History of Diver Training

[Diver0001]

I can't help but think that it would be funny (at least for me) to go "undercover" as that totally helpless student in someone's class.

That wouldn't be too hard....

Sorry. First!

R..

 

[boulderjohn]

BoulderJohn has a concept he calls "calibration", which is just a fancy way of saying that teachers (real teachers, not scuba teachers) are monitored and "corrected" if they start to drift from teaching to standards (I hope I got that right). In the scuba industry this does not happen but it really should. Too many people are simply not doing what the agencies prescribe.

Different people learn at different rates

Perhaps the biggest change in education in the last few decades is the transition to performance based instruction and assessment. That transition is still going on, and we often see a curious mix of it with people who really don't understand its principles trying to apply them. We also see it when people who really don't understand its principles (but think they do) start ripping into it, making species statements about it. In the U.S., every state has set performance based standards and, in theory, mandated its use, yet I am quite sure only the minority of educators practicing it really understand it and practice it. The same legislators that mandate it often create laws that prevent it from happening.

Scuba was one of the first instructional areas to embrace the concept.

To summarize quickly, in traditional education, time is the standard and learning the variable. We educate students for a period of time, measure the results, and then move on. In performance based (or standards based) education, learning is the standard and time is the variable. We educate the student until the student has met a standard of performance, regardless of him much (or how little) time it takes.

In performance assessment, the problem is identifying the acceptable level of performance. The term "mastery" is frequently used to denote that level of performance, and this creates the first level of confusion for people who do not understand it, for they try to apply the standard dictionary definition of mastery instead.

In a performance assessment, written descriptors of mastery fail miserably. That is why the process of calibration is used. It is like the phrase in the old supreme court ruling on pornography--"I don't know how to define it, but I know it when I see it." Calibration is the process by which assessors are trained so that they know a mastery performance when they see it. In educational assessment, assessors are trained by having them assess a large number of performances and comparing their assessments with those of highly experienced assessors. Eventually they should be able to score the same assessments the same way the top assessors do. They get to know the right things when they see it. (It takes surprisingly little time to do this, BTW.)

In scuba, the calibration process should occur as the instructor-to-be progresses from DM to full instructor. I myself spent several years in an assistant role, during which time I saw skilled instructors teach and assess scuba skills. Upon being granted an instructor rating, the instructor supposedly has demonstrated the ability to assess skill performance properly.

The problem is what Rob (Diver0001) mentions. In time the assessor's judgment will shift. It can shift in either direction. That is because the instructor may see too many assessments of either a high or low level. When that happens, the assessor needs to be recalibrated.

This is handled in professional assessment organizations, such as the College Board in the U.S., by a continual monitoring process. One aspect of this process (and there are more aspects) is the resubmission of previously scored materials to ensure that they are still scored at the appropriate level. This is not possible in scuba instruction. What is supposed to happen is that instructors should be connected in some way to a course director (or the equivalent) who will monitor instructor performance to ensure that it maintains the proper level of scoring.

Hope this helps.

 

[DCBC]

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

I don't believe that I'm a dinosaur, but believe in high standards. I suspect that there are people who haven't taken a military training course who would think my training is similar. It's not.

It is however equally true, that there are many certified divers (and some instructors) that wouldn't meet my OW standards without practice and effort. This may be perceived as heavy and difficult by some, where my students and I see it for what it is, a training challenge that will eventually prepare them for the North Atlantic.

Not all people are the same, nor do they seek to all be trained in the same way. For some 'easy' doesn't cut it; they want a challenge. I'm not saying that this is how the majority wish to be trained, nor am I saying that all training should be done in this manner. There are however people who want to prepare themselves thoroughly. Training people to accomplish this doesn't make you less current. It's just not for everyone.

I hope I'm not the only one shaking my head at seeing the word "wimps" in a thread about diver training....

My comments were directed to John's comments and not diving, to wit: "...this is partly due to the way that today's society coddles people? Everyone that goes out for the football team makes it. Everyone that competes in the sporting event gets a medal. There are no losers.

People aren't told to dust themselves up and get back on the horse anymore, they're told what a bad day the horse must have been having to throw them and that it's not their fault.

