PADI AOW ELearning.

[cheeko]

Hello.

I am considering taking my AOW soon and am considering my options. What I would like to know is how many hours (approx of course) does it take to complete the ELearning theory online. I enjoyed the OW elearning as I completed it at work on nightshift getting paid good money!!!

I have been told that AOW has info, or sections, pertaining to all of the different optional dives. Do you have to complete all sections or just the few that will be most applicable to the diving I will be doing?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Dirty-Dog]

We did our OW and AOW with the eLearning. I have to admit I do not recall how many hours it took, but it wasn't that many. Like you, I work nights (ER/Flight nurse) and did the majority of it at work.
The book includes sections on all the optional dives. The eLearning, as I recall, took you through the required ones as well as the most popular ones. If your choices are not amoung those covered in eLearning, you simply complete them from the book. You can pick up the book at your LDS, if there are sections you want to study that are not covered online.

 

[cheeko]

Awesome! I am buying the ELearning right now! Thanks

 

[TMHeimer]

I did it the old way. I did all the sections in the book and the knowledge reviews ahead of time. Figured learning stuff other than what dives we'd do couldn't hurt. AOW was a breeze--assume it's the same with e-learning.

 

[cheeko]

Yeah I was an hour in and finished a couple sections online. I will probably have the theory complete withen 5 hours but I will post when I am done. Not overly different information so far from the OW elearning course.

Jesse

 

[robrg1836]

This was very informative. Great thread!

 

[kylgod253]

I strongly suggest avoiding Elearning for one simple reason: instructors are there to answer questions, not emails. The individualized help i received from my instructors couldnt compare to just reading online.

just my .02

 

[cheeko]

I strongly suggest avoiding Elearning for one simple reason: instructors are there to answer questions, not emails. The individualized help i received from my instructors couldnt compare to just reading online.

just my .02

-This is one of the main reasons I started the thread! I believe that the Elearning is going to set me up for success, but an instructor who has good experience and alot of dives in various conditions will bring so much more to the table. The ELearning is ok I am finding, however there are times that I would like to ask a question but I am the only diver in my "classroom of one"!! When a diver completes the ELearning it is the diver's responsiblility to ask questions and get answers when they go for the dives.

 

[Interceptor121]

Hello Cheeko
As the AOW course even in the standard form is based on student independent study you may want to consider getting the manual and completing the knowledge sections to then review with the instructor you will be doing the dives. Very few dive centre do an instructor led class for the AOW at least in the PADI curriculum so unless you are interested in that part it could be that there is not a hell of a difference between elearning and the traditional method because the AOW is mostly around going diving and not staying in class
Surely other agencies and some dive centres do provide classroom for people that want and can attend but there is substantial difference between the OW class and the AOW so it could be that elearning does not really add a lot of value to you if you want the interaction

 

[RonFrank]

Just write down any questions you have to be answered by the instructor. PADI courses are all bookwork at home with a brief amount of class time set aside for review. This is not much different. I guess the college course is, but most of us are not doing college PADI.

AOW does not have much meat to it. Every specialty (18 or more) fits in a book thinner than the OW book.

Have fun and good Diving.