Instructor to student ratio - what's ideal?

[Jen S]

Hi everyone,

Following a recent discussion in the pub, I'm wondering what people's views are to the ideal instructor:student ratio. Now, I'm talking about new divers here, not more advanced training.

I've heard differnent reasons for each. Some of the reasons I've heard are:
1:1 - full student/instructor contact. 100% of instructors time is given to the student.
1:2 - Student still gets a lot of instructors time, student also gets to learn to dive as a buddy pair.
1:4 - Instructors can teach more people at once.

Now, I'm interested to hear from both instructors and new divers. What do instructors feel most comfortable with/ works best? New divers, what works best for you/ makes you feel safer?

I've always believed 1:2 is the ideal. Instructor can observe both trainees at once, trainees learn to dive as a buddy pair and don't become 100% reliant on the instructor. By this I mean, I've seen people who have learnt 1:1 & when they finally get let out in the big wide world, their confidence isn't great because the only people they've ever dived with is an experienced diver. There's also the issue of teaching rescue stuff. I don't think it's ideal to teach this 1:1, as how can the instructor assess this properly when they're being rescued?

Anyway, that's my thoughts, but I'm want to know what others think. So, what's your views?

Jen

[And]

Hi

3:1 actually, as there seems to be this phobia about diving in a three, which having been trained by GUE, it is actually the best way to dive. Its very common on a boat to hear people saying threes are bad, which is strange to me.

So I'd say three students, that way two perform the drill, one can watch and learn, and then take turns. They get used to diving as a team, and also the instructor can earn some money as they need realistic numbers to do it for a reasonable price.

Andy

[Rick Huggins]

I agree with Andy, 3:1


HTH

[fluice]

I prefer teaching 1:2. My main problem with 1:1 is trying to teach things like CBL and AAS, it's completely impossible to demonstrate anything. However it does work well when people are having problems with a particular skill and need a bit of extra help. Also with 1:2, as the students get a bit more confident you can start to encourage them to dive as a buddy pair and sit back and see how well they work together. More than that and the group becomes harder to control, especially for the first open water dives. I was doing that this weekend and sometimes keeping track of 2 trainees was difficult.

The money thing isn't an issue for some of us when it comes to teaching anyway, because we do it all for free.

[Moray]

When I did my open water, it was 12:1, with a divemaster trainee to help.

We will take a max of 4 students at a time, but only if they are apt. It is mostly 2 or 3 with us.

[Fathoms Down]

Originally Posted by Jen S

What do instructors feel most comfortable with/ works best? New divers, what works best for you/ makes you feel safer?

This is very hard to comment on as conditions, the type of training being undertaken and in water support very much control the ratios. I've worked with groups of all sizes and I'd say that 3:1 and 4:1 work better as they allow students to see the problems that others have and correct their own skills accordingly (assuming they are working on an OW qualification in the pool; smaller groups are better in cold water). Really it comes down to what is permitted and the instructor using their judgement on whats best for the students at the time. Blanket "Whats ideal?" rules just don't work IMHO.

[berticus]

I'm a new diver, and there were 5 of us on the OW course to one instructor. I was quite happy not having one-to-one instruction. I got to see the others making a hash of the skills before I gave it a go. Plus it's more fun as a group

So, my vote is for 4:1.

I also think instructors should be able to make a living out of this without charging huge fees. (I might want to be an instructor myself one day )

[dave archer]

I think 1:4 plus a DM works well. Instructor can use DM to demonstrate skills with, group is large enough for students to practice buddy pair skills, with a couple of different buddies, and also having 6 people involved in the course can be good socially.

1:1 is good for helping students practice areas of difficulty, but not for whole course IMO - too much focus and no peers to compare yourself with, discuss stuff with, have a laugh with.

I think up to 1:3 is fine, up to 1:5 is fine if you add a DM. Problems start when you go beyond that.

Dave.

[David Martin]

Of the choices, probably 1:2 for most of the new diver stuff.
1:1 works for most of it, and will be the fastest way to get someone through - although very demanding on instructor time. And as has been said, skills involving 2 people are better for the student to watch than to be used as half of the demonstration.

We've started to use ADIs (Assisstant Diving Instructors) more recently, and have often been able to put in groups of 1 NQI 1 ADI and 2 students. Any complex things can be demo'd by the NQI/ADI as a pair, so that both students watch. How much is taught by the NQI, with the ADI watching, and how much is taught by the ADI with NQI correcting depends upon the ADI's experience.

David

[Roobydoo]

I don't go in with more than 1:4 with a qualified DM to assist. Control becomes too difficult with more than this, IMHO. If the DM is a trainee it makes skills like AAS ascent and CESA untenable as the Instructor can't leave them on the bottom without a "qualified" person.

My opinion for what its worth...

Steve