Instructor Standards

[GDI]

:doctor:
From my reading of the thread "Meeting the Enemy" I see that many of you question the different agencys and their approach to standards. I still hold that the instructor has the largest impact on the diving skills and the industry. The equipment manufactures see this and they try to have the instructors pump their products. Programs such keyman and other marketing ploys only supports this. The LDS make their money on the sale of equipment not the instruction. LDS are more interested in the money, they are after all in business and making money is what business is all about. I teach diving for a living and I want to make money at it, I'm in business BUT I will not give a unqualfied diver a certification card. I can see that it could only hurt my business to do otherwise. There is no law that requires people to be certified to scuba dive, not that I know of. This is a scary situation. Many of the LDS don't even ask to see a cert card before they fill a cylinder or in some cases rent equipment. This is obviously not needed if you know who the diver is because they certified them. But they do not always know this. Maybe this would be the only piece of legistration needed to correct the problems, but I doubt that will be suffice. Pilots need a licence to fly so why not make a law that the cert card is a licence to dive or lets just better regulate it. The instructor standards will vary somewhat from one agency to another. Since it appears to be a trend that more and more people are entering the sport, even if only for a short duration then maybe we need to adjust the instructor standards to ensure safety not to reduce the number of divers but to better the risk reduction. Example look at the trend of fitness/arobics exercise during the early 80's. All of a sudden a mass explosion occurs and we now have 1000's of people becoming certified arobics instructors. An agency forms to certify these people to instruct. The diving industry is no different. So I suggest this: The safety of the dive industry is impacted mostly by the instructors. Maybe now it is time to review the standards and make adjustments where needed. I suggest that as a minimum the instructor must meet the following standards before they can be deemed suitable to instruct/
1. minimum age of 21 years
2. proof of 500 logged dives
3. Demonstrat proficiency in all basic skills ( subjective level yet TBD - this is the big problem area)
4. Be certified in at least 6 different specialties of which must include: deep diving techniques, night/lowvisibilty techniques, navigation, peak buoyancy, one form of overhead environment specialty (ie: wreck, ice, cavern), equipment repair (any manufacturer)
5. Demonstrate they are physically fit through a swim test: 1 mile (untimed), 800 yards with mask, fins and snorkel (timed), 100 yards tired diver assist wearing equipment (timed), tread water 15 minutes with last three minutes no hands
6. Pass exams regarding physics, physiology, equipment, dive planning, teaching techniques and principles. (exams will be timed)
7.Demonstrate knowledge and use 3 different of Dive Tables (ie: PADI, US NAVY, DCIEM)
8. Pass exam on basic policy and procedures specific to their dive training agency.

I am looking for your suggestions and/or comments on this. The complaints without offering solutions approach will resolve nothing. IMO

 

[Walter]

Weeding out the competition?

Most can't qualify. That's not necessarily a bad thing because most shouldn't be teaching.

I'd love to see agencies raise their standards for instructors as well as for entry level.

Some of your ideas are good, others are vague and others I don't see the need.

"why not make a law that the cert card is a licence to dive or lets just better regulate it."

I'm against more laws. This needs to come from the agencies, not be forced on them from outside. As much as I dislike some standards of some agencies, I'll defend their right to set their own standards.


1. minimum age of 21 years

Why 21? Why not 18? or 25?

2. proof of 500 logged dives

Experience is great, but a better requirement would be working on a dive charter for 6 months. You get better experience in what problems to avoid.

3. Demonstrat proficiency in all basic skills ( subjective level yet TBD - this is the big problem area)

What are the basic skills? This is a major source of disagreement. I personally think we need to bring back buddy breathing while switching gear with your buddy as an OW requirement. Most would disagree with me.

4. Be certified in at least 6 different specialties of which must include: deep diving techniques, night/lowvisibilty techniques, navigation, peak buoyancy, one form of overhead environment specialty (ie: wreck, ice, cavern), equipment repair (any manufacturer)

Why? What is the need? Deep is relative. Night, low viz and navigation are covered in any decent advanced class. Why overhead? Some people will never dive overhead, should they be excluded? There are more important issues, such as can they teach?

