Open Source Instruction for Entry Level Scuba

[awetmedic]

I think that you need a real instructor and paying from $50 to $150 to the agency directly instead of the instructor is something to consider. Our aquatics nonprofit is putting together an open source instructional course and will enter the gang of over 50 agencies that issue scuba cards and we will create our own. Our students will take our own course. I expect to get lots of negative feedback for this. I have been a commercial diver, have taught for a few of the big guys for decades and have come to realize that it is a sport, after all. If you would like to help our nonprofits ideas they are at Home Page and we would like some contributions of public domain information about scuba so we can build a great one. I have some test creation software and a way to post material. Thanks.

 

[awetmedic]

Insurance for sports is not a requirement, however my nonprofit is insured and it covers all sports even scuba. If the students, who practically get their training for free in exchange for volunteer hours, want to get a certification card from any other agency they can enter under the experienced diver program. There are many divers around the world who do not have certification cards, and I have encountered many while operating dive shops in Bonaire and Grand Cayman and I have seen some bizarre certification cards. We never paid much attention to the card, we checked out everyone we dove with and many people with c-cards from the major organizations can't dive worth a darn.

 

[awetmedic]

Our first supported diver was a challenged Iraq vet paralyzed from the waist down. Liability is no more of an issue for us than anyone else, and we are insured. We have certified instructors from two of the major organizations but we are not going to use their material, name or anything connected to them. The exception would be to offer an experienced diver course and let them cross over to whatever agency they choose if they wanted to spend the extra money.

 

[mathauck0814]

Insurance for sports is not a requirement, however my nonprofit is insured and it covers all sports even scuba. If the students, who practically get their training for free in exchange for volunteer hours, want to get a certification card from any other agency they can enter under the experienced diver program. There are many divers around the world who do not have certification cards, and I have encountered many while operating dive shops in Bonaire and Grand Cayman and I have seen some bizarre certification cards. We never paid much attention to the card, we checked out everyone we dove with and many people with c-cards from the major organizations can't dive worth a darn.

And your plan when someone gets back from an expensive liveaboard vacation where they were denied diving privileges because no one on the boat had ever heard of your agency?

 

[awetmedic]

This has always been the mantra of the big agencies, I have used that for years. Any divemaster, instructor or resort owner can spot somebody with or without a card that dosn't know what they are doing. They all have contingency plans like a check-out dive instead of turning people away. For the few people we will be certifying, I will tell them to call ahead. I doubt if any dive business would turn divers away, and not check them out. I have never heard of it happening, this is urban folklore, that I used to help spread.

 

[Tigerman]

Sure as hell aint an urban legend that people get turned away if they dont have the RECOGNIZED credntials. Ive been carded and seen people get turned away from both diving and air fills.. "oops"

 

[boulderjohn]

I am sreally confused. Online instruction only covers the academics and is the cheapest part of certification. How will you open source the real instruction?

 

[Griffo]

Don't these guys offer an "Open source" scuba certification path?
Ausi - scuba & snorkel diving certification, FREE downloads

 

[awetmedic]

Hi John, we have a 12' deep pool at our nonprofit. We would like to create a course that is the best of everything and that has the latest and freshest ideas from anywhere in the world.

 

[awetmedic]

Hi Oz, I just glanced at the sight. What a terrific find! Our idea is to post links to courses like this one so that our students can have the benefit of more than just one point of few. Thanks so much!