Real learning in the water and in life

[rkinder]

Over the past several months, tragic events have caused me to look deep into how we view training and experience. We as a society have come to view attending a school or class as the end all to our education, while forgetting our real life experiences.

Let me back this up with some examples, by looking at divers, instructors, and certifications. A diver completes Open Water, then an Advanced open water class, during which a deep dive is completed. This dive is between 60 and 130 feet, this is where the problems begin, with divers stating they are now certified to 130 feet. They now jump into a Nitrox class, then in the pursuit of a Master Diver Certification take 5 specialty classes. At the end of 6 month to a year they have simply attended class after class, making instructors very happy. However, what is missed is perfecting the skills learned in each of the classes. That means making the skills yours.

So you have a deep diving card, but don’t make a deep dive for another year. You never really learned to pre plan a deep dive, because the class was not given the respect it deserved. And then because you did not take the time to fully develop what you just learned, mistakes are made leading to injury or death. The same can be said for dry suit classes where you watch a video and jump into the water and make a couple of quick dives. This does not make you a dry suit diver it makes you a dry suit learner. As an example every dry suit I have purchased over the years requires 3 to 5 dives before I will trust it and my self, based on the simple fact that each suit and each set of undergarments dive a little different even the exact same model and size. You will never notice these small differences until you start to master each set of skills.

Another example are S (Safety) drills which are taught in cavern class. How many divers take the time to fully check all their equipment before each dive. I have used diving as examples of this trend but it applies to every area of life. We have become obsessed with obtaining certifications, diplomas, CEU credits, that we have forgotten to take our lessons and perfect our abilities with what has been learned. There is no easy path to real learning in fact the real learning begins when the class is completed. All you have to do is look around we see that one person that stands out fighting fires, fixing cars, rigging ropes, running heavy equipment, running the rapids. They stand out not because they have a card but because after getting the card they took the time and effort to make the skills theirs.

I challenge each and every one of us to take what we learn and make the skills and life lessons our own. Always strive for perfection.

 

[Jared0425]

I agree with you 100%. Public safety diving can be one of the most grueling diving conditions and be both emotionally and physically draining on the best days. I have no problem with working with brand new OW certified students, but they will not be responding or diving without at least 25 dives under their belt in various training conditions. Even then the response will be within their capability. I will say that most of our OW divers are head and shoulders above some rescue divers.

 

[DevonDiver]

There's too much focus on plastic cards (perceived incorrectly as 'licenses') and not on the ABILITY of divers.

This stems from dive operators relying upon certification cards as an indemnity against potential liability.

Liability shifts to the certifying agency. That agency can defend it's training syllabus. It's sanctioned by the RSTC, ISO compliant etc...

So liability shifts to the certifying instructor. That instructor documents his training, keeps records and has students to sign off that skills were taught and learned adequately to the performance standards.

So liability shifts to the casualty themselves. They made a mistake. They didn't apply what was taught etc etc etc

That's how the system works...and effectively Teflon coats the industry against liability or responsibility for providing inadequate training.

At the same time, dive schools need to 'sell' courses. How better to sell training than to highlight that the industry imposes limits on diving that relate to the certification held.

Hence, certifications become 'licenses'.

All focus on the need for training... the need for ability.... is lost. Divers are manipulated into seeking higher 'licenses' to empower the diving they want to undertake, but never reminded that the point of training is to empower greater ability.

At the same time, selling 'licenses' without consideration of developing ability merely empowers dive education providers to degrade their training to the bare minimum standards necessary. This enables them to shorten and radically economise courses; attracting more clients.

Thus, we have a self-perpetuating circle. It's caused by liability shifting. It's sustained by how we market training. This shapes student perceptions of what they need. That empowers low quality courses. Low quality dive education demands liability shifting.

Gaining 'experience' is, of course, critical to dive development.

However, the self-perpetuating cycle described above all too often uses 'experience' as an excuse to justify inadequate training.

Gaining further experience takes you beyond your certification level. It does not excuse a lack of ability at the certification level.

If a diver is certified to be competent diving to a given depth, or using specific equipment, or conducting specific specialist skills.... then they should be fully and reliably able to perform relative to the dive undertaken.

