Open Water Course seminars – Have they made a difference?
The answer is a resounding YES!
When PADI launched the new Open Water Course, they sent out two messages along with it. The Training bulletins pointed out that the Open Water course has not been re-written. After all, why try to fix something that was not broken? The course has simply evolved.
The other message that PADI sent out was very different! It said that the aim of the new Open Water course was to create confident and independent divers.
The Open Water Course seminars are much more concerned the second message. Simple ways that PADI Instructors can involve their students with their training, and be much more effective with confined water sessions.
Skills Workshop on Open Water Course seminars
We discussed many ways that we can “Allow people to learn” by involving them in their learning journey.
But Have the Seminars made a difference? Why do Instructors need to change their approach?
My concern was that Instructors will continue to teach the Open Water course in the same way as before, and just add in the few new skills.
Today’s customer is very different to the customer of yesterday.
Google, Facebook, Websites and video games have made the current student diver very bored if they are not kept active and allowed to learn.
I visited a pool session a while ago. The Instructor was allocated one hour to teach 4 divers a confined dive. The Instructor was very busy, and spent the whole hour looking after the students and making sure they were safe.
However, I was more concerned with each student. I had a stopwatch with me! I was timing the exact time that each student was actively doing something other than kneeling on the floor waiting for “their turn”
Each student averaged only 6 minutes in the whole hour!! Once they had imitated a skill, they received a handshake and the Instructor moved onto another skill.
There was no time for practice! Boredom and frustration was evident.
Instructors learning about the Power of Words on Open Water Course seminars
How can we change?
Everyone on every Open Water Course seminar saw the logic of where Instructors could be more effective in allowing their Students to learn. We looked at all aspects.. the Briefing, the Demonstration and of course practice sessions!
Motivation and Inspiration was the main element of feedback.
but – has it made a difference???
Learning how the modern student wants to be taught.
The Feedback from these Open Water Course seminars has been remarkable.
Almost every day, I’m getting a message from an Instructor who has tried these new methods in their training. They have been astounded by the speed that their students are learning!
There has been more fun and laughter in their training sessions, and the students have been “buzzing” even more than usual.
It has been a resounding success.
Find out more about the Power of Words from my one day course. Or sign up for my 3 day Staff Instructor Course that includes the Power of Words Course. You’re training will be transformed!
