If you could change one thing about dive training...

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When I taught for a PADI shop, the owner wouldn't do anything but book work. We'd have students show up totally unprepared for the quizzes so there was 6-8 hours of lecture that had to be done to get them up to speed on the material that they'd allegedly read. When Covid hit, the owner finally moved to eLearning. I was absolutely shocked the first time I taught students who'd completed the online course. The poorest students understood and retained the material better than anyone I had taught previously.

These days I principally teach SDI. The open water course isn't as slick as PADI's, but the result is the same - a more prepared student. I still do lecture, but instead of reiterating the basics, I spend my time teaching more advanced information.
That was precisely my experience as well. In the first shop where I worked, the Director of Instruction absolutely refused to use online learning. In class after class, students would show up for the class sessions not having done a blessed thing. I politely told them they would have to come back later, but other instructors would try to talk them through the materials in the amount of time scheduled for going over the completed knowledge reviews. Then the course director agreed to a pilot program for online learning. That was so successful he opened it to everyone. That was so successful we went to 100% online learning.

I then moved to another shop, and they were still insisting on book learning. Then they tried the online and, lo and behold, they switched to 100% online.

I cannot remember how many online students I had before I finally had one miss a question on the final exam.
 
In our discussion yesterday, we had divemasters give examples of newly certified divers who could not even assemble their scuba correctly. Hence my discussion on psycho-motor skills. Apparently, some instructors do everything for the student, and the student doesn't learn by him/herself how to assemble their own or rental equipment. Some shops apparently assemble rental equipment totally, and the student simply puts it on and dives. Sometimes, the assembly leaves something to be desired too.

SeaRat
 
In our discussion yesterday, we had divemasters give examples of newly certified divers who could not even assemble their scuba correctly. Hence my discussion on psycho-motor skills. Apparently, some instructors do everything for the student, and the student doesn't learn by him/herself how to assemble their own or rental equipment. Some shops apparently assemble rental equipment totally, and the student simply puts it on and dives. Sometimes, the assembly leaves something to be desired too.

SeaRat

My experience is that this is one of the most perishable skills for a new diver. In an average class, they are going to assemble their gear maybe 8 times.

I've never heard of a shop doing it for the student, but I have done plenty of refreshers for the once a year Caribbean diver who can't assemble their gear.

Aside from the standards being violated, I can't imagine what would motivate an instructor to do that - not to say that it isn't happening, but it seems like a lot of work.
But then I'm constantly amazed by the stupid things instructors do.
 
Yes, not giving students enough practices setting up their gear is a violation of standards. It happened to me when I was certified.

So, yes, I think we can all agree that instructors should have their students do everything required in the standards. Is there anyone arguing otherwise?
 

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