This ability to perform must also account for the currency of skills. Divers are taught that ability is perishable if not used frequently.

The dive provision industry, being only concerned with liability protection, does not adequately reinforce this agency message about skill fade. They do not generally demand checkout dives nor often insist on refresher-type training.

To break the self-perpetuating cycle, the best solution would be litigation against dive operations that failed to ensure diver ability for the dive undertaken.

The possession of a c-card is not a proof of current diver ability.

Verifying possession of a c-card should not indemnify operations as having fulfilled their duty-of-care for ensuring that client divers are reasonably able to conduct their desired dives safely.

When dive operations start getting prosecuted and/or sued for negligence based on not confirming adequate ability..... then the scuba industry will become much more motivated to improve diver training quality, to reinforced the necessity for refresher training, to assess diver ability prior to excursions and to shape client mindsets to value effective training rather than 'licenses'.

 

[Diving Dubai]

I am a firm believer in this. People are happy to believe that a simple course with only a couple of dives means they are fully conversant rather than realising that they have reached the minimum level of understanding and they must continue to consolidate their knowledge and experience. Others believe that just because they can self teach by way of books or online theory and even mentor-ship, they don't need a formal course. Even though a formal course has some method of assessment set to standards.

To encourage people to dive within their cert level, maybe it's time that dive insurance was tied in to that card. So if you exceed your limits then unfortunately your insurance is invalid

Until I started my dive-master training, I have never had to take any skills reviews through rescue, AoW or even DS speciality, despite them all being carried out at different shops (with commercial diving)

I am a firm believer that at each course should start with a skill review and assessment. Further more I believe that one should have to meet ever increasing standards. So for instance if an OW student had to reach a buoyancy standard of (say) +/- 5' or 1.5 of a depth, then each more advance courses would see this tolerance reduced ( improved skill level). I'd like to see a minimum number of time/ dives underwater since completion of the last course.

I was involved with Non Destructive Testing Certified both with ASNT (American society of NDT) and BiNDT (British Institute of NDT) This meant for each discipline I held (8) I would re certify in each for both agencies every 3 years (16 different re-cert processes, On top of that because I was also qualified to instruct, I would need to carry out an Instructor review course for each agency every 3 years - to ensure my content delivery was to standard and that I was current.

I would like to see all Pro's from DM upwards have to do the same. Your cert card had an "expiry date" if you passed that date you would automatically get a card for that level but highlighting you were no longer practicing.

Say Gold card current, black card not current. I would like to see all professional have to attend a re-cert class ensuring their dive skills, theory knowledge and instructor skills are up to date.

There is no harm getting a qual and not using it, but people should be able to see if someone hasn't been practicing.

Of course all of these are pipe dreams and nothing will change

 

[DevonDiver]

I am a firm believer in this. People are happy to believe that a simple course with only a couple of dives means they are fully conversant...

Do you really believe this?

I don't.

I think people have doubts. I think they understand there are gross deficiencies.

However, they're given lots of false positive praise, handed a 'license' and told that it's "normal" to need more experience before they feel comfortable and competent at the level they've just been certified at.

The smokescreen over-rides their better judgement, but it doesn't convince them they're fully conversant.

 

[Frontpointer1000]

Great conversation!

I dont know what or how others think, I'm unaware how others perform self-assessments, personally, professionally, as a parent, as a student, or as a diver. Many people, I believe, never do this. I do. I'm uncomfortable with the status quo and am constantly seeking opportunities to improve in every aspect of life (and my wife often helps me see my inadequacies as a father and husband). God bless her.


A true, deep, self-searching review of where one is at (a self-inventory) will show there are some inadequacies which need remediation. One should remedy those issues, become lifted to a new plane, and then seek for growth again.

This is sounding way too metaphysical, which I didn't intend, but my point is that we have the opportunity to always be growing. some of us seek that, some of us are happy to live in a state of ignorance. I do believe that some people are disconnected enough to not realize that a simple c card and a course in OW in the warm Caribbean seas does not prepare them for all diving: it is doorway that begins a journey only.

