Your Top 3 Advanced Questions.

[Divedoggie]

I teach Scuba Diving in the Health Sciences College at a University. The Scuba II course is a very thorough 8 week Advanced Open Water course. The students complete the course with a strong understanding of advanced dive planning, including gas planning, deep dive planning within recreational limits, trim, body awareness, proper weighting and buoyancy control, finning techniques, essential equipment selection and configuration, contingencies for deco obligations, nitrox MODs, problem management, buddy team relationship, and so on.

In the past, I have not required that the students take a final exam. Instead each student must give a 15 -20 minute presentation to the class which details an aspect of diving which really interests them. They must document all sources and none of the source material can come from the the major agency text materials. We use the PADI AOW book and complete all knowledge reviews as home study, and in the end students successfully completing the course earn a college credit and a PADI AOW card.

Here is where my fellow SBrs get to contribute!
This semester I would like to add a final exam. I think that it will be limited to around 30 questions and I have a first draft sitting here in front of me. However, I thought I'd get some imput from fellow divers experienced or new.

Based on your experience and education, knowing what you now know about diving:
What are the top 3 (or more) questions that you would like to have had asked of you if you took a final exam for AOW?

I will compile the replies, blend them with my first draft and post the final draft if anyone is interested.

Now, if a student meets PADI minimum requirements for AOW they can still theoretically receive a PADI AOW card, however, they must pass the standards of the University course before they can receive a University credit. So, it works out pretty nicely.

So, if you feel like it, please play along and see what we get.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

This endeavor draws a suspicious parallel to the Tom-Sawyer-whitewashing-a-fence literary incident...but I'll play along anyway.

What is your name?
What is your quest?
What is your favorite color?

 

[Karibelle]

You'd likely have this covered in questions regarding dive planning, but one of the biggest gaps between OW and AOW in my experience is lack of understanding of how the tables work, and therefore the underlying relationships around depth and time and what that means in a broader sense. Tables questions. More tables questions!

 

[Karibelle]

What is your quest?

I like this. No, I really like it!

 

[jeckyll]

The thing that I've seen missing is actual in water proficiency.

Safe diving techniques, good team / buddy skills, situational awareness. If they can do gas planning, can / do they actually dive the plan. Do they check their SPG at proper intervals? Do they consider their buddies requirements? Do they know where their buddy is when in the water? Are they putting themselves in a place where _they_ are easy to locate by their buddy? Are their ascents / descents controlled and can they stay with their buddy _during_ both? If night diving was part of their AOW, do they have good light habits? Proper light signalling, not blinding their buddy etc.

The only theoretical would be: Can they properly calculate rock bottom for both themselves & their buddy given tank sizes and gas consumption rates.

 

[waterpirate]

This should get really interesting....
I will play

1. When is a pony bottle a good idea? how big should it be? how do you carry it?

2. What is the differance between a jacket and a back plate? which one is best?

3. Helium is used for what? by who? and when should it be introduced in training?

If they can elucidate even a cursory opinion on these 3 topics that stands the test of common sense and thought proccess showing independant problem solving and rational reasoning they would/should get the credits from you.
Eric

 

[rongoodman]

How to calculate Rock Bottom, and how/when to use the gas remaining after Rock Bottom is deducted, i.e., all, halves, or thirds.

 

[LiteHedded]

How to calculate Rock Bottom, and how/when to use the gas remaining after Rock Bottom is deducted, i.e., all, halves, or thirds.

this should be covered in basic open water. but it'll do here

 

[Divedoggie]

This endeavor draws a suspicious parallel to the Tom-Sawyer-whitewashing-a-fence literary incident...but I'll play along anyway.


What is your favorite color?

Blue...... ....No, yellow......aaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

Its not a whitewashing a fence incident. Its on the up and up.

 

[Scott L]

this should be covered in basic open water. but it'll do here

In 1983, it certainly wasn't.