Instruction Duration

[MikeFerrara]

An observation...

The two agencies I teach for don't seem very interested in my opinions concerning how diving should be tought. They feel that they are giving divers what they need and what they want. Most current efforts related to dive training changes are centered around making the class even shorter, more convenient and more cost effective to teach. The shops that teach the cheapest and fastest classes are being rewarded with profit. In order for things to go the other way divers who feel they were shafted will need to speak up. Also divers who want a good class are going to have to be willing to pay for it. I have discussed my ideas on training with many shop owners and instructors. Most don't disagree with the the methods as much as the economics of them. In order to get traffic in the store they need to offer a cheap fast OW class. They must leave you hanging so they can sell you an AOW class. If they don't they just don't profit. If they don't they can't compete with the cheap shop down the street. The problem gets worse when several generations of instructors have been developed by the same system and don't know any other way.

I would like to see everyone who takes a GUE DIRF so they can learn to hover voice their opinion of their original training to the agency that printed the card.

 

[Diversauras]

Lead-carrier, don't change, you are still one of those that always give good value and quality instruction.

Mike, I think you're right too in that it is all about business and not at all, or only minimally about quality instruction.

I don't agree that everyone should take additional training, GUE DIRF , to be able to "voice their opinion of their original training to the agency that printed the card." I still think the answer is doing it right the first time.

 

[ScubaFishee]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
<snip>
In order for things to go the other way divers who feel they were shafted will need to speak up. Also divers who want a good class are going to have to be willing to pay for it.
<snip>

Mike, I think students would pay the higher price if they knew what they were getting for money. The problem is, the shops who sell the cheap classes promise to deliver the same things as the higher priced shops. When you're new, it's hard to know what the differences are and which differences really do count. So it then becomes a psychological test to try to figure out which shop is telling you the truth.

Having access to course evaluations from students would be helpful. Perhaps even more helpful would be to also have follow evalutions done by students six months after certification, after they've had a chance to experience diving in the real world, outside the womb of the dive shop and instructor's influence.

 

[DeputyDan]

My character and integrity as a diver and instructor will be reflected in your abilities once you leave my class. I expect to be well represented and thus:

I think he did the best job he could do to prepare us for OW.

He did some extras such as watching actual videos he had made of diving including waiting on a hang line, following the anchor line down and up and drift diving. The videos were designed to show the differences and what to expect.

 

[ScubaScott]

ScubaFishee once bubbled...


Mike, I think students would pay the higher price if they knew what they were getting for money. The problem is, the shops who sell the cheap classes promise to deliver the same things as the higher priced shops. When you're new, it's hard to know what the differences are and which differences really do count. So it then becomes a psychological test to try to figure out which shop is telling you the truth.

Having access to course evaluations from students would be helpful. Perhaps even more helpful would be to also have follow evalutions done by students six months after certification, after they've had a chance to experience diving in the real world, outside the womb of the dive shop and instructor's influence.

.... this idea I like..... but it depends on who is responsible for it and sets it all up for distrubution/availabilty. I don't know if you'll see many agencies promote this..... cost vs value wouldn't work.

SS

 

[Diversauras]

Somehow the quality part has to become the primary focus, not the business case.

 

[Wreck Ranger]

That doesn't mean sacrificing the quality of your training. I was so very lucky to grow up in a family of divers. My father is an instructor (Diversauras) and even before I officially took his OW class, I sat in on several till I was of age and ready.

The class consisted of 18 hours of class with homework every night. Discussion was an encouragement. We had about 12 hours in the pool and then 4 check out dives. During all of this was equipment drills, general knowledge quizzes, Drills underwater like clearing your mask several times over the duration. Getting your tank turned back on underwater. Taking your fins off and then back on again..Etc. I'm sure you all get the idea. It's nice to have an instructor that cares about his students (whether they are related or not) to teach them as much as they can possibly learn without having a meltdown.

I think the key to a great instructor is caring and knowledge and being able to share that with their students. I have now been diving for 15 years and because I have a love for diving I will always be doing it.

I agree with MikeFerrara, that everywhere you go, you see people whether they are just OW all the way up to Instructor that shouldn't even be in the water. Come on people, THIS IS NOT A NUMBERS GAME. You are dealing with peoples lives. When you don't teach them the skills that they need to properly conduct themselves while diving you aren't helkping anyone. In fact, you are just causing the problem.

Wreck Ranger