Where to find 3 attributes for the 20 Divemaster Demo Skills?

[eth727]

Okay I feel really dumb for asking this but where is the best place to look up atleast 3 attributes for the 20 DM skills? I have the 2010 DM Crewpack but didn't see it in there.
Thanks

 

[TMHeimer]

I don't think there is any place. At least regarding attributes of being able to demonstrate them up to standard. The skills are described quite well (with pictures) in the OW Manual, but that will show you how to do them, not demonstrate them. I have felt that a detailed list for demonstration-with pics. and perhaps a CD should be included in the DM crewpack, as it is the "meat & potatoes" of the course. Some have disagreed, saying this would limit instructors' ability to put forth their own ideas & variations-perhaps based on different locales. I disagree with that because it would seem there would be one exact best way to demonstrate clearing a mask, removing/replacing a belt (actually 2 proper ways for this, so both can be described), or doing a CESA,etc. A written list would've helped me tremendously, as I still need some polishing of the demo. skills.

 

[Crowley]

To be honest, any competent instructor should have been able to pass on this knowledge without the need for lists and one would like to think they then work with you afterwards to help you polish them!

The Best place to see the skills is on the PADI Open Water DVD. The critical attributes to each skill should be pretty obvious if you think them through in your head. Ask yourself: "What do I need to show to help somebody accomplish this?"

Here's a brief, but not exhaustive list of some of what I think are the critical attributes (plus a few extras!) to a few of the skills.

4. Buoyancy Check:
My jacket is fully inflated. My fins are not moving. I am breathing normally. I am holding my breath. I am deflating my jacket. I am floating at eye level. I am exhaling. I am sinking.
7. Reg Recovery:
I am breathing normally. I am removing my regulator and blowing bubbles. My regulator is over my shoulder. I am leaning, leaning, leaning. I am moving my hand vertically touching my knee and tank. I am moving my hand horizontally. I am looking to see the hose in the crook of my arm. I am replacing the reg. I am clearing the reg.
8. Mask R&R
I am flooding my mask. I am turning my head to show that I am removing the strap, the mask is still in place. I am tilting my head to the side. I am removing the mask. I am breathing normally and the bubbles are up the side of my face, not my nose. I have the mask oriented correctly. I'm replacing the mask. I'm making sure no hair is caught in the seal. I am checking I have a good seal. I am looking down. I start exhaling. I am looking up whilst exhaling. My mask is clear.

10. Fin Pivot (as per 2009 standards using the LPI)
I am deflating my jacket completely. I am cautiously lying flat on the bottom. My fins are apart. My legs are straight. I'm using THIS button to add a LITTLE bit of air. I am breathing in. Wait for it - okay I'm going up. I'm exhaling as I ascend. Now I'm going down. I'm inhaling as I sink. Repeat. My body is not touching the floor. I'm deflating my jacket again.

They would be pretty standard. Note that they go a little beyond what is absolutely critical to pass the skill, but there is no wastage. I've seen people invent all kinds of crap to show things that are simply un-necessary for skill demonstrations in the hope they will score extra points (they don't).

Hope that helps a bit,

Cheers,

C.

 

[TMHeimer]

Crowley, Thanks for the always useful info. Your attributes/steps listed would be just the thing that would be of help to guys like me (and the OP?). My instructor is excellent, but I am someone who learns best by studying and memorizing over and over. I aced the 8 written tests, BUT after 7+ months of studying. A list like yours (but one from PADI) is something I would've studied to death before the first pool session. At that session we were shown how to demonstrate most of the 20 skills I believe. And there are obviously a lot of steps on some of them, like mask clearing--where you point to this, show that, etc.-you don't just blast out the water in 2 seconds like we all do. After that session I tried to jot down as much as I could when I got to the car. Basically, for me to complete the skills up to snuff I have to just slow everything down a lot more, so I guess I'm on the right track. Also, I imagine folks like me (and the OP?) are in the minority. Most have much better on the spot retention. To illustrate, I zipped through OW class with only one problem. Before descending in the pool we were told the 3 skills we would do ahead of time to save ascending each time. After concentrating on the first 2, I'll be damned if I could remember what she said the 3rd one was.

 

[ReefHound]

To be honest, any competent instructor should have been able to pass on this knowledge without the need for lists and one would like to think they then work with you afterwards to help you polish them!

I don't disagree but the same could be said for the performance requirements of any skill in any course. And yet we have published standards.

The reality is that not all instructors are competent and the other reality is that when knowledge gets handed down "word of mouth" from generation to generation (instructor passes it to student, who becomes instructor who passes it to student, who...) it begins to diverge. That's the whole reason we have standards in the first place.

As my instructor said, the first critical attribute of every skill demonstration is... S...L...O...W...

 

[Crowley]

TMHeimer - thanks and you're welcome... When I get some time I will try to make a more exhaustive list of what I think should be involved in the DM skills. I tend to go a bit over what is strictly necessary, without adding bunk. Think of it as teaching people to get a score of 6... that way even if you screw it up a little, you still get a 5!

Slow is the way to go. The "pregnant pause" between stages is essential for the DM class, and as I say, have a think as to what you need to do to accomplish a skill, and then exaggerate it for the DM evaluation. Sitting in the bathtub imagining your way through a fin pivot sounds silly but skill visualisation is a valid and very useful tool.

Next time I have a day off in the pub I will try to put something together and post it in the Going Pro forum.

Cheers

C.

 

[TMHeimer]

Thanks much.

 

[knotical]

I always felt the lack of a list was intentional: - to get DMCs to focus on and learn for themselves what's important about the skills. I know the analysis effort did me good.

 

[TMHeimer]

I always felt the lack of a list was intentional: - to get DMCs to focus on and learn for themselves what's important about the skills. I know the analysis effort did me good.

You may be right about lack of one being intentional. But I don't see how having one could hurt a DMC. PADI points out that people learn in different ways-thus words, pictures, e learning now, and videos. I have a whole whack of the videos, and watch them occasionally as review.

 

[Peter Guy]

The lack of any such list/video has struck me as "not right." Assuming there is some value in having the demonstrations be done slow, exaggerated and with very specific points highlighted, why aren't they done that way on the OW video? Doesn't it make sense that they would be demonstrated such along with narration and even overlays to highlight the specific thing being done?

I like how 5th-DX (UTD) has done their Intro-To-Tech demonstrations -- breaking down the steps just as the OP desired. (I can't find any samples on YouTube of the videos from teh Intro-To-Tech DVD which is MUCH better than the Essentials DVD.)