- Messages
- 1,938
- Reaction score
- 168
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
Where I to design it from scratch, it would go something like this:
.5 Beginner Diver
-- what the PADI open water is today, with slightly less book knowledge. Basically a 2 day intro course. This person would be certified to dive under the supervision of a DM.
Dive Skills:
The student would be able to demonstrate essential skills (mask clearing, regulator recovery, self-rescue techniques, etc.) without any outwardly apparent diffuculty from a stationary hover in OW without changing depth by more than 5'. These demonstrations should take place on at least 4 different dives and be rated by at least two different instructors. The dive skills would be filmed and the video footage made part of a permanent student file as well as be used to judge the adequacy of an instructor. Independent reviewers would pull footage randomly and without knowing the instructor's name, and if they decided the diver showed any difficulty, the instructor would basically be given a check mark by their name. An instructor would have a limited number of check marks they could accumulate in a lifetime, once that limit would be reached, they would no longer be able to teach.
Knowledge:
Be able to explain the reasoning behind the various safety rules in scuba, the practical application of rudimentary physics and physiology as it relates to scuba, etc. Pretty much the way it is now for PADI would, in my mind be just fine. I would add in dive planning and dive management using dive computers.
For an instructor to maintain their status, they would be required to provide proof of having at least one AI over any given 5 year period. Failure to actively mentor would disqualify an instructor to teach for failing to meet a primary responsibility.
Basically, I would build a guild system.
.5 Beginner Diver
-- what the PADI open water is today, with slightly less book knowledge. Basically a 2 day intro course. This person would be certified to dive under the supervision of a DM.
1. OW Diver (to be competent to dive with a buddy in the environment for which s/he was trained without supervision
Dive Skills:
The student would be able to demonstrate essential skills (mask clearing, regulator recovery, self-rescue techniques, etc.) without any outwardly apparent diffuculty from a stationary hover in OW without changing depth by more than 5'. These demonstrations should take place on at least 4 different dives and be rated by at least two different instructors. The dive skills would be filmed and the video footage made part of a permanent student file as well as be used to judge the adequacy of an instructor. Independent reviewers would pull footage randomly and without knowing the instructor's name, and if they decided the diver showed any difficulty, the instructor would basically be given a check mark by their name. An instructor would have a limited number of check marks they could accumulate in a lifetime, once that limit would be reached, they would no longer be able to teach.
Knowledge:
Be able to explain the reasoning behind the various safety rules in scuba, the practical application of rudimentary physics and physiology as it relates to scuba, etc. Pretty much the way it is now for PADI would, in my mind be just fine. I would add in dive planning and dive management using dive computers.
Meaningless2. Advanced Openwater (what should this diver be able to do?)
A true assistant to an instructor. This person would typically start out merely leading divers around sites, and would with experience progress to running an entire course themselves under the direct supervision of an instructor. A person would be certified as an assistant instructor when an instructor asked an OW diver to become one. The instructor would be personally legally liable for the actions of that person during their tenure as an AI. The training of the AI to perform their duties would be a mentoring responsibility of the instructor.3. Divemaster (what skills should a DM possess?)
4. Assistant Instructor
At least 5 years experience as an AI with written recommendations from at least 2 different and independent instructors. A "year" would require a minimum of 50 weeks of active training in no less than one calendar year, where one week of active training means at least 7 calendar days at at least a full course: classroom, pool and OW (So the fastest this could be met is in 5 years, but a DM who assisted with one class a month would require 20 years to become an instructor).Instructor
For an instructor to maintain their status, they would be required to provide proof of having at least one AI over any given 5 year period. Failure to actively mentor would disqualify an instructor to teach for failing to meet a primary responsibility.
Basically, I would build a guild system.