Dive Theory Online is the newest PADI eLearning course
Original post Feb 2010 - information revised 16 Nov 2010
Dive Theory Online is now available at padi.com/elearning.
Student cost: $100.
What is Dive Theory Online?
- For Divemaster, AI, and OWSI Candidates - an exam study tool
- For Instructors -
Offer students the opportunity to try Dive Theory online in lieu of attending the dive theory lectures.
Or - use Dive Theory Online to brush up on Boyle's Law (and other dive theory topics) before teaching a DM course.
* What was once a single topic - dive skills and environment – has been broken down into two separate presentations – dive skills and environmental considerations.
What isn't Dive Theory Online?
Dive Theory Online is not a substitute for any required materials. All PADI Divemaster candidates are still required to own a personal copy of the DM manual, DM slates, Instructor Manual,*
* Instructor manual required for all DM candidates beginning 1 June 2010
Dive Theory Online is not a prerequisite for professional-level PADI courses. It is optional study material.
16 Nov 2010 Update: candidates participating in the new Divemaster program (released at DEMA 2010) who successfully complete Dive Theory online may receive credit for "Part II" the Dive Theory section of the new exam (version 3.0).
Want to take a peek?
PADI stores and Instructors who've previously purchased an Access Pass can preview Dive Theory online (or any of our other eLearning courses):
- Visit elearning.padi.com
- Click on User Maintanence
- Next - click on Preview Course Sections
- Choose Dive Theory online from the drop down menu
Registration and Website Info
When signing up for Dive Theory online through padi.com, the student will select a PADI member to affiliate with; however, the Dive Theory Online program does not have an in-person component. It is online training only. The student should affiliate with the PADI Member that is completing their DM, AI or IDC training.
PADI stores who already have an eLearning link on their website are automatically set up to offer Dive Theory online. As with the other eLearning programs, the student will click through to padi.com and select the course from a drop-down menu.
If you do not wish to offer Dive Theory online, use the eLearning course selector tool found on the PADI Pros homepage (about halfway down).
For assistance modifying your eLearning course offerings, or to get your eLearning.padi.com login information, contact PADI Customer service at: 800 729 7234 ext. 2495.
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13 comments:
So, to use this tool you must first purchase something? That's not how I remember it being presented at the CD workshop.
That's correct, it's an eLearning program just like Open Water, EANx, etc. It's a little cheaper though - $100.
However, on the elearning option, Instructors could get into the program initially, without having purchsed the program.
Has that process changed?
Any PADI store can preview our eLearning courses by using their eLearning.padi.com login. Instructions are in the above article.
An instructor who has purchased an Access Pass (for Dive Theory or any other course) will have an elearning.padi.com login and can also preview courses.
An instructor who has never purchased an access pass would not have an elearning.padi.com login and would not have access to preview the course.
Hope this answers your question?
I got into Dive Theory and found the Physics exam, then it told me to click on assessments in the toolbar above. I didn't see the toolbar with assessments. Where is that?
An instructor or dive center can preview the knowledge development in its entirety. You can review all the information your student will be presented with.
An instructor who wishes to take the assessments will need to purchase the course.
Can the tests be taken as a Dive Center?
No.
When I took the course for the elimination of two days in the IDC, the tests for that were available to me. Are you saying that is not the case with just this program, or have the others changed as well?
Is it just me, or is the elearning becoming a PADI profit center?
Maybe something is getting lost in translation:
None of our eLearning programs are linked - so it's not possible to have accessed Dive Theory online from the IDC Online. Additionally, Dive Theory is not part of the IDC. From a knowledge-development point of view: Dive Theory is part of the Divemaster program.
Perhaps you were looking in the course preview ... ? In the weeks leading up to Dive Theory's launch, it appeared in the drop down menu under "preview course sections" at elearning.padi.com. However, if you tried selecting it, nothing would come up because the course hadn't launched yet.
Regarding your last comment: is eLearning a profit center? Well, we are all in the dive business aren't we?
Facetiousness aside:
PADI Members can offer customers a traditional (classroom) option, or online training. None of our eLearning programs are mandatory. The online courses are an option for divers who prefer the convenience of online training.
Who doesn't like having more choices in life?
When I enter the elearning information from the IDC section in the maintenance menu, I can download all of those tests. That's the area that I'm talking about.
Regarding business, I am well aware that I have to make money. However if my customers thinks I'm gouging them, they won't come back.
The time spent designing the graphics of these programs are at elementary school level and the charges are not in my customers best interest, until those graphics go beyond that point.
In addition to that, PADI in-house reps are telling me to promote the ERDPML for a backup computer. As things stand right now my students are using the dive table and filling out those knowledge review questions. Then we explain the computer. That way students have a backup and basic knowledge of the table. So far, it's fitting perfectly.
Since these test do not count toward any credit for IDC or Divemaster, what is the purpose of submitting these test for scoring? Once I had completed a test, I was not allowed to return to the test for review after it had been submitted.
For the Divemaster course - the instructor can have someone complete Dive Theory online in lieu of lecturing the material. The online tests allow the instructor to verify that the student has read the material and has sufficient understanding to achieve a passing score.
If you're looking to re-test yourself, you can use the Diving Knowledge Workbook (it comes with the divemaster crewpak which you should have received / purchased from your instructor). When I did my DM I filled in the answers with a pencil so I could go back and do them multiple times. We also sell a digital version of this product if you prefer to print it out.
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