Well I have never worked on a lecture like this before!

In preparation for next weekends part two course, I'm trying to get to grips with Module 4 of the academics. It's often difficult to arrange times with an Instructor Trainer and with your closest one being 3 hours drive away it gives limited contact time available as much as we both may try.

So, Saturday afternoon saw us trial live streaming Q&A and presentation sessions between Auckland and Northland, We spent about an hour and a half looking over structure and I now have the tools I need to start to build quite a sizable chunk of the syllabus.

We only had minor glitches through the session and I reckon this is an awesome way for, not only me, but other potential GUE Instructors or interns to communicate and develop outside of a formal ITC setting - I suppose it's good from the Instructor Trainers point of view as well, as once the intern starts asking stupid questions all he needs to do is close the laptop and claim loss of network coverage in the tropical North. Let's hope I can put something intelligible together for the weekend. 

Not heard from us in a while?

Well its been over a month since my last post and I have to say that it is not down to lethargy, it's because we have been busy!

The month of August saw two GUE Fundamentals courses take place and post course technique sessions to boot.

The first course had current students and members from Auckland University Underwater Club in attendance. This time it was a course of 4 people and interestingly all of them from a science background. This led to a great discussion in lecture 1 about project baseline and its possible areas for development here in NZ. The reality is that there is a host of opportunities to explore here and it's just a case of selecting the right areas to invest our energy. 

The course was structured between the university lecture rooms and the Olympic swimming pool in Auckland. This was the first time we had run it this way and the logistics had not been tried out before so there were some nerves for sure in terms of timings, especially with a full group as if we get side tracked it may impact the later portions of the class. Fundamentals encompasses a great deal of information and training times are busy!

Fortunately the timetabling worked pretty well and with only minor tweaks we got through both days and the required material. As with all things though we met with an obstacle at the end of day two. The guys had performed what they were expected to do but they were not functioning as a team, and really this is the first criteria for assessment - The team comes first, then the skills! Anyone can learn a valve drill or a helicopter turn but the real skill is the awareness you have working with your fellow divers. This is so often lost dive education but if you haven't got the team focus right you wont get through Fundies! 

The decision was taken to get the students back for an assessment session in the week following the course. If they can prove that they can manage themselves in a team formation then this would get them a pass through Part 1. After and hour in the water at the pool I was wondering whether this was going to happen, We were still encountering some of the problems seen previously and the cohesion was not right. Then after a stern surface briefing the lights switched on. I saw the switch in focus and the divers correcting position with back kicks to help keep formation! Every one of them completed the basic 5 without a buoyancy swing of half a meter and without fracturing the team. The skills were not perfect but when there was the possibility of it impacting that first criteria they adjusted and reset. 

We do not expect perfection at the end of part 1, it is so critical however to have that team mind set right. All of the divers should be proud of what they have achieved. It's not easy but its worth it!

Later in the month we engaged in another part 1. This time up in Tutukaka.

A course of two this time - Joe with over a thousand logged dives and Adam, a dive instructor with a technical training background.  

Unfortunately an ill performed Gym routine had left me with a dodgy back so I was trying to be as careful as possible. As with all things of this nature a simple lift of a twinset the night before left me incapable of moving. I was a write off for the in water work and kicking myself as I would lose valuable teaching experience on a real course. There was only one thing for it -to really try and smash the academics. 

This course was looking like it would have some excellent discussions afoot as we had two experienced divers. I had not delivered the full set of lectures yet over the two days so this was to be my challenge. Sure enough the guys had plenty of questions and I logically and honestly answered them as they were given out. This was the first time I was confident in all areas of modules 1 and 2 and as my equipment section drew to a close I had engaged the guys and had a few of those light bulb moments we all remember from doing the course ourselves. 

It was a great couple of days and a big personal achievement for me in this long process through to exam. I am looking forward to the forthcoming technique sessions to help the students get prepped and ready for Part 2 and, post this, excited to be getting stuck into the next part of my instructor development. Massive thanks again to Mel and Jamie at Tech dive NZ for helping me get to grips with the course and to the participants for experience dealing with real teaching situations and hard Q&A.