Most people, I believe, understand they have some collection of deficiencies on their repository of diving knowledge, experience, and skills. HOWEVER, they are willing to live with them because they believe some one else will take up the slack. Herein lies the rub and the discrepancy. These inadequate divers shift responsibility onto dive ops as babysitters of the unwitting. Dive ops know this but are motivated to mitigate ignorance through an overabundance of "helicopter parenting" through the dive experience.

They are motivated to continue appealing to the masses, ignorant and unaware as they are, because they bring gold. The masses often dont realize what they dont know, and the gap will be bridged (or should be bridged) they erroneously believe by the dive op.

I hate seeing dive ops assemble gear for their divers, change tanks, check gear. It's bad for divers, and ingrains a sense of servitude and acceptance. Divers should handle their own gear. Period! The dive op is not doing anyone a favor by over-managing divers' gear.

Who's fault is this? We are all to blame. Society wants the most for the least. We see this in every aspect of life, certainly not just diving. Are we a quality-driven society or a quantity-driven one?

In terms of the diving experience (or lack thereof) Dive ops, training agencies, and divers all certainly play a role as well.

All divers should realize, ultimately, there's only one person to blame: yourself. Every dive boat/shop should have a sign:
CAVEAT EMPTOR. Only you know what you know. You might die on this dive, are you adequately prepared? Are you trained and experienced enough for this dive? If you die, it's your own fault.

Dive ops shouldn't be held liable unless there is absolute gross negligence.

 

[Frontpointer1000]

Out of curiosity, why is this thread on the public safety divers forum? It seems better placed in other forums...

 

[rkinder]

Out of curiosity, why is this thread on the public safety divers forum? It seems better placed in other forums...

The reason I have placed in this area is that it applies to all aspects of public safety. There is a constant push to attend class and gain certifications. over the last 43 years I have seen many simply get certified, or obtain CEU's and never really develop the skills. I see way to many Public Safety folks that just never take the time or energy to perfect what they have learned until it bites them in the butt. I am hoping that some will read this and try to do more than the minimum. Perhaps push their teams for additional experience or coaching. At the same time it applies to all of us in every aspect of life. Please feel free to post this in other areas if you feel this will help anyone.

 

[Resqdivemedic]

The reason I have placed in this area is that it applies to all aspects of public safety. There is a constant push to attend class and gain certifications. over the last 43 years I have seen many simply get certified, or obtain CEU's and never really develop the skills. I see way to many Public Safety folks that just never take the time or energy to perfect what they have learned until it bites them in the butt. I am hoping that some will read this and try to do more than the minimum. Perhaps push their teams for additional experience or coaching. At the same time it applies to all of us in every aspect of life. Please feel free to post this in other areas if you feel this will help anyone.

I cant agree more about the public safety aspect. My team trains a lot, every time we go out I learn something that I didn't even realize in previous dives. I have also worked with other local teams that are "certified" and have no clue. I have asked if they train and they say they have done no training since initial certification as a PSD. Talk about losing skills. My team reviews basic skills before each training session and does a diver emergency drill at each training session as well. Public safety diving, and diving in general require frequent, if not constant review and repetition. Maybe training agencies should have re-certification or refresher requirements instead of once certified, your good for life. The PSD agency we use for training has re-certification requirements. Maybe recreational agencies should adopt this. My cent and a half (not enough for 2 cents).

 

[Todd Dicker]

I am curious about the composition of public safety dive teams. I am a firefighter/engineer and critical care paramedic that is considering participating more with our fire department's dive team (as an OW diver who is working on upping certs now). That team is comprised mostly of highly experienced public safety and technical divers who are NOT first responders in any other sense. They are mostly dive team only. As a result, all of their training time is spent on diving. They are pretty darn good at their jobs.

I spend a huge amount of my training time on emergency medicine, and a much smaller portion of time on firefighting. That reflects the reality that these organizations we work for aren't fire departments, they're EMS departments that occasionally put out fires and perform rescues (i.e., 85% of calls for service are medical).

So when you talk about the weaknesses of training for PSD, I read between the lines that many other dive teams are comprised mostly of first responders who are "dabbling" in diving. Is that the case?