Taken the classes but having hard time getting final cert dives :(

[scubapig52]

Good job Sugarshane , you are the best the people are really morons

 

[scubapig52]

The future is in the Internet. Just because courses will be introduced through the Internet doesn't mean that there will be no need for instructors. There has been on-line education for over 20 years now. Major universities are offering on line classes and degrees. I'm not just referring to U. of Phoenix, but also several universities throughout the nation. Look at Rio Salado College. They are now offering an on line nursing program. You still have to complete the clinical rotations in person, but the didactic stuff is done on line. That's what PADI is doing. Not all people need to sit in a classroom to hear an instructor spout off information that they can read in a book. Some people do very well with independent study. For those that need more instruction, the traditional method is still available. And there is always the confined water and open water sessions. That's where I get across the information I think is really important.

As for your comment about the ocean being a challenge, I've done some dives in the lakes that have been much more challenging than some of my ocean dives. You won't train in the lakes because it's so dangerous and then you come on here and state the ocean is a challenge and you only allow your instructors and DMs 10 lake dives. Which is it? Is the ocean more challenging or the lake more challenging? Send your divers out the lake and let's see them dive with anyone here in this forum and see who is stronger, or better yet, why don't you come out.

Scuba Board does build up the divers here, the divers who come here with an open mind looking for help and advice. Those who come on here portraying that they know everything there is about diving and they are the best and safest and everyone else is dangerous...well, why would we want you around?

You know I would love to give the nice people of scuba board lots of positive feed back but ,there are so many fools that can't see the truth , the real connection of on line scuba is to buy pass the scuba stores and do the pools and open water at the resort not at the the local dive stores any PADI store owner should see that. Its called vertical marketing and PADI is on there way .. we better learn to get along or about 24 months scuba will have a real different look and not a good one , we can change the world but not like this .....try to work together

 

[booth22]

You know I would love to give the nice people of scuba board lots of positive feed back but ,there are so many fools that can't see the truth , the real connection of on line scuba is to buy pass the scuba stores and do the pools and open water at the resort not at the the local dive stores any PADI store owner should see that. Its called vertical marketing and PADI is on there way .. we better learn to get along or about 24 months scuba will have a real different look and not a good one , we can change the world but not like this .....try to work together

You know, that seems like it sorta makes sense... too bad no one will take you seriously after saying something like this..

Good job Sugarshane , you are the best the people are really morons

 

[scubapig52]

my only negativity is with PAUL and his business practices, he double billed me so since 1988 I have been advertissing that

If you got double billed in 1988 I would have been happy to take care of you , DID you Pay Twice ????

 

[AZ Desert Diver]

DID YOU KNOW...

This thread is about to take over the Lake Pleasant thread that was started over a year ago in the number of posts it has.

I hate to say it, but I'm glad more people have started posting in the AZ forum since this problem has came to the surface!

 

[Dive-aholic]

man this is fun to listen to. Obviously you guys don't know the difference between scuba schools international and scuba sceinces inc. you all get caught up in the letters. Scuba schools international is only interested in one thing and that being making money and screw the diver. scuba sciences is all about the safety and well being of their divers. You wanna buy gear on the internet fine but when it breaks down and you cant get it fixed cuz it dont have a warranty then just "save some money" and go buy you another one, WOW how ignorant is that? you guys are a bunch of haters. leave it to the az people to cry, and moan.

Obviously you haven't read the thread very carefully. Noone is confusing the two. Scuba Sciences is an SSI shop though, isn't it.

Every shop I buy gear from online is an authorized dealer and provides a full manufacturers' warranty.

Noone is hating or crying here. We're all just stating our beliefs. It appears it's the Scuba Sciences folks that are the haters. Read the posts by them.

You know I would love to give the nice people of scuba board lots of positive feed back but ,there are so many fools that can't see the truth , the real connection of on line scuba is to buy pass the scuba stores and do the pools and open water at the resort not at the the local dive stores any PADI store owner should see that. Its called vertical marketing and PADI is on there way .. we better learn to get along or about 24 months scuba will have a real different look and not a good one , we can change the world but not like this .....try to work together

It looks like you're the one who can't see the truth. I'm seeing the trend towards independent study, not completing dives at resorts. In fact, I get more calls about getting certified before going away to a resort location. Everyone here on in the AZ Scuba forum was getting along just fine before the SS Posse showed up.

