After having done OWC eLearning and also taking the class (after passing the eLearning to enhance my knowledge), I highly recommend doing the class to learn the material. A lot of good info from your experienced instructor is missed by just doing the online course. If you are a busy person and the class version is just not possible, then of course the eLearning is the way to go. Just understand that you're only getting about 80% of what you might otherwise learn in the class version.
OWC eLearning vs Classroom
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2airishuman
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Various people learn most effectively in different ways. I have never done well in classroom environments.
Agree that different people learn better in different environments. However, my experience is that elearning usually is focused on what you need to know. There is more opportunity to learn the material more deeply and more broadly with a good instructor.
In my case my classes early on were generally small (1-3 divers) and taught by a diver with several thousand dives including several tech certifications. I learned a lot outside of the bare minimum in talking with him.
In my case my classes early on were generally small (1-3 divers) and taught by a diver with several thousand dives including several tech certifications. I learned a lot outside of the bare minimum in talking with him.
As a side note, I picked up a great dive buddy and personal friend. We still dive together some.
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Instructors I've worked with disagreed on which is better. Some said the e learning is great providing the student comes in for the review & pool sessions thoroughly prepared. One said he found that being in contact with students before class sometimes revealed that some had just begun the e learning with class/pool only a couple of days away. As a school teacher, and thinking back to my youth as a student, I wish we had e learning 40 years ago. It would've eliminated a lot of wasted time in class when you already knew the work. And would have provided a way for you to review something on your own time at home until you got it. Then again, the point that you do miss out on some things that come up in a traditional OW scuba classroom makes sense.
In fact, for me at least, I found it beneficial to have successfully completed the eLearning course and then also joined my OW class in the classroom, which the instructor allowed (not sure why they wouldn't anyway). The eLearning is good for learning specific important answers but the classroom is where the instructor brought it all together and supplied experiences at times to cement the concepts. Plus, I enjoyed meeting some of the people whom I later dove with in the pool.
As people above have said, different strokes for different folks.
Personally I prefer face to face with an instructor - easier to review something that isn't quite clear or to extend a point to better understand the logic of an action or course of thought. I tend to be fairly analytical so understanding the why is almost as important as the fact itself to me.
Personally I prefer face to face with an instructor - easier to review something that isn't quite clear or to extend a point to better understand the logic of an action or course of thought. I tend to be fairly analytical so understanding the why is almost as important as the fact itself to me.
Prior prep is good. When it happens. Having taught several thousands of college student over the years, many wait until just before the exam to start studying. The number that will study before the lecture is very small. Not a criticism, a fact of life. Most are science majors and they bounce from exam to project meeting deadlines. Training for just in time delivery I guess. Point is you cannot count on all being fully prepared so you have some review. Cannot even expect all will know what they need from prior courses.
Milkman670
Registered
I also agree with the statement, people learn in different ways. The OWC e learning worked great for me not having a LDS nearby. I am booked to complete my course in February in Playa del Carmen. I took the next step of buying all my gear and doing an online course for the computer I got. I also am fortunate to have use of a semi private indoor pool and have been practicing skills and theories from the elearning. You don't save any money doing the elearning and only save a day of time but I think letting the info absorb and putting some of it to practice will help for most new divers.
Bob DBF
Contributor
Different strokes... sounds good but how many of your questions will the computer answer while you are elearning? My personal issue is the disconnect in learning from the computer to the pool session instructor to the OW instructor. There is an advantage to having an ongoing relationship with an instructor that knows you and help you develop as a diver.
Bob
Bob
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