Best and Worst Courses??

[Dos Cylindros]

I will say that I probably learned the most about diving in general during my Divemaster course. Rescue was good, but I work in public safety so it was the type of class I already had plenty of experience with.

My IDC was also a fantastic course, but focused more on teaching diving as opposed to learning diving.

 

[EricTheDood]

Nothing inherently wrong with fish ID as a fifth dive. Plenty of divers have no idea what they're looking at and could really benefit from a brief biology lesson.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Nothing inherently wrong with fish ID as a fifth dive. Plenty of divers have no idea what they're looking at and could really benefit from a brief biology lesson.

Philosophically, I disagree as I feel that AOW should give the student more skills. While it is beneficial for a diver to know what they are seeing, that is best done outside of AOW (my opinion).

 

[EricTheDood]

Philosophically, I disagree as I feel that AOW should give the student more skills. While it is beneficial for a diver to know what they are seeing, that is best done outside of AOW (my opinion).

I don't disagree with that.

However, I also don't think it would be right to get rid of the one course offering that focuses on marine life, the reason why most of us get in the water to begin with.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I don't disagree with that.

However, I also don't think it would be right to get rid of the one course offering that focuses on marine life, the reason why most of us get in the water to begin with.

I think divers are better served by an instructor/guide who has knowledge of the fish/sea life and is able to either teach the full specialty or point divers in the direction of where/how they can learn more.

 

[RainPilot]

A good tour of the backend of a big aquarium will do a lot more than a random instructor teaching a Fish ID course.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

A good tour of the backend of a big aquarium will do a lot more than a random instructor teaching a Fish ID course.

Only a truly qualified instructor should tech fish ID and UW naturalist. There is the aspect of showing divers where to look. That is something that cannot be replicated in an aquarium tour. But again, it requires a really good instructor. Same applies to the wreck specialty. I don't teach it because I cannot teach it at a level to which I think it deserves.

 

[RainPilot]

I wish all instructors stepped back from doing a half-assed job. Self awareness is fun isn't it?

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I wish all instructors stepped back from doing a half-assed job. Self awareness is fun isn't it?

I wish the solution was purging half-assed instructors rather than offering divers another course to fix what should have been taught in the half-assed course.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I'm hoping my current AOW student becomes as skilled as me when he reaches 100 dives as I am at 400. I think I'll arrange for video to be taken of both of us doing various skills to see how close to my goal we are.