Personally, I believe that the ultimate responsibility always lies with the diver him/herself. That being said, we do not know what we do not know. Most new divers are left to their own devices to search for quality instruction. In the majority of cases that translates to opening a phone book, making a few phone calls and choosing a diving education by either the closest, the cheapest, the fastest, the best combination of cheapest and fastest, or even the best combination of cheapest, fastest, and closest to home/work. Quality of instruction is rarely a factor due to the fact that the novice does not possess the knowledge of what exactly constitutes a high quality course/instructor. By taking a quick dive at the local open water checkout site, we can see what is being turned out by the mainstream instruction these days and to say that it is not pretty is an understatement. Besides the obvious lack of “mastery” of the fundamental diving skills, the large majority of certified divers are not aware of what constitutes a “good” diver, much less a “good” diving instructor. So, what is high quality instruction and how can a new diver be expected to recognize a high quality class/instructor? The class itself is, at the very least, minimally dictated by the standards. A good instructor can bring to the table material, talent, skill, and technique that can make a class outstanding, but the minimums are dictated by the industry (agencies). [Read more...]