FAQ for New Dive Computer Option in Open Water

Can I buy the new computer book by itself or do I have to buy the whole crewpak?
We sell the manual by itself under certain circumstances, please call or email me to order this item.

Can I teach both the RDP table and the computer?

Yes.
If you'd like to teach both options, I recommend ordering the computer crewpak and adding on a table ala carte (ordering the reverse - a table crewpak + computer book - is more expensive).

Open Water Computer option with manual: part no. 60335
- OR -
Open Water Computer option with Multimedia Disc: 60347

Table with instructions ala carte: part no. 60099

Will the Dive Computer Option Be Added to eLearning?
We do not plan to add the computer option to eLearning in 2009. Stay tuned to this website for updates.

As of 8 June 2010, the dive computer option is available online, however, the student must still complete a dive planning module using the table or eRDPML. Read more about the dive computer option in the online open water course.

Is there going to be a revised Open Water exam?
We will print a new exam in late 2009 or early 2010. For now there is an errata (free download from the homepage of padimembers.com). The answer key has not changed.

Update: we are now shipping a revised version of the OW exam for use with the dive computer option. The part number is the same: 71023.
 
Complete list of exam revision date info from an earlier PADI Instructor News post.

Will there be new Open Water Prescriptive Lesson Guides?
Yes! This product has undergone dramatic changes and will be released toward the end of 2009 and is available now. Read more about the new Open Water Prescriptive Lesson Guides.


Is there a new Open Water Instructor Guide?
No. We will, however, release a completely new (streamlined) instructor manual in 2010. Instructors who renew before the end of 2009 will receive a CD version of the new instructor manual for free with their first quarter 2010 Undersea Journal.

Where can I find more information on teaching the computer option?
Please reference the third quarter 2009 training bulletin.

Have the Open Water manual or Open Water DVD changed?
No changes to either of those products.

Do computer students need the Open Water manual?
Yes, PADI Standards require all Open Water students to own a copy of the Open Water Manual. Computer students must read the entire manual and complete knowledge reviews 1-3. Computer students are not required to complete knowledge reviews 4 and 5.

In lieu of knowledge reviews 4-5 from the Open Water manual, the computer student completes two knowledge reviews from the How to Use and Choose Dive Computers manual. Answers to these knowledge reviews can be downloaded from the PADI Pros site.

What is the Dive Simulator?
The Dive Simulator is a generic dive computer used to illustrate some of the topics discussed in the How to Use and Choose Dive Computers manual. The simulator is a free download (access information can be found in the Computers manual). Students are not required to use the Dive Simulator.

How does PADI address variety of dive computers on the market (and differences in dive planning calculations)?
The How to Use and Choose Dive Computers manual discusses general computer use and refers students to their users manual for specific details. Please see our earlier article which includes sample pages. Quiz and exam questions are worded to address general computer usage rather than specific scenarios.

----
If you enjoyed this article, please consider subscribing. You can receive updates by email or RSS (MyYahoo, iGoogle, etc).