5. Demonstrate they are physically fit through a swim test: 1 mile (untimed), 800 yards with mask, fins and snorkel (timed), 100 yards tired diver assist wearing equipment (timed), tread water 15 minutes with last three minutes no hands

Seems a tad excessive, but what the heck, let's do it and weed some out.

6. Pass exams regarding physics, physiology, equipment, dive planning, teaching techniques and principles. (exams will be timed)

Don't all agencies already do this?

7.Demonstrate knowledge and use 3 different of Dive Tables (ie: PADI, US NAVY, DCIEM)

What's the point? While they are very different in content, PADI & US Navy use the same format. If you can work one, you can work the other. DCIEM is a different format, but it is also rarely seen. I don't think I've ever shown it to anyone who has ever seen it before. You need to understand your agency's required tables. You need to know there are other tables and that it isn't safe to switch tables between dives.

8. Pass exam on basic policy and procedures specific to their dive training agency.

Don't all agencies already do this?

Looks like you've given it some thought. Good job.

 

[DiverBuoy]

Ahh you said "Legistration"

GDI I have never corrected spelling errors on this site (it's a good thing too with the way I spell). I love this new word it's like a compound between

Legislation + Administration = Legistration

Legistration (n) \lej-e-stra-shen\ 1. The excercise of the power of making laws and the power of immediately executing them. 2. Without checks and balances - indistinguishable from the compound function of policymaking and administration.

But I digress. To continue your list ...

9. Freedive the Titanic at least twice (you have 1 day)
10. While treading water with both arms out of the water and the anchor chain between your teeth reposition your dive boat 400 meters (you have 10 minutes).
11. Remove and safely replace your appendix with merely the tools found in a your "Save-a-dive kit". (you have 30 minutes)
12. At depth in 100 fsw with heavy current and surge, simulate extreme equipment failure by puncturing your BCD bladder several times with your dive knife. Then with fins clipped to your BCD and with your weights still in place ascend safely. Once on the surface patch your BCD with available organic materials and without other external aides finally return safely to depth. (you have 1 hour)

 

[detroit diver]

I'll add one more to your list, GDI.

Minimum of 20 open water dives per year, exclusive of class dives.

I picked that number from the air, but I think there should be a minimum number of dives.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Kinda off topic kinda not...

As reefs get destroyed and biologists and marine agencies try to figure out why, sport and commercial fishermen and divers continue to point the finger at each other.

It has always been my contention its better to figure out how you can be part of the solution rather than state " I am not part of the problem."

The divers part of the solution is IMHO simply stay off the reef. This can best be solved by teaching proper bouyancy. A simple fix to this problem is if you can't teach while hovering, you can't teach. If you don't have good bouyancy skills you can't teach them.

It isn't hard to teach proper bouyancy. Its a little time consuming, and it takes practice.

RSTC (recreational scuba training council) sets the standards for teaching in the different agencies. It seems if there is going to be a change thats where the change needs to be addressed.

I for one would be willing to write the RSTC as a concerned diver requesting an addition of a Peak Performance Bouyancy class to become a REQUIRED part of any BOW class. Tack it onto the end of the class as a fifth dive. Yes, it would probably increase the length of the class by a day, but it would at least be a start at addressing the problem.

TwoBit

 

[Rick Murchison]

TwoBitTxn once bubbled...
I for one would be willing to write the RSTC as a concerned diver requesting an addition of a Peak Performance Bouyancy class to become a REQUIRED part of any BOW class.

While I think existing standards for instructors are adequate (it's the lack of enforcement on the part of the agencies that is the problem, not the standards themselves), I like the idea of defining and requiring a buoyancy control standard in the OW minimums - something like "Over a bottom 25' or deeper, maintain a depth of 15' ± 5' for three minutes without touching any line or other structure." The exact numbers aren't nearly so important as a requirement for something that would raise buoyancy control from the "nice" to the "necessary."
Rick

 

[detroit diver]

TwoBit,

May the force be with you! There's not a chance on this little green earth that they'd take a class that brings in dollars and make it free. And the chain mill LDS would never allow them to tack on another day to the class-that would mean less students and less money for them.

