Proper DIR techniques

[ron_cooper]

Thanks for the input, keep it coming. I live in northern Alberta and from talking to a few people in the local dive club there are only a couple of decent dive sites here. This being that the water is over twenty feet deep and relitively clear, the closet being an hours drive away. Any other spots are either to shallow of lake and algei chocked or the river which is fast running and full of silt, only about 6" of visibility. I can get access to one of the local pools though, which I can perfect my bouyantcy and swimming strokes in which I think would be a good start though. We are about to go into our normal six months of frozen lakes so the pool will help. I have also purchased a dry suit which I want to get comfortable with.
I have checked the GUE site and was wondering about the student wookbook. Do I have to be registed in a course to get one now?

 

[JeffG]

Thanks for the input, keep it coming. I live in northern Alberta and from talking to a few people in the local dive club there are only a couple of decent dive sites here. This being that the water is over twenty feet deep and relitively clear, the closet being an hours drive away. Any other spots are either to shallow of lake and algei chocked or the river which is fast running and full of silt, only about 6" of visibility. I can get access to one of the local pools though, which I can perfect my bouyantcy and swimming strokes in which I think would be a good start though. We are about to go into our normal six months of frozen lakes so the pool will help. I have also purchased a dry suit which I want to get comfortable with.
I have checked the GUE site and was wondering about the student wookbook. Do I have to be registed in a course to get one now?

Cold Lake isn't that far and I dive into November...yep here in Alberta.

 

[JeffG]

I have checked the GUE site and was wondering about the student wookbook. Do I have to be registed in a course to get one now?

No you dont...but it is a waste of money without taking the course. (Its meant for the class...lists key points and has some space for notes)

 

[pipedope]

Hi,
I agree w/you Jason, that some learning will be accomplished by reading. But in many cases the written word cannot do the material the justice it deserves and the message becomes distorted.
As an instructor for GUE that has been involved w/at least 20+ of these courses from it's early inception as a workshop, I can say from experience that it is extremely rare that what is read and interpretted by the students via written word is the exact same message regarding the same material given in the class by the Instructor.

Dive safe!

Best Regards,
brando

I suggest that while some of this is always the case, if it is a big difference on more than half the students the fault is in the writing.
Technical writing is a specialized field that has lots of tricks and traps that are not obvious to those who have not done it.
The worst computer books are written by computer geeks, engineers write awfull engineering books and generally divers write so-so to worthless diving books.

This is not a slam on any of these people or groups but is the way it is. For 'good' writing you need good writers. Usually the best books are written by people who know only a little about the subject working with an expert on the subject. They have the perspective of someone learning and put in lots of details that are overlooked by the expert but are critical to understanding by the student.

Then again, books can only teach you ABOUT diving. Theory, procedures, processes and other but for the actual performance of the techniques you must get wet and practice and have an instructor who can guide you to the proper actions.

 

[MonkSeal]

...engineers write awfull engineering books...

I can't agree on this.

Usually the best books are written by people who know only a little about the subject working with an expert on the subject.

If that's true it's a tragedy. My experience is quite opposit.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I can't agree on this.


If that's true it's a tragedy. My experience is quite opposit.

Well, as someone who has spent the past 30 years writing technical manuals, my experience is that Pipedope is spot on.

Many engineers think they can write clear, concise manuals ... but it is often the case that instead of telling someone how to set the alarm, they instead write very precise descriptions of how the clock works.

As to how that relates to scuba diving instruction, I have read student manuals for various courses from about five different agencies now ... including GUE ... and most of it is not well written. That is why I usually write my own student materials.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MonkSeal]

Well, as someone who has spent the past 30 years writing technical manuals, my experience is that Pipedope is spot on.

Maybe I just can't accept the truth.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Maybe I just can't accept the truth.

Well now ... truth is such a subjective term, isn't it ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Charlie99]

I have checked the GUE site and was wondering about the student wookbook. Do I have to be registed in a course to get one now?

The DIR-F workbook is available outside the course. It's not worth the $20, though, since it's more or less just a slide show talking points or bullets. More like an agenda or outline, very very little content.

I look forward to seeing the GUE OW course manual. So far, the GUE material I've seen has been pretty sparse and most teaching seems to be very verbally oriented. For an OW course, they will have to have a lot more comprehensive materials than have been published so far.

 

[RocketMan]

Weird, as a school teacher, we have students learn stuff by reading all the time....

Let me add that I'm not suggesting someone not take the class, I'm just suggesting that the thought of not being able to learn by reading is BS. Maybe better written materials are needed, but learning can certainly be accomplished by reading.

If all learning could be done by just reading.....then there would be no need for teachers....hmmmm.