Were you taught dive planning using tables or computers?

[scubadiver888]

I was taught tables and how to plan a dive. Years later I went for my AOW certification and buy all my own gear. The shop taught me how to use the computer and how to plan a dive with it.

I work for that shop now. If a student wants to buy a computer they'll teach them dive planning with a computer. Otherwise they teach dive planning with the eRDPml (dive calculator). I've just been doing DSDs this year so I don't know if they switched to dive computer only. Last year the student had the option of eRDPml or computer.

 

[blackvans1234]

I was taught to use scroll mode on the dive computer to get a jist of our NDL.

Now for repetitive dives, I dont know if the scroll mode changes, but if it doesn't then that is a problem

 

[GiantMoray]

I am currently learning with PADI and have just finished the diving manual which has required learning the tables. It seems a good idea for getting across the issues with nitrogen and how it works in the body. No gas planning though, that would be useful, anyone know of any (preferably free) resources where I or other PADI OW students could read up on it?

 

[RonFrank]

I think it is interesting what has been taught and how much it varies within a given agency. But most agencies expect the student to have covered the material prior to class. So is up to the the students to bring up subject matter they want additional review on.

I wonder how overwhelmed each student was at the time of there class, what was taught, and how much each student reviewed the material. We were taught simple gas management, but we were suppose to cover ALL material prior to the classroom starting.

Our instructor was good, and I purchased my first computer prior to becoming certified and the instructor helped me get to know it.

So it is my understanding that the student learns the material on there own, and classroom time is a review. Has that changed as the only class I am aware of where they teach is in college? Seems to me a lot of folks like the Op thinks that the agency should be teaching this stuff and it was clear to me they were not (many moons ago).

 

[boulderjohn]

So it is my understanding that the student learns the material on there own, and classroom time is a review. Has that changed as the only class I am aware of where they teach is in college? Seems to me a lot of folks like the Op thinks that the agency should be teaching this stuff and it was clear to me they were not (many moons ago).

The OP's opinion was not confirmed by the rest of the posts in the thread.

Students taking the PADI course using the textbook do study ahead of time, and the classroom session is review, but the students are supposed to demonstrate during the review that thy understood the materials. Whether they learned with the Tables, the eRDPml, or the new optional computer course, they have to pass the final exam. It appears as if none of the people in this thread took the optional computer course, so they must have passed the final exam using the tables or the eRDPml. In either case, there are a number of questions they have to answer to demonstrate their ability to plan their dives using either device. If they pass the exam but miss any of those (or other questions), the instructor is supposed to go over each missed question to make sure the student understands the concepts.

 

[RonFrank]

That is good to know John, thanks.

It's clear to me that folks like the ops friend have not studied the material nor have the learned it in class to date.

I am not sure if blame is placed at the feet of the agency or not if none of there students know the material they are to study/learn (or try).

John, is this a widespread issue from you perspective?

 

[RonFrank]

The face of the computer was so scratched up she was not able to read it so I don't see how she could learn with it.

I guess what I'm looking for here is to figure out if this is normal or if she was just not taught well. And I'm interested to see how others have been taught dive planning with a computer.

Scratches usually disappear UW, but tell her to get another computer if she can not learn with this one as its too scratched to read above water.

I think normal is that the students bring up things they are not clear on prior to the exam. Remember the students are suppose to study the material prior to the class, and show up with question.

 

[boulderjohn]

That is good to know John, thanks.

It's clear to me that folks like the ops friend have not studied the material nor have the learned it in class to date.

I am not sure if blame is placed at the feet of the agency or not if none of there students know the material they are to study/learn (or try).

John, is this a widespread issue from you perspective?

I really can't comment on exactly what she experienced, because I was not there. Here first paragraph was not accurate. She then said her friend was not taught certain things at all and wondered how much of tht was going on. Unless I missed one, every poster said that they were taught what she thought her friend was not. You can't do the final exam without that information. I don't know any instructor who would skip that information.

That's all I can tell you.

 

[SoccerJeni]

That is good to know John, thanks.

It's clear to me that folks like the ops friend have not studied the material nor have the learned it in class to date.

I am not sure if blame is placed at the feet of the agency or not if none of there students know the material they are to study/learn (or try).

John, is this a widespread issue from you perspective?

Scratches usually disappear UW, but tell her to get another computer if she can not learn with this one as its too scratched to read above water.

I think normal is that the students bring up things they are not clear on prior to the exam. Remember the students are suppose to study the material prior to the class, and show up with question.

My friend is the type of person who reads everything, and I know she read all of the material. The shop told her to skip the section in the book on tables and to read the computer booklet instead. She did not feel confident in how to work a computer. They kept telling her they would teach her. They did go through it briefly, but it was very brief (and it was in her AOW dives). When she looked at it underwater you could not read it. I tried to as well and could not make it out.

 

[jbomb001]

I to was shown tables and tested on tables and how to plan with them ( ssi 2011) and was also told "not meny people use tables anymore" and we were also told how to use and plan with a computer but this was not in the book or on the final test ...just a side note i had all my own gear b4 my 3rd class so i learned on my comp. for the most part and still form time to time pull out the manual to keep curent on the functions