PADI eLearning

[FBH1]

I was wondering how the PADI eLearning system worked. Do you go through the online stuff and then walk into a PADI Dive Center and say "Hey, I'm ready to do dives now" and then just do your dives and then your certified? My girlfriend is thinking about doing her certification this way and I want to know all the details about how exactly it works.

Does anybody know exactly how this works?

[Dive-aholic]

The way it generally works is you sign up online, pay the online fee to PADI and complete the lessons, which are essentially the same thing you get on the CD-ROM/manual. Once you complete them, you print out a certificate. Take the certificate to the shop you chose to affiliate with when you signed up online. Pay them their fee (which isn't any less than it is for a regular course). Schedule the classroom time to take the quizzes and final exam. Schedule the pool time and complete it. Schedule the OW dives and complete them. The only thing you save time on is the classroom time with an instructor. And you might not save time there.

Basically, the online program takes the place of the CD-ROM. It's just another way of delivering the information to you. It's no worse or better than any of the other methods of delivery. It's just a different method of delivery. You're better off finding an instructor in your area that you like and taking the entire course through that person, whether it's an instructor affiliated with a shop or an independent. The only problem with shop affiliated instructors is sometimes you can't guarantee a particular instructor will be teaching the class you're in.

Where are you located?

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by Dive-aholic

The way it generally works is you sign up online, pay the online fee to PADI and complete the lessons, which are essentially the same thing you get on the CD-ROM/manual. Once you complete them, you print out a certificate. Take the certificate to the shop you chose to affiliate with when you signed up online. Pay them their fee (which isn't any less than it is for a regular course). Schedule the classroom time to take the quizzes and final exam. Schedule the pool time and complete it. Schedule the OW dives and complete them. The only thing you save time on is the classroom time with an instructor. And you might not save time there.

Basically, the online program takes the place of the CD-ROM. It's just another way of delivering the information to you. It's no worse or better than any of the other methods of delivery. It's just a different method of delivery. You're better off finding an instructor in your area that you like and taking the entire course through that person, whether it's an instructor affiliated with a shop or an independent. The only problem with shop affiliated instructors is sometimes you can't guarantee a particular instructor will be teaching the class you're in.

Where are you located?

In short, you pay twice for the same class, because you have to pay PADI, instead of paying once and getting actual classroom time with an instructor.

Depending on how well (or poorly) you learn in a classroom setting, and how crazy your schedule is, it might be worth it. But I'm not impressed with the concept, as currently implemented.

[Dive-aholic]

Sort of. The online course is $120, but you don't have to buy a manual. It is basically an expensive version of the manual.

[FBH1]

Originally Posted by Dive-aholic

Where are you located?

We live in northern Indiana. I've got my AOW and I did both through instructors and not online or with CD ROM. My girlfriend noticed that you can do the online thing and was wondering about it. She has a full time job and a full school work load so time is kinda a luxury right now. This is the reason why I thought that the eLearning system might be good a good choice for her since she can work at her own pace and only take a few saturdays or sundays to do her dives. I guess I might be wrong about that though.

[cummings66]

Can you do anything other than nitrox online now?

[Soonerwink]

Originally Posted by cummings66

Can you do anything other than nitrox online now?

I think the only course you can take online is the OW course. You think the nitrox course would be perfect for online. Do your book work and then go to local shop to take test and test tanks.

[cummings66]

You would think Nitrox would be perfect, the ideal class for online. Well, that's how the cookie crumbles.