So considering that there are other options available, why do paying students put up with that level of abuse and poor quality?
I can tell you my reasons:
1. Ignorance: I had no idea the e-learning would be that flawed. But even if I had known, I probably would have made the same decision because...
2. Availability: My work has me bouncing around state to state continually and my experience with trying to get my foot in ANY tech door was a year-long exercise in getting told off. So when I FINALLY found an actual tech instructor to even take a look at my diving and he said "sure, you're ready; I'll train you", there was no way I was going to say no. Even if we have to do the course in back-mount twinset as opposed to sidemount, and even if it has to be TDI instead of my initial agency SSI, that's fine because when will I get this opportunity again?
But lets say I did have geographic stablity, like the average diver, I think students will generally take what they can get, so from a pragmatic view I think it has to be up to the instructors to hold their agency accountable for the quality of E-learning, because when the choice for a student is LDS-1 @ 45 minute drive or LDS-2 at 3 hour drive; it's going to be LDS-1 for nearly everyone, for most classes.
Further as a student I could only deny an agency up to one customer (myself) assuming I have other options within range, and assuming I know those more distant options are better than my local option. An instructor on the other hand can deny an agency every student he will ever train.
Out of curiosity, did you have any specific agency's e-learning in mind when you mentioned better options? I would investigate and forward such a recommendation to my fellow divers that are preparing for tech. And even having myself finished AN+DP, this is still relevant for when I seek cave 2-4 training. Cave training would not follow the "closest-available rule" as it will necessitate travel to florida, airbnb, massive credit debt, etc. anyway.
