On Thursday, August 03, 2000 12:48 PM, Chuck wrote:

> Hmmmm.  I have done a cross-over (albeit at the dive master level.)
Wasn't
> all that easy (had to pass the NAUI Master Diver Test) from a text book
> learning POV but wasn't all that hard either.  The additional in-water
> skills were trivial and beneath notice.  All-in-all, I guess I would have
to
> say that doing it 'by the book' isnt all that much harder than signing a
> form assuming what most of us would consider to be a reasonable level of
> competency.

You did say that you were talking about cross-overs at the dive master
level - rather than Instructor level - didn't you?  (Personally, I wouldn't
even bother with a cross-over programme to any agency for people at the Dive
Master level.  It's not really that necessary!  And - Yes! - I have done one
or three cross-over programmes!)

As the point seems to have been missed - and just to clarify my objections
to this particular mail-order, free crossover offer:
1.    There are no apparent standards for Instructors to adhere to.
2.    The system does not allow either the candidate or the Agency to
'eye-ball' one another.  (The fact that the prospective candidate presumably
holds a current Instructor rating with another agency is immaterial if you
believe in quality control.)
3.    It was a broad-brush offer made to people whose teaching abilities and
history is unknown to the sender.
4.    I don't know about the rest of you, but even if I wasn't an
Instructor, I reckon that I could easily forge sufficient diving credentials
to qualify for the offered mail-service cross-over programme!
5.    It would be difficult, if not impossible, for the agency to ensure
that everyone teaching their programmes had at least a rudmentary
understanding of what was to be taught - and how!
6.    It seems to me that mail-order certification of Instructors would - in
the event of an incident - create a bit of a dilemma for the insurance
company.
7.    What value or credibility can be placed on something that isn't
earned?
8.    Would anyone feel comfortable having diving taught to their loved ones
by a person who's received their qualification through the mail?
9.    If the focus of learning is moving back to self-study then why bother
having Instructors or agencies at all?

Etc.

Strike