Retention learning - how to be a better diver?

[jonix]

ditto to what tsandm & codman posted. study, actual dive + repetition does it for me.





"motivation" is very much welcome though

 

[Babydamulag]

Matt, I find that the very theoritical aspects of dive courses sink in better if you are able to back them with a real world example that clearly illustrates the principle! Or with an analogy that people can use to understand it better!

Good teaching skills are hard to come by. Just the fact that you are trying to improve on this shows that you are a good teacher! Keep up the good work and effort to improve!

CHEESEDICK CANUCK....
he is looking for a discount on his TEC courses

 

[eagerbeaver]

thanks for the feedback guys...so a combo dive course/speed dating might be a good plan? If you don't pass each module you don't get to talk to the next hot chick...

No one to fussed about their personal safety in terms of info retention then?

 

[CODMAN]

BabyD, you know darn well who I'll be doing any further tech courses with...:cool2: If I want more of that...

CHEESEDICK CANUCK....
he is looking for a discount on his TEC courses

 

[CODMAN]

Hey Matt, there is someone on the PPD forum, I can't seem to recall his name , that you should definetly ask for an oppinion. He's pretty much the most "Retentive" person on this forum! You should definetly ask for his professionnal oppinion... He's one of the best...:mooner:

thanks for the feedback guys...so a combo dive course/speed dating might be a good plan? If you don't pass each module you don't get to talk to the next hot chick...

No one to fussed about their personal safety in terms of info retention then?

 

[pakman]

provide happy endings...

great motivational tool... :mooner:

 

[Rhoody]

getting laid if we get it right is going to be GREAT motivation. will probably remember the lesson too...

... not sure what your preferences are ... but that wouldn't motivate me to make a course w/ Matt...

... but there is this hot cutie in Mactan where I would sign up right away for a "snorkel clearing-refresher"...

 

[Rhoody]

anyway, in my experience of "normal" non-technical teaching, I found out that fun and "let the students make their own experience" helps the best.

With novice divers I am focused on safety and buoyancy (ok, I know, that's basically what diving is, before looking at stuff)

I let them hover for one minutes with closed eyes for example to get a feeling for time and pressure, or pass 1 kg weights around while hovering for better breath control,

I take an empty glass-bottle under water make it totally neutral and show the compression and expansion of air in just 2 feet depth difference to make them understanding that topic easier. I let them play with my SMB and a lot of other stuff...

Most of them remember it when I see them a year or two later again, some may even take something out of it.

but psssssst don't tell anyone, it might be considered "overteaching" ...

 

[Cabbie]

I've obviously had the wrong instructors over the years...

 

[boljakool]

What do you remember best, and what areas do you know that you have forgotten, but probably should remember more about? Should certain areas of the class be focused on more to improve understanding...which in turn improves retention?

Did you retain things better when it was directed towards your safety, or did you remember it better due to a good joke or some other kind of stimulus that made it memorable?

I usually combine safety and fun when I talk with new divers. I find it that most of them signed up to dive simply to enjoy the experience. Then they would find out that this is a serious sport that needs real discipline and attention to details.

To make sure that they retain what they study, I usually focus on the safety during classroom and pool lessons. Analogies are also helpful to have an easier grasp on things. During check out dives, we still give emphasis on safety and we also let them enjoy the fun part of the experience.

Follow up dives also helps retain and improve their skills. Out-of-diving get together when in the city adds more excitement to going to the next dive trip.

To me it's Safety First...then we have Fun!

Nice topic!