Any opinions on the new PADI IE ? Anybody out there fail the "old" exam and write the "new" exam ? Too easy ,too hard ,etc.Opinions please.Please note that I am a PADI instructor.
Thanks
Ron
Thanks
Ron
New PADI IE OPINIONS
- Thread starter Ron Brandt
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Hey there Ron, as a PADI instructor I have to say that the IE should have been made more challenging. There were candidates whom went through my group to become Instructors who in my opinion should not have been able to. One guy in particular was at a Rescue Divers competance level in the water. Sad but true.
Hey, Guys!
I'm a PADI IDC Staff Instructor and my husband is a Course Director. Since my own IE in '94, PADI has done major revisions to the IDC twice, the most recent being this year. I believe they were addressing the same concerns you express, and thus revamped/strengthened the IDC.
Since neither of you indicate what level of Instructorship you hold nor how long you have been teaching, I cannot gauge how familiar you are with the IDC/IE per se. So here's a brief overview:
At present the IDC has very specific goals/criteria that the Candidate must pass and minimum scores that must be achieved for teaching confined water, open water, and knowledge development (academics). Although there have been no major changes in scoring criteria since the previous incarnation in the confined & open water teaching sections, knowledge development has been refined to include both traditional mod AND prescriptive teaching.
Watermanship skills are also assessed/scored; the 800 yard mask/fins/snorkel swim has been transferred from the IE to the IDC.
Likewise, IDC Candidates must also pass written exams in Physics, Physiology, GSP&P, etc... similar to those at the IE. Again, minimum scores must be achieved or the IDC Candidate will not earn admittance to the IE.
In addition, there is now a very clear distinction between the part of the IDC that must be completed to achieve AI standing, and the whole IDC that must be completed in order to apply to the IE to become an OWSI. AIs now have an advantage in having already successuflly completed part of the IDC.
The IE has also changed. Prior to this year, if an IE Candidate failed the Academics, they failed EVERYTHING and thus had to retake the entire IE. Although the minimum score required to pass the written exams has not really changed (nor the fact that if you fail the GS&P there is no make-up exam) now if the IE Candidate fails just the Academics, they are allowed to re-write only that part in a subsequent IE. The same is true of the teaching sections.
The Rescue Scenario remains the same in both the IDC/IE as do the requirements for MFA (or equivalent) and passing a physical.
Hope that wasn't too long!
~SubMariner~
I'm a PADI IDC Staff Instructor and my husband is a Course Director. Since my own IE in '94, PADI has done major revisions to the IDC twice, the most recent being this year. I believe they were addressing the same concerns you express, and thus revamped/strengthened the IDC.
Since neither of you indicate what level of Instructorship you hold nor how long you have been teaching, I cannot gauge how familiar you are with the IDC/IE per se. So here's a brief overview:
At present the IDC has very specific goals/criteria that the Candidate must pass and minimum scores that must be achieved for teaching confined water, open water, and knowledge development (academics). Although there have been no major changes in scoring criteria since the previous incarnation in the confined & open water teaching sections, knowledge development has been refined to include both traditional mod AND prescriptive teaching.
Watermanship skills are also assessed/scored; the 800 yard mask/fins/snorkel swim has been transferred from the IE to the IDC.
Likewise, IDC Candidates must also pass written exams in Physics, Physiology, GSP&P, etc... similar to those at the IE. Again, minimum scores must be achieved or the IDC Candidate will not earn admittance to the IE.
In addition, there is now a very clear distinction between the part of the IDC that must be completed to achieve AI standing, and the whole IDC that must be completed in order to apply to the IE to become an OWSI. AIs now have an advantage in having already successuflly completed part of the IDC.
The IE has also changed. Prior to this year, if an IE Candidate failed the Academics, they failed EVERYTHING and thus had to retake the entire IE. Although the minimum score required to pass the written exams has not really changed (nor the fact that if you fail the GS&P there is no make-up exam) now if the IE Candidate fails just the Academics, they are allowed to re-write only that part in a subsequent IE. The same is true of the teaching sections.
The Rescue Scenario remains the same in both the IDC/IE as do the requirements for MFA (or equivalent) and passing a physical.
Hope that wasn't too long!
~SubMariner~
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"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that the IE was also changed this year to include micro-teaching modules from advanced courses in addition to basic open water. In other words, a candidate may now be asked to present modules from advanced open water or rescue in addition to basic open water. "
Microteaching has been around a while. But yes, now there is the possibility of microteaching from any of the non-specialty courses that an OWSI would be able to teach.
"I would like to see the IE changed to require an internship as part of the certification process...either as part of the IDC or as a separate pre-IE requirement. Not only would this relieve a lot of "IE anxiety" but more importantly produce stronger beginning instructors."
I'm not clear as to how this would be of benefit. Not only that, but how would it be run/administered? Who would oversee this additional training? To be honest, no certifying agency I know of requires their Instructors to "intern" as part of the Instructor certification process. DM or AI, yes, but Instructor? Nope.
The only way to get better at teaching is to teach. Most OWSIs tend to model their teaching style on the CD that ran their IDC. However, once they are out in the "real world" it's time to build on that and develop your own "style".
If someone is unsure about becoming a fully fledged OWSI they can always opt to go from DM to AI. Spend some time as an AI, THEN complete the rest of the IDC, attend an IE and become a fully fledged OWSI. THAT would certainly alleviate some of the "pre-IE stress" you mention.
