E-Learning: the way forward or maybe not?

[joolz]

The eLearning thing has been fairly controversial among LDSs because it puts them in direct competition with the agency which is supposed to represent them. The concept is great, but LDSs would prefer it if PADI didn't sell directly to students since it screws with their course pricing. Currently, the eLearning fee is higher than the cost of any OW crew pack, but around here the LDSs can't drop their prices by this amount since their costs haven't changed (and instructors are already close to minimum wage). Students end up paying more when they opt for eLearning, which probably explains why we haven't seen a lot of it.

The main advantage of eLearning is that it draws in students who might otherwise not think of coming in to a dive shop to sign up for a course. As far as time savings and flexibility, that's questionable since they still need to accommodate the LDS's pool and ocean schedule. For nitrox I can definitely see the advantage since there's no pool or ocean time involved, although right now the eLearning version is priced way higher than the regular crew pack so there's no real advantage unless you absolutely can't accommodate a LDS's classroom session. I'm kind of surprised PADI started with OW and AOW instead of the non-diving specialties.

I've never had an eLearning student, but I agree with vinegarbiscuit that the class time allows students to interact with each other and with the instructor. People ask a ton of questions during these sessions, and since we require students to prepare on their own anyway, these sessions are casual and social rather than structured lectures. I can see why people might want to avoid a classroom session if they thought it was just going to be a boring lecture, but when they sign up for eLearning, they don't know this.

 

[Web Monkey]

It is indeed a brilliant marketing tool, but it's one that does a huge disservice to both students and dive shops.

I predict that PADI's "eLearning" is just a test before the "Great Purge"

The reality is that as a certification agency, PADI has no need for instructors at all. It would be much more efficient to simply do everything online, then finish up with a few minutes of skill practice with a DM Someplace Warm.

As the largest certification agency, they can simply teach at any level they wish and issue any C-Cards they wish. They have no actual need for instructors or classroom sessions, or even pool sessions for that matter.

Terry

 

[Web Monkey]

- Student divers meet with the instructor in the morning and go through a quick review of the five chapters in the textbook provided. (If a student has not completed their homework, which does happen sometimes, then it makes things very tough on the instructor.) Students and instructor then proceed to the pool where they practice skills from the first few modules of the course. After a break for lunch, students head out to the ocean to complete one or two ocean dives.

- On the second day students complete the multiple choice final exam and the final couple of pool diving modules. After lunch, they complete their final ocean dives, and voila, they are certified divers.

The students don't know any better, but I have no idea why the instructors go along with the program. We have around to 40 instructors and divecons, but would have exactly zero if the boss walked in and said we're doing 2-day certs. Why would a professional put up with this?

How can anybody sleep at night knowing that after a few hours of rushed training, they just signed a card that says the person is OK to dive in open water with a buddy.

I'm thinking that instead of the NAUI "thought game" of "would you let your Mother/Child/Significant Other dive with this person?", a checkout dive should be an actual dive with the instructor's loved-one.

Anybody that wouldn't feel all warm and fuzzy dropping their mom into the ocean with a student isn't doing their job.

Terry

 

[joolz]

They have no actual need for instructors or classroom sessions, or even pool sessions for that matter.

Except for the fact that they become irrelevant if they run all their members out of business and lose all the membership dues. It would be very short-sighted of them to devolve into the University of Phoenix of the scuba industry.

 

[String]

Have done some e-learning courses and they've all been extremely easy. The student arrives far better prepared and completely ready for the pool. Far better than inducing mind-rot shutting them in a classroom to see DVDs for the first day otherwise.
I've had to do far far less microteaching for e-learning students than i have for normal courses.
Its not about locking students into a classroom for a set amount of time, its about giving them the right amount of time until they "get" all the material. E-learning allows them to take as long or as little time as possible to actualy understand and digest the material.

I like it so far.

 

[Web Monkey]

Except for the fact that they become irrelevant if they run all their members out of business and lose all the membership dues. It would be very short-sighted of them to devolve into the University of Phoenix of the scuba industry.

Seriously?

PADI could ditch their entire dealer structure tomorrow, and lose all the dues, and still come out smelling like roses because they had been replaced by a small room containing webservers.

No dealers means no staff, no printing costs, no people to handle any of the messy details. All they need is some web servers linked to credit card processing and a few C-Card printers.

Click through all the required course material online, hand over your Credit Card #, a card shows up in the mail, and a DM in a tropical location puts a magic sticker on it that he buys from PADI for $50 each.

PADI would be rolling in money with no more overhead than some computers, a small office and a few employees.

Terry

 

[vjanelle]

You'd still need checkout dives, medical forms, etc. E-learning just gets rid of the part that dive shops "lose" money on (or break even depending on who you talk to).

 

[Interceptor121]

Are you only interested in answers from people who have done PADI e-learning, or in people who have done e-learning with any agency?

Any, I quickly checked and saw Naui and other don't advertise it except SDI

 

[Interceptor121]

I can't agree with you there. We're all aware that dive courses are getting shorter and shorter due to the 'instant gratification' demanded by consumers...the e-learning option is testimony to that. The increasing popularity of the two-day Fast Track program (which relies heavily on the e-learning program) is yet further evidence- such is the case at the dive shop where my fiance works as an instructor. Classroom time is almost eliminated through the use of home study materials. There is precious little shop interaction, because there's no time - everyone is racing against the clock to adhere to a very tight schedule. A typical weekend course is as follows:

- Student divers meet with the instructor in the morning and go through a quick review of the five chapters in the textbook provided. (If a student has not completed their homework, which does happen sometimes, then it makes things very tough on the instructor.) Students and instructor then proceed to the pool where they practice skills from the first few modules of the course. After a break for lunch, students head out to the ocean to complete one or two ocean dives.

- On the second day students complete the multiple choice final exam and the final couple of pool diving modules. After lunch, they complete their final ocean dives, and voila, they are certified divers.

That's a very different picture to the classroom sessions I had, which were held over two weeks. They afforded the instructor a bit more time with the students - both in terms of teaching and answering questions - and the luxury of a laugh or two during class, tea-breaks, and so on. Comparing my own training to what I see going down at the LDS with their e-learning-based Fast Track program, I see a lot of difference in the extent and quality of shop interaction.

Hello. Have you actually had any e-learning student or are you just concerned about the possibility that you may loose relationship with your potential students?

 

[Interceptor121]

Seriously?

PADI could ditch their entire dealer structure tomorrow, and lose all the dues, and still come out smelling like roses because they had been replaced by a small room containing webservers.

No dealers means no staff, no printing costs, no people to handle any of the messy details. All they need is some web servers linked to credit card processing and a few C-Card printers.

Click through all the required course material online, hand over your Credit Card #, a card shows up in the mail, and a DM in a tropical location puts a magic sticker on it that he buys from PADI for $50 each.

PADI would be rolling in money with no more overhead than some computers, a small office and a few employees.

Terry

You are assuming that the dive center actually makes a profitable activity by having a classroom. That is maybe not correct as obviously the need of a room, video, projector, board and so on greatly increases rental and operating costs of the LDS.
Besides the approach, like it or not, of the quiz is to remediate when a student fails a question. I could argue that during a complete presentation to someone who has already watched the video and read the manual I could possibly be spending time explaining to those students things that they have already completely understood. Would I make the best use of their and my time and of the classroom and facitilities? Maybe not

If my DC didn't have to have classroom we would turn it into a coffee shop and increase the retail space or the equipment room,
Now that would be a good thing instead of having a class room empty 50-60% of the time and still have to pay rent