This morning, PADI held the first of seven IDC Staff Instructor Update events to reflect a number of changes in its Instructor Development program.
Lori Bachelor-Smith, a product development manager with DSAT, kicked off the program and discussed many of the new training materials available, which include new lesson guides, new training videos, and new teaching presentation videos, including academic, confined water and open water portions. She followed with an overview of the curriculum changes, which largely affect Instructor Development.
Johnny Wetzstein, PADI’s Training Director followed with an overview of PADI’s e-Learning initiative, which drew a great deal of discussion and interest. Wetzstein indicated that implementation of the new program would probably take place in another 6 months.
Wetzstein continued with a a detailed discussion of and practical exercise with the new Instructor Development curriculum standards. Most notably, an emphasis on awareness is included and the control and delivery evaluations have been split so "Now there are two places where your candidates can earn a ‘one’" quipped Wetzstein.
The new curriculum changes are effective now and updated Course Directors (Instructor Trainers) and IDC Staff Instructors may implement them as soon as they are updated. The new curriculum will become mandatory beginning March 2007.
Additional Course Director and IDC Staff Instructor updates are scheduled over the next several months in various locations.
