Redesigning AOW

[MXGratefulDiver]

This is simple the result when:

1. commercial agencies control everything in an activitity.

2. the activity should be for everyone.

3. all courses and course material are made for the least skilled and slowest learners and everything above that level is considered to much task loading and is skipped in the course material and courses.

4. A course should take the same time for everyone everytime.

5. No one should fail a course.

6. you almost cant fail a course.

7. you should be able to take the next course right after the last one.

There are of course feedback between the different criteria and the most important connection is money but I think it sum up everything nicely.

Bob's course fail on 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

... care to explain what you mean by that?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[RiverRat]

They also task load you by making you do a puzzle or a combination lock at a shallow depth and at depth so that you will see the affects of narcosis. You don't just do a deep dive and say you're done.

No you do a "deep" dive and a "puzzle" then you're done
Whoopty do..........

 

[amascuba]

No you do a "deep" dive and a "puzzle" then you're done
Whoopty do..........

Okay... How is that different then what I said?

 

[Thalassamania]

... care to explain what you mean by that?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I read it as sarcasm (e.g., your courses "fail" to meet those criteria and that's a good thing).

 

[String]

I was actually re-reading over the PADI standards for the AOW class last night and the deep dive has a maximum depth of 100ft. They also task load you by making you do a puzzle or a combination lock at a shallow depth and at depth so that you will see the affects of narcosis. You don't just do a deep dive and say you're done.

Sadly that "deep" dive can also be to 19m/63ft which is too shallow to prove anything. It also doesn't have to include gas planning.

 

[amascuba]

Sadly that "deep" dive can also be to 19m/63ft which is too shallow to prove anything. It also doesn't have to include gas planning.

That's true. PADI seems more worried about the affects of nitrogen narcosis than anything related to dive planning or emergency procedures at depth. The funny thing is, most people aren't going to feel the affects of narcosis at 60ft unless it's carbon dioxide related. If it's carbon dioxide related then the person isn't comfortable with the dive in the first place (assuming that the gear is functioning properly), which I would contribute to lack of proper training. Kinda ironic, is it not?

 

[raymond phule]

... care to explain what you mean by that?

I read it as sarcasm (e.g., your courses "fail" to meet those criteria and that's a good thing).

Yes, it was my understanding of the current system and that system makes sense if you want to earn money on diving in a convinient way. It doesn't really care about the divers though.

Your course dont fit into the current system and I guess you would have to work a lot if some not very talented OW divers want to take your course. I still belive it is a good course.

 

[RonFrank]

Around here it is very normal. I'm not going to try to comment on how other shops, instructors, etc teach their class, but based on the PADI standards it's allowed.

It's common, at least based on the LDS's I've watch conduct AOW from TX, NM, and CO.

Personally, I'd rather have James teach the class over a LOT of instructors I've watched over the years!

 

[Buoyant1]

No you do a "deep" dive and a "puzzle" then you're done
Whoopty do..........

I'll have to admit MY deep dive was a blast...For the course part of it, we did a combination lock, tied one of our knots, and had to play tic-tac-toe with one of the DM's... (at 60 something ft) Then we dropped off the platform to a boat that sits between 85-90 ft, and did a swim around....but my DM (I won't mention any names...cough cough..DaytonaDave...cough cough) had a small Shrunken Head (aka. NOG) that we zip tied to one of the rails on the boat! Fun stuff!!

My LDS does a nice job with the AOW course, but as I said before, since I've done some of the dives/skills before, It wasn't as enlightening to me as say someone that had maybe only OW or OW and a handful of other dives..I learned, I gained more knowledge, I got the card, and can move on to bigger and better dives with no hassle (and I have)

 

[amascuba]

It's common, at least based on the LDS's I've watch conduct AOW from TX, NM, and CO.

Personally, I'd rather have James teach the class over a LOT of instructors I've watched over the years!

Thanks Ron!