I expect a lot of people these days show stress when challenged because they've never been exposed to any real hardships during their life..."

 

[Scott L]

That's called the Open Water Diver course.

It's performanced based. If you can't (or won't) master all of the skills then you don't get a card (or at least, you're not supposed to).

On a more serious note, we run try-dives in the pool on a weekly basis most of the year. People who are interested in trying it out but aren't sure that scuba is for them can take the DSD and give it a go in the pool.

People who are really completely hopeless (which few are) will show up in the first few minutes. You can usually identify the naturals in a few mintues too.

But really, hardly anyone is hopeless. Of all the try-dives I've ever done with people I recall sending one out of the water for her own safety and one never tried to submerge because she was a 5 alarm hydrophobic. She wanted to sign up for a diving course but I sent her away to learn to swim first. That's two out of gobs.

R..

Sounds good. I am of the belief ear clearing issues are offered as an excuse for anxeity concerns otherwise there is something sinister in our water supply...

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I expect a lot of people these days show stress when challenged because they've never been exposed to any real hardships during their life...

Perhaps ... but an awful lot are going to show stress because they haven't been properly brought by their instruction to the point where they can deal with the challenge.

Let's face it ... people get into recreational activities for a lot of different reasons ... but the majority don't get into scuba diving because they want, or enjoy, a challenge. The "macho" factor hasn't just been bred out of the population ... it's been bred out of the activity. People simply don't think of scuba diving in those terms anymore ... nor should they have to.

At a recreational level, scuba skills aren't particularly challenging ... if they're taught properly. Most people can handle them relatively stress-free ... if they're brought to the point of performing the skill in a way that they can clearly see and understand.

What causes stress is compressed training schedules, and low expectations. Underwater isn't an environment we humans were bred for, and it takes a certain amount of adaptation for people to handle it without stressing ... you have to fight that little "get me the hell outta here" instinct that our brains have been wired with over millenia ... the thing that's kept us alive as a species all these years.

People who already have an in-water comfort level can easily accommodate that within the time constraints of a typical OW class. Those who don't have that comfort level need more time, effort, and work. The challenge isn't the scuba skills ... those are pretty easy ... it's the notion of being able to do these things in an environment we aren't used to ... one that our brain keeps telling us we don't belong in.

That's where the longer courses of yesteryear offered the advantages. It wasn't the fitness requirements ... nobody really needs to be able to do pushups in their scuba gear to become a fantastic diver ... it was the fact that basic watermanship skills helped to "rewire" the brain before you ever got to the point where scuba skills needed to be performed.

I don't believe for a moment that people were inherently "tougher" 40 years ago than they are today ... it wasn't that many years ago that I taught 7 - 11 year old kids how to ski, and their ability to handle the challenges I set for them astonished ... and sometimes frightened ... me. Those kids would be in their late teens to mid-20's today, and some of them are probably more adept at handling challenges than I ever was.

You can't really lay this at the feet of cultural changes, or make broad-brush statements about the ability of young people to handle challenges ... I think that's misplaced. The changes, really, have to do with the reasons why peopel get into diving, the expectations of the student, and the fact that today's reduced class duration simply doesn't allow the time it takes to make the necessary adaptations to a brain that developed a survival instinct over millenia ... not decades.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Cave Diver]

Not all people are the same, nor do they seek to all be trained in the same way. For some 'easy' doesn't cut it; they want a challenge. I'm not saying that this is how the majority wish to be trained, nor am I saying that all training should be done in this manner. There are however people who want to prepare themselves thoroughly. Training people to accomplish this doesn't make you less current. It's just not for everyone.

This is where the problem lies. Not all seek to be trained the same way, but enough are seeking the "easy route" to make it a viable business model. Sometime back in the 70's computers were going to revolutionize the world. People were going to have shorter work weeks, and longer vacations. Instead many people find themselves with less free time today than they did in the past. They want the "Wham! Bam! Thank you please come again!" course because they aren't willing to commit any more of their precious free time than necessary.

