Specialty Courses - not the usual question

[beejw]

Well, this is a bit of a twist on the regular questions about specialty courses...

I was reading the PADI website, www.padi.com, and was reading through the certification map, and read the specialty instrcutor page. It suggested that one (obviously an instructor) would be able to make up there own specialty course, write the materials for it and construct a curriculum, and then teach it!

:jawdrop:Is what I was reading correct??! If this is true, and you make someone pay for this course you invented, how is it accreditied with PADI? DO you just write to them and say "Here, I made up this specialty course, can you make it so I can say its accepted as a PADI specialty course"?

Seems a little incredulous to me...

anyone? thoughts?

Beej.w.

 

[The Kraken]

The proposed new specialty has to be submitted to PADI for approval first.

And submission is not a guarantee of acceptance.


the K

 

[Chad Carney]

I've never been a PADI instructor, but that's pretty much the way it worked with NASDS and SSI many years back, for specialties that the agencies did not have any written programs. They did require submission and approval of the material by the agency. I had a spearfishing course approved with both of them.

Chad

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Well, this is a bit of a twist on the regular questions about specialty courses...

I was reading the PADI website, www.padi.com, and was reading through the certification map, and read the specialty instrcutor page. It suggested that one (obviously an instructor) would be able to make up there own specialty course, write the materials for it and construct a curriculum, and then teach it!

:jawdrop:Is what I was reading correct??! If this is true, and you make someone pay for this course you invented, how is it accreditied with PADI? DO you just write to them and say "Here, I made up this specialty course, can you make it so I can say its accepted as a PADI specialty course"?

Seems a little incredulous to me...

anyone? thoughts?

Beej.w.

Yes, you can ... subject to review and approval by the certifying agency. BTW - NAUI offers pretty much the same option.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Scuba_Steve]

It called a destinctive specialty Beej. It's in the Instructors manual (how-to). It must be submitted and OK'd by Padi prior to one teaching it as a Padi course.

The most classic of all has to be the golfball recovery specialty . (Do a search).

 

[OWSI176288]

Well, this is a bit of a twist on the regular questions about specialty courses...

I was reading the PADI website, www.padi.com, and was reading through the certification map, and read the specialty instrcutor page. It suggested that one (obviously an instructor) would be able to make up there own specialty course, write the materials for it and construct a curriculum, and then teach it!

:jawdrop:Is what I was reading correct??! If this is true, and you make someone pay for this course you invented, how is it accreditied with PADI? DO you just write to them and say "Here, I made up this specialty course, can you make it so I can say its accepted as a PADI specialty course"?

Seems a little incredulous to me...

anyone? thoughts?

Beej.w.

Just send me $100 U.S. and I'll sign you up for my "Internet Diver Speciality Card." No dives required. Just 4 sessions on the internet of which this "Discover Internet Diving" session counts as one.

 

[matts1w]

How is that weird for you?

I teach high school and once wrote the curriculum for a senior level elective titled "Contemporary World Problems." It was a current events class with a writing spin...so to speak. I wrote the curriculum and submitted the material to the school board for approval. Teachers and professors do this all the time.

Why would a dinstinctive speciality be of concern? It is not a "required" diving class in the realm of OW, AOW, or Rescue.

We teach a dinstinctive "Underwater Huter" where I work since PADI dropped its course. It consists of a classroom session to discuss safety, technique, regulations and equipment, a confined water session to practice, and three open water dives with specific goals. It is a great class and certainly not full of fluff.

If one is concerned with a dinstinctive speciality ask to see the outline and talk to the instructor. If they keep it a secret find a new dive center. I think it is great PADI allows this as it provides all kinds of cool educational opportunities based on challenges and features unique to local diving or a field in which the instructor is passionate.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

It's often used for highly regional topics, such as "shell collecting" or "marine ecology of Guam".

Doc

 

[String]

Tends to be reserved for localised things. IIRC theres a "spiegel grove" speciality someone wrote and offers. Whale shark awareness (before semi-official one) and so on.
There was a SMB use one but not sure if that one is now official.

Niche-market or localised really.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Tends to be reserved for localised things. IIRC theres a "spiegel grove" speciality someone wrote and offers. Whale shark awareness (before semi-official one) and so on.
There was a SMB use one but not sure if that one is now official.

Niche-market or localised really.

Not necessarily ... I have been encouraged by a couple of course directors to submit my gas management material for a specialty class.

There's nothing local about that topic ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)