Sport Chalet Instruction...new rules

[Jorbar1551]

If a student really did have trouble comprehending the simple steps involved in using a table I'd be concerned about their mental fitness for diving and would probably be inclined to suggest they get the opinion of a medical professional or at least someone who is more qualified to diagnos and assess learning disabilities than I am. As I say though, in the cases where I had students come to class not familiar with basic table procedures, it was a clear case of not having read the book. They're going to have even more trouble with their computer if they refuse to read the book.

We had a guy that worked at SC but not in the dive department who took the final 5 times before passing.

 

[Scot M]

Mike, if you look back to my earlier post, to which neil was responding, I didn't say that the students couldn't comprehend the tables. I said that tables take more time to teach than any other single topic. For most entry-level recreational diving students, I believe that time could be better spent on topics or techniques that typical divers are more likely to use regularly.

If I made a practice of questioning the mental fitness of student divers when they have to work at understanding a subject, I wouldn't be employed as a scuba instructor for long. Or, if my employer put up with that attitude, the shop probably wouldn't be very successful. Maybe things are different where you live.

 

[The Chairman]

I believe that time could be better spent on topics or techniques that typical divers are more likely to use regularly.

Excellent point. Why waste time to teach something that will be forgotten/ignored/dismissed? The real issues is that we get them to track their N₂ loading. I choose to teach them how to use the tools they are more likely to use. Give me something that is accepted more than computers and I will teach them that.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Mike, if you look back to my earlier post, to which neil was responding, I didn't say that the students couldn't comprehend the tables. I said that tables take more time to teach than any other single topic.

Maybe that has been your experience but my experience is different. There are MANY topics that I spent FAR more time on then the mechanics of using dive tables.

I did spend quit a bit of time on dive planning in general but table specifics are only a very small part of that general topic.

For most entry-level recreational diving students, I believe that time could be better spent on topics or techniques that typical divers are more likely to use regularly.

Well, I wouldn't leave anything out in order to have time to spend on tables. Again, though, using a table is so simple that I can't believe that most people couldn't get it down in less time than it would even take to read a computer manual.

I've taught dive tables, computers and several flavors of decompression software in courses ranging from entry level to entry level technical courses. I just flat out see this alleged difficulty factor or teaching time issue as a monster red herring.

 

[MikeFerrara]

We had a guy that worked at SC but not in the dive department who took the final 5 times before passing.

Considering that you can miss just about all the dive planning questions on a PADI test and still get a high enough score to "pass" I'd be REALLY worried about someone who had to take the test 5 times. Lets put this in persoective, 10 year olds are passing this test these days. In all the students that I trained there were few who had to take the test a second time. Most of those just didn't study or pay attention but a couple did have real learning disabilities. 5 times is way over the top, IMO.