silentdiver

The PADI eLearning system has just been launched (21st May I think) and is now available on-line. Having taken a look, it seems quite detailed but probably open to abuse, like most distance learning schemes.

It's certainly going to help those with limited time and difficult schedules (shift workers etc.) but I always thought diving was a social sport, go places, meet people - sitting in front of a computer screen is a bit sad.

No matter, it you want to take a look for yourself see this PADI eLearning site.

The comments on PADI eLearning should be interesting.

MgicTwnger

To say the least. I'll keep my thoughts to myself for a while.

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Huggyd

I'm with MgicTwnger on that; I'll keep my thoughts to myself.
I'm currently doing the classes and I could not / nor even want to try to figure this stuff out on my own or via a book/computer screen/videos nope.

I find that not only have I learned from the course content but also all the stories that the instructor had told us I have found very useful

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dalehall

I don't understand why it's sad.. All the eLearning site is doing is putting the PADI Homestudy course online instead of you loading the course on your computer at home. I don't know how the other agencies do it, but PADI has you do a home study course prior to the classroom portion. You purchase what they call the "Open Water Crew Pack" that has the book or CD-Rom, RDP and other bits your need to complete the home study. You do the work at home. You take quizzes and the 5 Knowledge Reviews before you show up for the first class. Then, in the classroom, you review everything you learned at home along with going into details on everything such as the RDP and anything the person may not have grasped at home. You also take 4 quizzes and the final exam in the classroom. It cuts down on overall classroom time and gives more pool time. But, make no mistake, there is still a classroom, even with this eLearning thing.
Although I think distance learning has it's place, I'd rather have the CD at home so I can load it at anytime and re-hash stuff or show a potential student what they can expect. (Just like I do now)

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MgicTwnger

I went throught PADI open water before all this stuff, I just got a book and VHS tape and did a bunch of classroom sessions before getting wet.
Is part or all of the classroom portion now delivered via CD or internet? Since most of my certs beyond open water are with other agencies, I really don't know.

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I am not the one who needs mental help. I just need to vent.

Scuba Mama

I learned old school. VHS tapes, class room time, quizzes, test and pool time it took 6 weeks. I found my instructor very good at teaching and as time passed mentored with him on my way to instructor. I don't think I would have built this friendship if I had study at home then did some pool work and left.

I would like to see where this course goes or does not go. Although you can go places and meet people and do things on the computer. The personal and human relationship will be lost and that's sad.

My questions is to all the divers who completed there training. How many of you remember your first instructor and how did you like the style of class room and pool to learn?

dalehall

Part of the classroom portion is taught on CD/Manual now.. There is still classroom. The instructor, instead of teaching it from sqaure one, refreshes the students and goes over anything they may questions on.. Where I took mine (and help with classes now) the Classroom portion of an Open Water portion is about 4-5 hours on Saturday. That includes the refresh of ALL of the home study material, an RDP class, 4 quizzes over what's been discussed and the final exam. The rest of Saturday and all of Sunday are spent in the pool.. The reasoning behind the home study, for what I've gathered, was to allow people to learn the basics in their own time, at home, instead of, like Scuba Mama, spending 6 weeks in a classroom. Of the time spent at the LDS/YMCA/Whatever, for your class, most of it is spent in the pool, where you want to be anyway. I think it works out great for those that can't dedicate a huge amount of time for classroom..

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Vegas

I remember my first instructor well. In fact I went diving with him yesterday. I found him by asking around. Divers that I know in my area recommended him. He has a great reputation for extreme patience (which I witnessed) with his students. I trust him and have complete confidence in all he's taught me.

It was actually the recommendation on the instructor that made me choose the educational course I did. He teaches PADI, so I'm PADI certified. If he was teaching a something else (some of the LDS's have been switching to SSI - I think that's what it's called), then I'd have that cert instead.

I was actually pretty impressed with the education - [very well written] book (study before class-day), video (watch before class-day), quizzes, couple of days in the classroom for review, written exam, then to the pool for a few days, and last, to the lake for two more days. I was HIGHLY Motivated, to say the least, LOL! and really felt like I wrapped my brain around all I was taught.

I felt like I got what I needed to do the same kind of diving I did in class, (basic sight-seeing, not too deep) - as it was stressed in class to be aware of your limitations and stay within them.

Wanting to expand my limitations , I've since done a few of my AOW dives with him, so far (PPB, Night, & Deep dives), and with each class my comfort and confidence builds.

The only thing that I would have added to my experiences in class would have been another segment, and an additional dive, focusing just on Buoyancy. <shrug> I feel VERY lucky that I just Happened to end up in a PPB class just a couple of dives after getting certified. WHAT a DIFFERENCE!
EVERYTHING is easier and SO much more fun having learned what I did on that dive.

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