My wife is currently working on her padi open water cert. She is stressing out about all the information in the manual (ie. k valve, j valve, DIN valve,). She asked me how much of this trivial information was on the cert test. I couldn't help her as it was 25 years ago that I certified. Any suggestions that could help her (and me)?
Padi cert test
- Thread starter tjwheel
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Wookie
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That information could easily be on the test. Have you done the pool sessions yet? Show her your regulator and all of it's components. I know that question is still on the test, the one regarding the components of a reg set. The valves are easy. J is the earlier valve, J comes before K, the earlier valve was used before we had SPG's, so when you run out of air, you Jerk the handle to give you more air. K is the valve we use now, and DIN is the one she'll probably never see.
Your description suggests she is doing the 'traditional' course, and NOT eLearning? Is that correct. In the traditional course, it may be a little easier to get guidance from the instructor on what is 'critical', although it shouldn't make that much difference. The academic portion isn't all that demanding, and should not end up being a source of significant stress. Frankly, the difference between a K valve and a J valve is, in 2010, trivial, unless you are watching old episodes of Sea Hunt. Knowing the difference between a H valve and a K valve is more useful, although not critical for the OW diver. Knowing the difference between a DIN valve and a yoke valve is not particularly trivial, however. But, there are quizzes along the way, before the final written test, that pretty much point the student in the direction of the questions to expect on the final written test. There are also Knowledge Reviews along the way that pretty much point the student in the direction of the questions to expect on the final written test. Tell her to relax, read for interest, and not memorization, and she will do fine.
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Thanks Wookie and Collium. No we haven't done the pool and no she isn't doing the elearning. She has a private instructor/lesson. We got her book a couple weeks ago, instructor said to go through it as much as she can before starting class on 24th. First pool dive on 26th. Just a little nervous of how in depth she needs to study!
Wookie
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A lot of that stuff becomes evident as she sees it. I liked Colliam's answer better than mine, read the manual for information, not as test prep. Her instructor will emphasize what is important for her to memorize.
The manual is laid out quite well. Each chapter has important points listed, "quick quizzes" to check your comprehension , and the knowledge review at the end. If those are done, the actual chapter quizzes should be easy, followed by the final exam which is pretty much review of all of those.
Keep in mind this is a course geared for 10 and up, and as previously stated enjoy the class.
Keep in mind this is a course geared for 10 and up, and as previously stated enjoy the class.
robint
Contributor
yep, she needs to know most of it for the tests BUT she will take the written tests, the items she missed will be gone over with the instructor afterwards. If she didn't miss too many, she moves on to next chapter. If she failed the test, she will go over missed questions, then given another test to take, ... She will have to pass a test to move on to the next one, but she will not be sent home. The whole test thing is for her benefit, to learn the info in each chapter, not to be a negative experience. Tell her to relax, her instructor is there to help her learn and pass the tests.
I know there is lots of negative shxxxx here in SB about PADI being too easy. The fact is, all certifying agencies want divers to pass, become certified and get out there and dive. DIVING is the only way you will really learn and become a diver, not by tests and not by skills in the pool. Those are only basic information given to the student to get them out there to start learning. No amount of skills or tests are going to make a person a good diver, only diving after certification can do that.
Just my 2 cents.
robin
I know there is lots of negative shxxxx here in SB about PADI being too easy. The fact is, all certifying agencies want divers to pass, become certified and get out there and dive. DIVING is the only way you will really learn and become a diver, not by tests and not by skills in the pool. Those are only basic information given to the student to get them out there to start learning. No amount of skills or tests are going to make a person a good diver, only diving after certification can do that.
Just my 2 cents.
robin
there is 1 question on DIN valves on the final..the course is set up as a "system" in that if you watch the video-read the book-complete the homeworks-attend academic session/pool-there is little chance of having issues with it.Take away any one part of a system and it may not work properly.
The PADI learning system is based on high repetitions. First she reads the information, then fills in the or questions in the book, watches the videos, does the knowledge reviews, goes over the knowledge reviews with the instructor in class, takes quizzes, goes over the quizzes, and then finally takes the written final exam. After everything leading up to the exam, she should know all that she needs to pass. So, encourage her to take the steps and have fun along the way.
Put yourself for a second in the place of her instructor.
It is important to the instructor that she pass for many reasons. The most trivial is that if she fails the test, the instructor will have to reteach material and then retest with a new test. It's a pain. Most instructors I know get their "feel good moments" when students pass with a particularly high score. I myself am disappointed when students score lower than the high 90s.
To achieve that level of academic success, I have learned over the years what areas I need to emphasize on the knowledge reviews, both for diver safety and for exam success. I have a list of items I am sure to review before students take the test. The biggest hangup for many students are the table/eRDPml questions, and we go over practice questions until I am convinced the student knows how to use that tool.
In other words, trust the instructor. He or she should be sure to cover all the key information, and he or she should not hand out that exam until the student is ready to take it.
Finally, the reason most students have trouble in my experience is not so much lack of knowledge as test anxiety. Some people get panicky and freeze up when taking tests. When I go over the questions students missed, they usually know the answer but made the wrong choice for some reason or other.
(BTW, my students do see DIN valves--I show them the difference by pulling out some DIN valves and regulators--sometimes my own--that we have readily on hand.)
It is important to the instructor that she pass for many reasons. The most trivial is that if she fails the test, the instructor will have to reteach material and then retest with a new test. It's a pain. Most instructors I know get their "feel good moments" when students pass with a particularly high score. I myself am disappointed when students score lower than the high 90s.
To achieve that level of academic success, I have learned over the years what areas I need to emphasize on the knowledge reviews, both for diver safety and for exam success. I have a list of items I am sure to review before students take the test. The biggest hangup for many students are the table/eRDPml questions, and we go over practice questions until I am convinced the student knows how to use that tool.
In other words, trust the instructor. He or she should be sure to cover all the key information, and he or she should not hand out that exam until the student is ready to take it.
Finally, the reason most students have trouble in my experience is not so much lack of knowledge as test anxiety. Some people get panicky and freeze up when taking tests. When I go over the questions students missed, they usually know the answer but made the wrong choice for some reason or other.
(BTW, my students do see DIN valves--I show them the difference by pulling out some DIN valves and regulators--sometimes my own--that we have readily on hand.)
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