Online Diving Courses

[neil]

Originally posted by Green_Manelishi
I like it !!!

Next up will be on-line DRIVING courses, followed by on-line
firearms safety and hunting courses. No supervised practical application necessary ... just P(ut) A(nother) D(ollar) I(n) and
you are good-to-go.

GM,
Funny you should mention that, I recently did traffic school on the internet. What a freakin' joke!
I've taught both PADI and NAUI courses using ONLY home study and I'll never do it again. So much is lost when the instructor is there to fill in details and explain nuance. The written tests really only test a small sample of the knowledge needed, so the instructor needs to make sure his students understand the subject matter. I spent so much remedial time with those classes that I should have just done it the "normal" way. IMO the home study only supplements my class presentations. I have WAY more knowledge than the OW manuals, and that's why I'm there. Besides a healthy dose of ego, of course.
Neil

 

[keralucu]

I agree with GP and ifukuda - it could work as a supplement to the actual course, particularly if it's interactive.

It's still essential for the student to be able to ask questions directly to the instructor, rather than asking thru the web (FAQs) which invariably do NOT get you the answer you are looking for!

 

[Ontario Diver]

Hey guys...

Get used to "Web learning" it will be every where. The key to success seems to be to see it as an improved text book NOT as a replacement for a formal learning session.

Just my two cents - I'll check it out when it shows up and make up my mind then.

 

[Ron Brandt]

Hi ! I work for a technical institute where we do on-line EMT and Dental Assisting.

The concept seems good at first an discussed it with my course director a couple of years back at my IDC.

It does work. I have my students use the cd rom at home now.

My problem come form this. I have spent many thousands of dollars to achive an instructor rating. I am a private instructor. How will I get paid ? I am in a very small market right now.

I have indicated to PADI on the web site that as long as the on -line material was instructor orientated IE: I live in an area where I am hundreds of miles of a course director and any accademic sessions I could do on-line would be great ! In other words anything I could do to up my instructor credentials without wasting an entire vacation just to upgrade.

Hell , could you just imagine what PADI would do to me if I put up an on-line site with my own server !

Ron

 

[monster]

The on-line learning PADI refers to is not intended to replace the entire course, obviously. Someone mentioned it earlier in this thread: there is a manual that must be read and understood, written exercises to complete, and videos to watch, to provide a foundation of knowledge and a preview of the confined water and open water skills.

Even with a "live" instructor, you don't get too much out of the course unless you are willing to invest the time and effort to actually read and understand, so that when it's time to do the classroom and pool sessions, there is interaction between instructor and divers, and not just hand-holding and blind following.

If the manuals and videos are made available on-line, it's no different from the current setup, it's just another delivery channel. However, if PADI thinks that even the discussion and elaboration sessions can be handled by an interactive application, I would have to disagree. Virtual classroom with cameras on both sides of the net connection, sure. CD-ROM alone, no way.

And there's no way to make the pool dives and open water dives on-line, not without a serious lack of common sense in all involved.

 

[neil]

I think the problem is that with online courses, as with PADI's current setup, the student will learn ONLY what's in the book, CD-ROM or online. What will you do with the student who is genuinely curious about a particular subject, and has questions they want answered, that are not addressed with the coursework. Tell them to wait and sign up for the next course?
PADI tells instructors they should teach from their experience. Well, you have to be there for that. And finally, look at the posts on this board from newbies with questions they should have had answered in class. Books and other media are only tools. PADI needs to quit putting expedience over quality.

Neil

BTW, PADI recently did away with the CD-ROM only course. Students now MUST use the manual also. My guess is that it wasn't working.

 

[Butch103]

thanks for the intelligent coments re the on-line courses.

It is bloody ridiculus :stupid: to think in anyway shape or form that once completeing the on-line course that you were a qualified diver.

Well duhh...even if you take a "regular" course with an instructor you still aren't quallified or certified to dive until all your skills are proved in the pool and in the open water.

The on-line courses can be a valuable learning tool if used right in conjunction with the instructors.

PADI is well known for their marketing ideas, and it is "assumed" that your training thru PADI is not as good as other organizations, this may or may not be the case, but, don't discount their thoughts on training. It seems that their training manuals are well thought out and are great teaching tools.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Originally posted by Strick



I received my Certification and advance class's through NAUI back in 1985, they didn't have the online stuff back then!

1985?
No CDs for computers at all in 1985, much less for training.
I think it was about '95 when NAUI came out with the AOW CD, and about '97 for the OW.
Rick