Should certification testing be separate from training?

[devilfish]

Good ol Bob, huh. You had training.

 

[Diversauras]

That being an expression from our youth. Bob wasn't an instructor, he was, and probably is still, a DI a la boot camp, and there has never been a dive since that I was not grateful. Only lost one student in 22 years and that was a cave deal after he was a cave instructor.

Bob runs a good program.

Greg
NAUI #6788

 

[devilfish]

Ahh, Bob is a cupcake now. Those that hated him during training are later greatful.

 

[ScubyDoo]

Originally posted by WetDane
Scubydoo,

I understand what you are saying - and I assure you that there is no desire to put you down.

Now I assume that you got the best training available - but how do you know?

I would agree that there is no intent (by most) to belittle new inexperienced divers such as myself. On the contrary, most here have been very accepting and acknowledging of me and understand my excitement.

That said however, all the talk of how poorly students are trained today leaves me wondering if my training was adequate? I believe my training was exceptional, but like you said "how do you know?"

All the negative talk has me worried to the point that it effects my enthusiasm for going diving. In fact it downright scares me.

Does anyone take into consideration how these types of conversations affect new divers on the psychological level? Does anyone care?

 

[devilfish]

Scubydoo, we care very much. In fact if knowingly we just said "you'll be fine", that would be not caring. The best approach is learn, ask questions from more than one source, absorb, sort out and apply. Fear is not the answer, respect and education is. Was your training adequate? We don't know. There is a lot of good training out there. The fact that you are here is a good start, some instructor got you hooked on diving, that's a good trait. Learning is never done no matter how much experience one has.

 

[MikeFerrara]

ScubyDoo,
I don't think you should wory much about it. It sounds to me like you are doing what you should do. Continueing to learn. An entry level cert is the beginning not the end.

 

[ScubyDoo]

Originally posted by jimholcomb


"What do you mean "SO WHAT!!"

Jim
I guess I could have stated that a little differently. The point I was trying to get across is that it's not a perfect world. The fact that there are lousy divers and lousy instructors is inescapable. No amount of dialog is likely to ever change that. I didnt mean to imply total indifference to the problem.

Given that we cant make the world of diving any more perfect than we can any other aspect of life, it seems odd that the subject of training keeps coming up all the time when there are so many other diving related topics worthy of discussion.

That said, I apologize for getting off the subject of this thread.

Im all for independent testing, but like others have said....it probably wont happen.

 

[livestodive]

I am a new diver but what I have seen and read about certifying is scary. I cannot imagine any possibility of a different certifier as long as each agency allows instructors to decide how they want to teach. Keep in mind that an ow cert is just that, a very beginning cert allowing the rental of diving equip.

I am not "DIR" but I do believe they have the correct idea in making each diver hold to a strict standard. WKPP has shown this to work, period.

I have 3 different agencys certs in my wallet. I went with what I thought was the best instructor for each cert. I don't think I should have to change agencys to get training.

The agencys should all require that each student be taught the same skills. After reading all the debates on this board and some of the examples of newly certified divers I will be very very careful when diving where new divers are present.

 

[ScubyDoo]

Originally posted by livestodive
After reading all the debates on this board and some of the examples of newly certified divers I will be very very careful when diving where new divers are present.

This is just what I mean....New diver bashing continues!
You guys are bringin me down man...

Im going to have to stay away from this board for awhile just so I can build my confidence level back up.

 

[Bottom Feeder]

We run a setup kinda like that at our club.
We have a group of instructors who train and a group who lecture.
The 'examination board' (all 4 of us) is made up from the two.
It works, It's also useful to get feedback from the 'testers' regarding our training methods.