 

[mikeylee]

WOW...this thread has really gone sideways. But that is okay since a lot of good things are being said. Sometimes there needs to be a good healthy difference of opinion to clear the air and see who is who and what is what.

My primary reason for this post is to see what is up with OP? I noticed the Scuba Sciences dive shop fan boys (definitely NOT to include Tina) are not addressing OP's original concern...other than to say Scuba Sciences and ocean are good and other LDSs and lakes are bad.

Just my random thoughts,
mikeylee

 

[diversteve]

I thought it was resolved in Tina's first post here.
just doin my part to make this the biggest thread on Arizona Scuba...

 

[Dive-aholic]

That wasn't the OP. It was a different customer that was having issues.

See here for OP's response.

4- No i actually have not spoken with tina or james about this matter specifically. not sure what if anything it would have changed but i didnt. every time i talked to someone about it it was a random call from them and not sure who it was. I guess i just kinda figured that the person on the phone giving me a hard time and telling me i needed to "figure something out" was put in the position to call me because he was knowledgable as to how things worked and could accurately portray scuba sciences opinions and customer service to the customers being contacted... maybe that is putting to much faith in a person on the phone. but i just assumed thats what was going on. then i started to look around online and find i am not the first person to have these issues. so in conclusion its not a isolated incident it seems to be common practice by someone or people there (by my experience not tina or james).

Mike, isn't OP your son?

 

[shark.byte.usa]

...the real connection of on line scuba is to buy pass the scuba stores and do the pools and open water at the resort not at the the local dive stores any PADI store owner should see that. Its called vertical marketing and PADI is on there way .. we better learn to get along or about 24 months scuba will have a real different look and not a good one , we can change the world but not like this .....try to work together

Paul I think your right to an extent, noone ever said PADI was not just about themselves and a marketing behemouth at that. The eLearning program only truly benefits PADI in every conceivable scenario. I think this will basically make any referral program irrelevant for the most part. Those who consider taking up the sport intent on doing their checkout dives at a resort destination will no longer have to complete their class and pool locally. I don't know what percentage of students this applies to, you and the other shops would certainly know this better than I.

However these students will return from their resort with their new c-card, needing gear at competetive prices, advanced education and service. For the remaining percentage of students, this gives flexibility and options, it can break down obstacles for those who cannot make it to a traditional class schedule providing an alternative to help the sport grow. Online course work can also help enforce training standards across the board (I'm not saying it will), short of having somebody else take the course for you, it eliminates many shortcuts, by students and instructors, due to this Online courses in the collegiate community are generally considered more difficult and require more of a time commitment than the traditional in-class courses. Also from what I understand the eLearning will be available through the LDS, so traditional discovery methods and local marketing will not be affected, only those perspective students who go directly to PADI.com will be able to select a delivery agent (PADI IRC) for their pool/checkout dives and only a 'yet to be determined' percentage will choose a resort delivery agent vs local.

This can also increase the number of courses an LDS can give within a certain time period pending demand, if the student is completing the ow coursework at home/online, this frees the instructors to schedule more ow pool sessions and advanced classes in leiu of ow classroom sessions. More students in the process of getting certified or advanced training is more potential income for a shop.

I'll have to reserve judgement on PADI's eLearning OW course until it's instituted, as well as the effects it will have on the LDS. Could go a number of ways, although it's certainly a win-win for PADI. I will agree that the landscape of scuba will be radically changed in the next 24 months, as for not being a "good one", I suppose that depends on the side of the fence your on, LDS or consumer.

Since you mentioning marketing you should know that the Gen X and Y demographics should be the LDS's target, not the Baby Boomers (no offense to anyone), I believe this is a major shift that the scuba world is experiencing and it's starting to catch up with the LDS. Most notably in technology, these demographics are web-savvy, mobile and spawned the dot com boom. They also don't have the same retail needs as their older siblings and parents, they would gladly sacrifice customer service for value, just think Walmart, Home Depot, Costco, etc. They don't communicate and share information in traditional baby boomer methods think e-mail, IM's, video conferencing, ONLINE FORUMS. They value advanced/continuing education that works for them that is why Online learning is so popular. As these demographics have taken over the majority share of the active dive community, they've demanded change. Those that have listened to this point are prospering, those that have resisted change could be feeling the heat.

Just my 2 psi

-Garrett

P.S. Notice I ignored the morons and fools comment, hopefully this thread can move in a more discussion oriented direction from now on.