there that didn't really want to be there, and as a result we were all passionate enough to not do something like that.

But all that aside, it is really up to the diver as well as the training. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. Even the very best OW classes are useless unless the students continue to train after graduating. Bouyancy control, gas management, responses to issues, these things are NOT like riding a bike. I wish the vacation divers would find some other interest, and leave the diving to the divers.

 

[DCBC]

And to add further "grievance" to the situation, instructors are advised (ordered?) to no longer teach SMB deployment as part of the OW course -- to me that effectively sounds like pushing education away from the student, until they sign up for another course.

As far as 'formal recreational diving education' is concerned, a large percentage of this is in the hands of for-profit organizations that are more interested in making money than they are maximizing the student's learning experience. Regardless how much the students want to learn (through formal methods), they are faced with agencies that hold the reins and dictate what the students may be taught, in what order they are to be taught and what is required for them to be certified (without modification for the learning environment).

Equally guilty are instructors with all training agencies that teach below standards and certify divers who have not mastered the skills that are necessary. You can't say that the student is the one responsible, as s/he is not in control, nor do they have the knowledge to know what is required.

 

[DCBC]

Drew, I hear you and agree. I do feel that "vacation divers" have as much right to be there as anyone else, but I cannot help but be concerned for their safety.

It also bothers me to no end that certified DMs take unqualified divers routinely past the maximum recreational diving depth in places like the Belize Blue Hole and other locations. It seems when it comes to money, there are too many 'leaders' who sell there soul for a buck and support their decision with statistics of low accident rates. The training agencies are aware, but things continue day after day. It's all about the bucks, the safety of the diver isn't a consideration.

 

[Diver0001]

Equally guilty are instructors with all training agencies that teach below standards and certify divers who have not mastered the skills that are necessary. You can't say that the student is the one responsible, as s/he is not in control, nor do they have the knowledge to know what is required.

Actually, I think this is the crux of the problem. Standards are just a list of skills but "delivery" is in the hands of instructors.

I see from your last posts that you seem to object to people making money from training.

I never took you as the anti establishment hippy type but maybe I have to re-think that... LOL Just the thought of you running around with tie-dyed "Peace" t-shirt with a picture of Karl Marx on the back is amusing in itself.

R..

 

[Zieg]

I never took you as the anti establishment hippy type but maybe I have to re-think that... LOL Just the thought of you running around with tie-dyed "Peace" t-shirt with a picture of Karl Marx on the back is amusing in itself.

R..

I'll bet it's a Che t-shirt.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

My open water class was way more thorough than my instructor class. I doubt you could come close to selling an open water class like that now.

 

[fire_diver]

Scuba diving is an easy going sport and it's fun. There's no reason why the training can't be easy going and fun too..... as long as the training is performance based and takes all the time the student needs then there's no reason to make it all heavy and difficult.

Heavy and difficult is for the army. Scuba trainers who still try to make their courses like "basic training" really are dinosaurs, imho.

R..

Diving is easy and fun until some shlub swims over the top of you and kicks your mask off.

Diving is easy fun until that rental tank (that the kid in the shop forgot the dip tube for) plugs with a piece of debris, instantly cutting off all air supply.

Diving is fun and easy until that other person didn't watch thier air supply, sucked thier tank dry and then mauls you for the reg in your mouth.

Diving is fun and easy until the current suddenly picks up, turning a nice dive into a battle to make it back to the mooring line.

Yep, youre right. No place at all for training divers to deal with emergencies.