If you could change one thing about dive training...

[Hojo in SC]

When I took the OW class I kept thinking, 'yea, loose my buddy, as if'. To my surprise it was easy, just one turn to look at something in water with poor visibility and it's all over, no buddy. Now I know what to do to prevent it but wish I knew then.

 

[TMHeimer]

When I took the OW class I kept thinking, 'yea, loose my buddy, as if'. To my surprise it was easy, just one turn to look at something in water with poor visibility and it's all over, no buddy. Now I know what to do to prevent it but wish I knew then.

Yeah. Poor viz, he takes off and you see the fins disappear. WHAT is he/she thinking?

 

[Blackcrusader]

In my neck of the ocean, it is easy. That's what dive lights are also used for. For whatever reason, basically no one provides students lights in open water courses. I feel it is mandatory as dive lights are essential for diving even during the day.

Positioning is also key. One of the things I like to emphasize with my students is every time you check your SPG, check where your buddy is.

Sometimes divers ask me why I bring a powerful torch with a spot beam as well as my camera video lights. I explain I can use the torch to signal a guide or my dive buddy when we have a bit of distance between us. Using a torch on a day dive for signaling is really quite useful. Can be good to signal people there is something interesting to look at or just to give an OK sign to a guide when in low visibility. Also good for looking under platforms and into dark crevices and caverns.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I'm just trying to figure out why I should include hand propulsion in dive training, and so far the only thing I have seen so far is that it is essential when you are diving with your legs crossed. So, if that is indeed the "one thing you would change about dive training," it is good to know there is a reason.

Well there are these gloves for hand propulsion.

Darkfin Power Gloves

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Using a torch on a day dive for signaling is really quite useful.

Useful for knowing where your dive buddies are.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Useful for knowing where your dive buddies are.

I am usually the last diver in the groups so I can signal to the guides at the front or my dive buddy who is usually not too far away.

 

[boulderjohn]

Well there are these gloves for hand propulsion.

Darkfin Power Gloves

Yep, and I knew a diver who used something like that. Of course, he was a paraplegic and didn't have much of a choice. I should have said that swimming with the hands should be a fundamental part of instruction for paraplegics, but that would not be a change from current training for paraplegics.

 

[stretchthepenn]

They already do. The only people regularly taught scissors kick today are lifeguards, combat swimmers, and synchronized swimmers.

The scissor kick is still part of the Red Cross swim-instruction curriculum. It's a skill in Level 3.

 

[SlugLife]

I think I just realized the #1 thing I'd change about scuba-training.

Cut out the Middle-Man.

Based on some preliminary research, it appears about half the expense of a dive-class goes to the training-agency for "e-learning materials." In my experience, these "e-learning materials" are by far the worst part of any dive-class in terms of being extremely boring and not updated very often. That leaves the remaining half to be split between the dive-shop, instructors, and material-expenses (pool, equipment, tank-fills).

To be clear, I understand the e-learning saves instructor's time, and lets them focus on hands-on, and that agencies provide some level of (debatable) quality control.

There are a few ways to approach this, but I think a decent start would be tutoring. Sure, you don't get a certification card, but I personally don't take classes for some certification card or achievement. Perhaps have a session focused on finning techniques, bouyancy, or other similar specific skills. You could even do things like bi-weekly or weekly group classes, where you go over random intermediate skills. Perhaps offer enough of a discount for the people who show up to every class, to incentivize attendance even for those who already know the skills covered. Instructors could probably make more money, while students are also paying less.

Anyway, it's just an idea, perhaps other people can build on it.

 

[kmarks]

I think I just realized the #1 thing I'd change about scuba-training.

Cut out the Middle-Man.

Based on some preliminary research, it appears about half the expense of a dive-class goes to the training-agency for "e-learning materials." In my experience, these "e-learning materials" are by far the worst part of any dive-class in terms of being extremely boring and not updated very often. That leaves the remaining half to be split between the dive-shop, instructors, and material-expenses (pool, equipment, tank-fills).

To be clear, I understand the e-learning saves instructor's time, and lets them focus on hands-on, and that agencies provide some level of (debatable) quality control.

There are a few ways to approach this, but I think a decent start would be tutoring. Sure, you don't get a certification card, but I personally don't take classes for some certification card or achievement. Perhaps have a session focused on finning techniques, bouyancy, or other similar specific skills. You could even do things like bi-weekly or weekly group classes, where you go over random intermediate skills. Perhaps offer enough of a discount for the people who show up to every class, to incentivize attendance even for those who already know the skills covered. Instructors could probably make more money, while students are also paying less.

Anyway, it's just an idea, perhaps other people can build on it.

So, the middle-man is actually the instructor. Flow of information goes Agency -> Instructor -> Student. And cutting out the agencies would lead to a total lack of standardization throughout the world. It would be the melee of the 60s all over again where anybody could learn from anybody, there would be no certification process and nobody would know if a diver was actually trained by somebody who knew what they were doing, trained by somebody who had no clue, or just watched a youtube video about scuba.

As an SSI instructor, I greatly appreciate the e-learning. The videos are overdone and corny, sure, but the students typically come prepared for in-class discussion instead of boring lecture and the fact that I don't have to do much more than review and clarification for most of the academics really helps because we get more time in the water.