Why not Fundies?

[Rick Murchison]

I think Fundies ought to be structured into a two-part class . . . The first part would be the introduction of the skills and the setting of the bar, and the second part would be another run through all of it and an evaluation. The two parts would be at least several weeks apart, to allow for practice.
But, given the very small instructor cadre for GUE, and the fact that they do a lot of teaching out of town, I guess that's not very practical.

So what you're saying is that GUE's letting their limited number of instructors drive the DIR-F course into a piss-poor structure. I agree. If it were my course it would be stretched out over about six weeks, with plenty of practice time between formal sessions.
And most everyone could expect to not only pass, but to excel.
Rick

 

[jonnythan]

So what you're saying is that GUE's letting their limited number of instructors drive the DIR-F course into a piss-poor structure. I agree. If it were my course it would be stretched out over about six weeks, with plenty of practice time between formal sessions.
And most everyone could expect to not only pass, but to excel.
Rick

That's easy to say, Rick, but it's tough enough for a lot of people to fit a single weekend into their schedule, much less classes spread over a six week period.

The cost would be higher, the logistics would suck, and lots and lots of people would be outright excluded.

 

[TSandM]

Rick, I'd only agree that it's a poor structure if it were the case that many students who present for their checkout dives fail them. I don't think that's true. I think most students pass their checkout dives. Which means that the combination of the initial class and the practice time results in a good outcome, at a reasonable cost and with a manageable and adaptable schedule for the student.

 

[TheRedHead]

The cost would be higher, the logistics would suck, and lots and lots of people would be outright excluded.

My Rescue class was spread out over 6 weeks and plenty of students complete each time it is offered. Maybe one of the problems is that instructors are not associated with an LDS with a pool available?

 

[jonnythan]

Rick, I'd only agree that it's a poor structure if it were the case that many students who present for their checkout dives fail them. I don't think that's true. I think most students pass their checkout dives. Which means that the combination of the initial class and the practice time results in a good outcome, at a reasonable cost and with a manageable and adaptable schedule for the student.

They're already allowed to come back later for a "checkout" dive for free.

 

[PerroneFord]

My Rescue class was spread out over 6 weeks and plenty of students complete each time it is offered.

How many of them had to travel 6-12 hours to get there?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

It's easy to criticize ... especially easy to sit back and say from a distance "this is what I would do" (so why ain't ya doing it?) ...

Any class sucks if you only look at it from the perspective of what could be done better. Bottom line is that with any class you teach you have to decide what your practical objectives are, what resources are available, how much your students will be willing to pay, and what audience you're trying to reach ... those decisions always involve trade-offs.

While I think there are some realistic limits to DIR-F ... and that it has a tendency to get overhyped ... I also think that compared to almost all diving classes I've been exposed to, the quality of the class remains uniformly very high.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[PerroneFord]

That's easy to say, Rick, but it's tough enough for a lot of people to fit a single weekend into their schedule, much less classes spread over a six week period.

The cost would be higher, the logistics would suck, and lots and lots of people would be outright excluded.

Thus the logistical problem of the GUE OW course. Which is scheduled to include OW/Fundies/Triox.

It's a nightmare.

 

[Rick Murchison]

That's easy to say, Rick, but it's tough enough for a lot of people to fit a single weekend into their schedule, much less classes spread over a six week period.

The cost would be higher, the logistics would suck, and lots and lots of people would be outright excluded.

Yeah, it'd be tough. But somehow those six week courses seem to manage... and the cost needn't be higher and the logistics needn't suck if the agency would actively recruit and train enough instructors to support a decent course structure in enough places to keep said cost and logistics down.
But I'm spittin' in the wind with that one, yes?
Rick

 

[PerroneFord]

Rick,

The fact seems to be that there are few capable AND willing instructors who want to sign on at GUE. I don't think it's an issue of recruitment.

If you look at the current pool of instructors and then weed out:

1. Those who smoke
2. Those who drink beyond moderation
3. Those willing to get to at least Tech1 or Cave 1
4. Those willing and able to deal with the stigma of being GUE

The pool is incredibly small.

And lets not get into the politics of GUE instructors who current do, or formerly did smoke or drink. I already know the stories.