BTW, don't forget that OWSI is only the first level of Instructorship in the PADI hierarchy. Instructors, like all divers, should always be learning new skills like Specialties, MFA, etc. Not only does this help avoid Instructor "burn out" but it also makes them more marketable to divers and LDS alike.
~SubMariner~
Microteaching has been around a while. But yes, now there is the possibility of microteaching from any of the non-specialty courses that an OWSI would be able to teach.
"I would like to see the IE changed to require an internship as part of the certification process...either as part of the IDC or as a separate pre-IE requirement. Not only would this relieve a lot of "IE anxiety" but more importantly produce stronger beginning instructors."
I'm not clear as to how this would be of benefit. Not only that, but how would it be run/administered? Who would oversee this additional training? To be honest, no certifying agency I know of requires their Instructors to "intern" as part of the Instructor certification process. DM or AI, yes, but Instructor? Nope.
The only way to get better at teaching is to teach. Most OWSIs tend to model their teaching style on the CD that ran their IDC. However, once they are out in the "real world" it's time to build on that and develop your own "style".
If someone is unsure about becoming a fully fledged OWSI they can always opt to go from DM to AI. Spend some time as an AI, THEN complete the rest of the IDC, attend an IE and become a fully fledged OWSI. THAT would certainly alleviate some of the "pre-IE stress" you mention.
BTW, don't forget that OWSI is only the first level of Instructorship in the PADI hierarchy. Instructors, like all divers, should always be learning new skills like Specialties, MFA, etc. Not only does this help avoid Instructor "burn out" but it also makes them more marketable to divers and LDS alike.
~SubMariner~
OP
Thanks for the responses.I am actually looking for opinions on the Dive Theory questions only.
However...I do believe that the IDC's are too short. I also think that there should more on the teaching of adults and children. Yes , we all have and develope our own teaching style. In fact I teach one on one or one on two only. No big formal class at all. I am an instructor of the technical institute nature , not a university lecturer.
Lets face it PADI wants us to sell PADI and sell,sell ,sell.
Marketing in the IDC is fine but I have a backgroung in the operation and marketing of large and small business . Befor burning out I had a photography business in addition to my day job as manager for a college bookstore. I find that teaching diving relieves the stress of the "day job". There should be optional study time for the people that don't require a class in marketing.
About the experience level of IDC candidates.... I was the only one in my class with prior instructional experience and working for a dive shop. I was the only one in the class to have a Master Diver and Divemaster Certs.I was the only one with a EANX cert. I had well in excess of 200 dives while there were candidates that were doing dives in their free time to make the 100 dive quota. I was also twice the age of the average candidate in the class.
BTW, I failed the first time round because of the "wheel".
Let's hear more.............
Ron
However...I do believe that the IDC's are too short. I also think that there should more on the teaching of adults and children. Yes , we all have and develope our own teaching style. In fact I teach one on one or one on two only. No big formal class at all. I am an instructor of the technical institute nature , not a university lecturer.
Lets face it PADI wants us to sell PADI and sell,sell ,sell.
Marketing in the IDC is fine but I have a backgroung in the operation and marketing of large and small business . Befor burning out I had a photography business in addition to my day job as manager for a college bookstore. I find that teaching diving relieves the stress of the "day job". There should be optional study time for the people that don't require a class in marketing.
About the experience level of IDC candidates.... I was the only one in my class with prior instructional experience and working for a dive shop. I was the only one in the class to have a Master Diver and Divemaster Certs.I was the only one with a EANX cert. I had well in excess of 200 dives while there were candidates that were doing dives in their free time to make the 100 dive quota. I was also twice the age of the average candidate in the class.
BTW, I failed the first time round because of the "wheel".
Let's hear more.............
Ron
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As far as the dive theory and other tests go, they are not that difficult and certainly should not be made easier. This is basic stuff that everyone should have learned in DM or AI courses. And if you fail the open-book S&P test, you deserve to go home. I found the IE to be ridiculously easy. Out of 27 candidates, I think 5 would have passed my NAUI ITC. This is not to bash PADI, but the bar needs to be raised, IMHO. I was impressed by only a small number of the candidates in my IE.
I only did an IOC (crossover) so I did not get much of the marketing stuff, although I understand there is more in the new full-length IDC. (BTW, Keith Chestnut of Sierra Dive Center in Reno is a superb CD for any of you in that area.)
Internships are a great idea IMO. I did one, and I saw hundreds of students before I went to my ITC. It makes a world of difference.
My 2 cents, and enough of my whining.
Neil
I only did an IOC (crossover) so I did not get much of the marketing stuff, although I understand there is more in the new full-length IDC. (BTW, Keith Chestnut of Sierra Dive Center in Reno is a superb CD for any of you in that area.)
Internships are a great idea IMO. I did one, and I saw hundreds of students before I went to my ITC. It makes a world of difference.
My 2 cents, and enough of my whining.
Neil
OP
Neil,thanks for the response. This is a little more of what I am looking for.
Neil, I am also the holder of a NAUI c card(not instructor)and will agree that 20 years ago when I got the NAUI it was far more difficult than PADI.The Advanced NAUI was at the same level as the PADI DM is now.
However, there is no market in my area for NAUI so when I decided I would like to teach I started from "scratch" with PADI.
Ron
Neil, I am also the holder of a NAUI c card(not instructor)and will agree that 20 years ago when I got the NAUI it was far more difficult than PADI.The Advanced NAUI was at the same level as the PADI DM is now.
However, there is no market in my area for NAUI so when I decided I would like to teach I started from "scratch" with PADI.
Ron
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