Hello to you all,
Here's my first post in this blog, coming from Koh Samui, as you can see on the picture to the left and I hope to be able to welcome a few people who will come and visit my blog.
I'll try to post at least once a week.
The last IDC I conducted just finished a bit more than a week ago, 14th May and I've got another one starting to kick off in a few days, on the 27th.
The last IDC, which started 3rd May 2007, was a fun one with 2 good natured candidates, Paul, originally from the UK but now living in New Zealand since almost 2 years and Ton, originally from the Netherlands and currently living in Cyprus.
Both were very successful at their IE (Instructor Exam) on K
oh Tao, held from 15 to 17 May.
The picture to the right shows both of them after the IE, Ton on the left, me. Paul and Thomas, the Examiner from PADI.
My
IDC's (Instructor Development Courses) last for 12 days, starting out with a 2 day prep course, where both parties, me and the candidates, find out were they stand with respect to 5 Theory exams (Physics, Physiology,
RDP, Equipment and General Skills) and the
PADI Skill circuit, 20
skills to be performed and mastered in confined water (in this case a swimming pool at World Resort
http://www.samuiworldresort.com/index.html in the north of
Samui, between
Bophud and
Maenam).
This is followed by a 4 day Assistant Instructor (AI) course. Since we're 6 days on the roll by than, I schedule a day off.
After the day off, the IDC continues with the last part, the OWSI part (Open Water Scuba Instructor). This lasts for 4 and a half days.
During the AI part of the IDC, I give 6 presentations, on topics such as how to prepare Confined water-, Open Water- and Knowledge Presentations. The candidates each give at least 2 presentations in each section, so 2 Confined Water-, 2 Knowledge development and 1 Open Water Presentation in which they combine two skill presentations.
During the OWSI part of the IDC I have to give at least 13 presentations, covering all courses that an OWSI can teach after successfully completing the IE (Instructor Examination), such as the Open Water diver-, Advanced Open water- and Rescue Diver course but also topics that cover Risk Management in diving or how to teach Children and disabled people and have a look at the business side of being a dive Instructor.
In this course they again give each at least 2 presentations in Confined Water-, Knowledge development and 1 Open Water Presentation in which they combine two skill presentations.
Furthermore they have to pass the 5 Theory exams again (Physics, Physiology, RDP, Equipment and General Skills) and they have to pass a General Standards & Procedures exam, all with a minimum score of 75%. As if that's not enough, an 800 meter swim (no time limit) is part of the IDC as well.
So, all in all, a challenging package that keeps one busy for 12 days.
It's a lot of fun and in a beautiful setting. In posts to come, I'll talk about various aspects of the IDC and may also post a few pictures of World Resort.
Here's a picture of the classroom, at World Resort, that shows me and Ton.
That's it for now, keep wet and hope to see you at one of our dive site or even better, in my classroom or pool!
Labels: IDC, PADI IE
