Qualifications of a DM

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Phrasing.

You got me there. But in my defense, no one said ScubaBoard is family friendly.

 

[The Chairman]

Do not agree. For me, it was very hard.

If I might hazard a guess: you were first taught on your knees and were never taught the simple physics behind it all?

EDIT=> I apologize and didn't mean to pile on. Many Scuba Instructors simply begin training on the knees as that was an industry standard for a long time. There are a few out there who do teach neutral, but unfortunately, some don't understand the simple physics behind it so that they can't pass that on to their students. You need both.

 

[BoltSnap]

Master Diver is not a certification. It's simply like McDonalds badges: I've collected 5 'stars'/specialities. "master diver" is purely a marketing ploy.

This isn't true for all agencies at all. NAUI has a full course that is called "Master Diver" that is considered the most advanced and challenging course (to take and to teach) in recreational diving and is a prerequisite to all leadership courses. It is the highest level recreational diver rating in the NAUI system.

 

[The Chairman]

and is a prerequisite to all leadership courses

I didn't have that when I went for my NAUI IDC. I went in with a PADI DM cert.

 

[BoltSnap]

I didn't have that when I went for my NAUI IDC

NAUI doesn't have an "IDC" course or training with this name at all.

 

[The Chairman]

NAUI doesn't have an "IDC" course or training with this name at all.

You said it was a pre-requisite for all leadership courses... the IDC is a leadership course. I don't think it's required for their DM or AI course either. It's been a while since I taught for NAUI, so I could be wrong about current standards. But that's what my feeble mind is remembering.

 

[The Chairman]

Well, it's in the current pre-reqs, so I sit corrected...

Prerequisites For Entering The Course

• Minimum age is 18 years by the water phase of the course.
• Current certification as a NAUI Assistant Instructor or NAUI Divemaster or other agency leaders.
• Current certification as a NAUI Open Water Scuba Diver or the equivalent
• Current certification as a NAUI Rescue Scuba Diver or the equivalent
• Current certification as a NAUI Nitrox Diver or the equivalent
• Current certification as a NAUI Master Scuba Diver or the equivalent
• Current certification in NAUI First Aid for the Diving Professional or equivalent.
• A minimum of 60 logged open water scuba dives with a minimum of 30 hours bottom time. Dives shall be varied in environment, depth, and activities.
• Instructor candidates must pass the NAUI Instructor Prequalification Examination prior to the start of the ITC.
• Medical Approval - Verification of good physical condition as documented by a medical examination and unconditional approval for diving by a licensed physician within the preceding 12 months.
• Materials – Contact the NAUI Training Department for current requirements.

I'm not sure what "or the equivalent" means, especially if it's as unique as you say it is.

 

[BoltSnap]

You said it was a pre-requisite for all leadership courses... the IDC is a leadership course. I don't think it's required for their DM or AI course either. It's been a while since I taught for NAUI, so I could be wrong about current standards. But that's what my feeble mind is remembering.

NAUI does NOT have a course called "IDC"

In the 80's NAUI required attending an IPC, or Instructor Prep. Course not Master Diver rating. The requirement for Master Diver came later after the MD course had better training material, namely the textbook. The MD course covered all of the academic knowledge required for leadership sans the teaching/leadership specific knowledge. Leadership courses don't teach leadership level diving physics for example but expect you to know it in full and hence the MD was required since it included all academic knowledge prerequisite for leadership courses.

 

[The Chairman]

NAUI does NOT have a course called "IDC"

We called it either an IDC or an ITC... it's the "Instructor Development Course" and how you became an instructor. Feel free to call it whatever you or NAUI want. We took it to become an instructor. Mine was brutal.

 

[BoltSnap]

We called it either an IDC or an ITC... it's the "Instructor Development Course" and how you became an instructor. Feel free to call it whatever you or NAUI want. We took it to become an instructor. Mine was brutal.

"IDC" is a term that is used by other agency for their own instructor preparatory training and it is out of context and unrelated to how NAUI does things, it isn't comparable.

NAUI has an "ITC" or "Instructor Training Course" but it isn't the "IDC" the other agency has. NAUI has the term "Course Director" which is higher level than "Course Director" of other agency's. NAUI's "Course Director" is equivalent to "Instructor Examiner" in other agency's ratings with NAUI's "Instructor Trainer" equivalent to "Course Director" of that agency's rating. This all means that terms don't directly correlate between different agencies.