But I like the way you think. It should be a part of BOW.

 

[DiverBuoy]

What if you keep the course components as is but change the reward.

Say instead of getting a full Open Water certification - you give Scuba Diver certs (dive accompanied by professional) at the end of Open Water. Give out Open Water (dive accompanied by any certified buddy) after say AOW+PPB. IMO - a diver isn't even environmentally aware until they've finished Rescue.

As for Instructors - I like the age limit at 21 years and I think number dives should be 2 times the current total - 200. Before teaching your first student - you should be required to audit (with "book report") minimum of 10 classes from start to finish - where the model instructor has received an annual renewal cert by a reviewing auditor such as IDC Staffer or CD. These instructors with renewal would be identified with a new title. And while they don't need to renew - they can't be the model instructor for an audit class without the 'little star' on the badge.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Just a couple of notes:

Diving is a worldwide industry, and uniformity of standards is essential to international development of scuba diving. To that end, some localities prohibit night diving and in other places night dives are impractical during the summer diving season due to exceedingly late sunsets. I would vote against night diving, and happily low-vis isn't available in some places.

I would also not like to see an overhead environment requirement. Overhead environments necessitate specific techniques which are distinctly seperate from the fundamental skills needed for basic open water competency.

 

[ElectricZombie]

GDI once bubbled...
:

1. minimum age of 21 years
2. proof of 500 logged dives
3. Demonstrat proficiency in all basic skills ( subjective level yet TBD - this is the big problem area)
4. Be certified in at least 6 different specialties of which must include: deep diving techniques, night/lowvisibilty techniques, navigation, peak buoyancy, one form of overhead environment specialty (ie: wreck, ice, cavern), equipment repair (any manufacturer)
5. Demonstrate they are physically fit through a swim test: 1 mile (untimed), 800 yards with mask, fins and snorkel (timed), 100 yards tired diver assist wearing equipment (timed), tread water 15 minutes with last three minutes no hands
6. Pass exams regarding physics, physiology, equipment, dive planning, teaching techniques and principles. (exams will be timed)
7.Demonstrate knowledge and use 3 different of Dive Tables (ie: PADI, US NAVY, DCIEM)
8. Pass exam on basic policy and procedures specific to their dive training agency.

Ok, I agree with a lot you said. Let me address some points though.


1. I was 21 when I became an Instructor but see no reason why someone who is 18 could not do a great job. The minimum should be 18 though, especially for legal reasons. Depends on the individual.


2. 500 dives? I think this is unreasonable. Case and point: I know divers who have way over 1000 dives yet, I would never set foot in the water with them. Those 1000 or so dives were all spent illustrating horrible technique and poor diving skills in general. I know others, even other Instructors with 100 - 300 dives who are just outstanding underwater. These are the guys who spend all day at the dive well practicing skills and teaching classes. They are better divers than 99% of anyone you will ever see. Setting a minimum of 500 dives would just exclude a ton of great potential Instructors. I think a case by case evaluation is in order for instructors.


3. Of coarse. Always required. Should be automatic and perfect.


4. Specialties? I have been trained for all the topics you mentioned but have never taken a specialty class. I think this is a difference between NAUI and PADI. I do agree that they should be familiar with gear servicing/maitence.


5. NAUI already requires all this. The swim test is 450 yards in under 10 minutes though. If you can do that, a mile untimed should be a piece of cake.


6. Totally agree, maybe not timed though. Just give a reasonable amount of time.


7. Most people know this anyway so it's not a big deal.


8. Defiently. To me, this was the hardest of all the exams I took. Very important to know though.



Instructor standards do need to be kept high. I think we have all seen the Instuctor who we mistook for a student underwater by his trail of silt. Around here, the only place to become an Instructor is at the University through NAUI. The standards are exceptionally high, and go way beyond what you described. You literally get a grade for it too that effects your GPA.

I think the problem arises from all these dive shops who want to put on a sort of "Crash Course ITC". They don't have any skills to begin with and never learn any. They never learn how to teach people so, they will never be effective.

There needs to be some reform on Instructor training but, I can say that around here, the NAUI (and YMCA too) Instructors are just amazing.