Allow me to issue the following challenge to the instructors amongst you:

The next 10 new students you talk to, tell them that you offer a regular course and an extended course. Tell them that the price is the same and you cover the same skills and materials, but one just allows them more time to practice and get comfortable with the skills. See which one they choose on their own, with no pushing from you.

Anyone up for that?

 

[DCBC]

...Let's face it ... people get into recreational activities for a lot of different reasons ... but the majority don't get into scuba diving because they want, or enjoy, a challenge. The "macho" factor hasn't just been bred out of the population ... it's been bred out of the activity. People simply don't think of scuba diving in those terms anymore ... nor should they have to.

Thanks Bob. First may I point out that you've quoted me out of context. This was a statement that I included within my post quoting John's comments.

Secondly, I agree that people get into recreational activities for different reasons. I train on a military base. Most of my students are young men and women in incredible physical condition. They see diving as an adventure.

There are divers who come to Nova Scotia, look at the diving conditions and go home. A sense of adventure and confidence in one's ability is required. If you are a non-swimmer, you are likely will commit suicide if you go into the water.

What is required to dive in the Caribbean does not prepare you to dive everywhere. We deal with 30-36 degree water temperature, waves, rocks and high current/tidal exchange. I know you are aware of the challenges. I prepare my divers for the local conditions, to dive independently without supervision and to be a functional member of the dive team. My course is just a little longer than most.

 

[Diver0001]

Allow me to issue the following challenge to the instructors amongst you:

The next 10 new students you talk to, tell them that you offer a regular course and an extended course. Tell them that the price is the same and you cover the same skills and materials, but one just allows them more time to practice and get comfortable with the skills. See which one they choose on their own, with no pushing from you.

Anyone up for that?

Well, this isn't exactly the same but last year I started offering all of my OW students 6 OW dives instead of 4 for the checkouts. 2 of those dives would be done directly following the first training dive of the day and are expressly aimed at just gaining more experience and having some time to make fun dives.

The catch is that they have to come an hour earlier on dive day and I tell them (in all honesty) that it makes the day fairly full. We end, however, at the same time.

To date, one AOW student and two OW students have taken me up on the offer. The same two OW students also chose to take two extra sessions in the pool for more practice time. The AOW student didn't need it.

My impression, based on this, is that people really just want to go easy-on. If it's too much effort it seems to become a drag for a lot of people.

R..

 

[gypsyjim]

I compare my training in '70 with the Y, to the PADI OW and AOW my two kids did a few years back now. Quite different, certainly. A bit less rigorous, no long swim ttest, no ditch and don drills.

But was my training better than that which they received 35 years later? I do not think so.

I admit that I was quite particular in chosing who I took my son and daughter to for training, driving nearly 3 hrs each way, so that they could train under a PADI course director with a reputaton for really caring, and going that extra mile with his students.

 

[DCBC]

This is where the problem lies. Not all seek to be trained the same way, but enough are seeking the "easy route" to make it a viable business model. Sometime back in the 70's computers were going to revolutionize the world. People were going to have shorter work weeks, and longer vacations. Instead many people find themselves with less free time today than they did in the past. They want the "Wham! Bam! Thank you please come again!" course because they aren't willing to commit any more of their precious free time than necessary.

Allow me to issue the following challenge to the instructors amongst you:

The next 10 new students you talk to, tell them that you offer a regular course and an extended course. Tell them that the price is the same and you cover the same skills and materials, but one just allows them more time to practice and get comfortable with the skills. See which one they choose on their own, with no pushing from you.

Anyone up for that?

It depends upon how you market your course. You can purchase a hot dog for less than a steak, yet there are people that eat steak. There's no doubt in my mind that there are more people who prefer the quick and easy method. I have had all the students I want and haven't had a problem. If I was needing to punch-out high numbers of students to put food on the table, that may be a different thing. I'm not, so I have the luxury to teach how I want to. Not everyone is in this position. If I could make more money by teaching a shorter course, I wouldn't. It just doesn't interest me. I don't teach for money and do it for free. The only thing I'm interested in, is that the student is well trained and prepared for the environment and to dive with a member of my family. I have no regrets when I certify anyone, regardless of the level they are certified to.