PADI DM course physics summary?

Is there anyone out there who will summarize exactly what parts of the rec diving encycl physics and physiology are most important to study for testing purposes?

Surely all of this stuff won't be on the test.

It took me awhile to realize that PADI takes so much space in their books to explain such a small thing.
Kinda like," To make a short story long".

It'd be nice if they just summarized it, like....."sounds travels faster and farther in water".....done.

The reason PADI makes a short story long is you need to know how to explain things to students when asked. DM is the only time you will be taught the physics. While you are tested on the material at the IDC, you aren't taught the material again. True, not all will be on the test but you should know the material. Study all the parts of the book and you will be prepared to be an excellent DM, not someone who took the class and got a card. I would not skip the other sections of the encyclopedia either. There are some dandy questions on equipment if your not prepared.

Also get the diving knowledge work book.If you cannot answer ANY of the questions in it easily ,work at it until you can.
When I teach a AI course or at an IDC as a IDCS instructor the first thing I do is hold up the Diving Knowledge work book ask ask the people there if they have seen this and are comfortable with it.If they have not I inform them to get it NOW for with out being comfortable with the information in it they will most likely have issues with the exams.

Don Wray:

The reason PADI makes a short story long is you need to know how to explain things to students when asked. DM is the only time you will be taught the physics. While you are tested on the material at the IDC, you aren't taught the material again. True, not all will be on the test but you should know the material. Study all the parts of the book and you will be prepared to be an excellent DM, not someone who took the class and got a card. I would not skip the other sections of the encyclopedia either. There are some dandy questions on equipment if your not prepared.

Click to expand...

Don Wray is giving some REALLY sound advice... and this from one who's own DM card is not quite a year old yet. If you're looking for some clues as to what's on the tests... oly5050user's point about the workbook is right on...

Two other tips...

1: READ the questions thoroughly... most of the one's I missed (... and yea... I missed a few) were because I didn't really READ the question. One can compare this with having a student/diver come up and ask you something and not actually *hearing* what they asked... easy to give the wrong answer...

2: Particularly in the physics section... WRITE the problem out on paper and work each and every step ON paper... and then double check your math. I got one wrong there because I made a simple subtraction mistake... (the problem methodology was right... just made a bonehead subtraction error)... the error wasn't huge... just "big enough"...

... the real test isn't the one you take on paper... the real test occurs the first time somebody points to you and sez', "There's the Divemaster... ask them..."

Good luck with your DM course...

The whole idea of studying with the sole goal of passing the test is the wrong mindset. Study to know all of the material because as JR said a divemaster or instructor is subject to random retesting at any time by their students.

naplestreasures:

Is there anyone out there who will summarize exactly what parts of the rec diving encycl physics and physiology are most important to study for testing purposes?

Surely all of this stuff won't be on the test.

It took me awhile to realize that PADI takes so much space in their books to explain such a small thing.
Kinda like," To make a short story long".

It'd be nice if they just summarized it, like....."sounds travels faster and farther in water".....done.

Click to expand...

I would think, given your answer, that you are worried about not passing the test.

I suggest one of two courses of action.

1) Prepare for it

2) Drop out

It's up to you to choose and to take your choice seriously. Either learn it or draw your conclusions. If you can't explain it then you have no business training divers. IMO.

R..

Not looking to NOT LEARN the material.
I'm just an analogy kind of guy.
Take something difficult, make a simple analogy out of it, making it easier to comprehend.
Kind of like using a credit card as an example when teaching repetitive dives,pressure groups and surface intervals.

If you were my DM student and I found out you were looking to take shortcuts I would be only to happy to refund your money and ask you to move on to someone else. There is nothing in the PADI divemaster recommended books that you do not need to know. You may think Padi likes to waste you time with unnecessary information but that is not their goal. They actually want you to be as competent and knowledgeable as possible with students.

Allistoy......did you read my last post?
Not looking to NOT LEARN the material.....just want to find a way to make it more comprehensible.
Learning doesn't have to be difficult....it can be fun.

I've taught lesson to some students until I blue in the face and they just wouldn't get it....
Then I'd spin an analogy to teach the same material in another way and BLAM!!!!.... lightbulb!!!...... immediately.

That's all I'm saying