What is the Divemaster Practical Evaluation?
The Divemaster Practical Evaluation consists of four exercises to evaluate the candidate’s ability to perform the standard duties of a Divemaster.
Overview
- Have Divemaster candidates participate in Practical Evaluations 1 to 3 alongside student divers. If there are no available student divers, role‐playing can be utilized. During each assessment, it is recommended to have at least four individuals act as role players, who may include Divemaster candidates, instructional staff, or certified divers.
- During Practical Evaluation 4, it is required that Divemaster candidates collaborate with a minimum of four certified divers.
- Divemaster candidates should complete the necessary assessments repeatedly until they meet the criteria of scoring at least 3 on each performance requirement.
- Divemaster candidates cannot be used as course assistants to increase student diver to Instructor ratios.
| Benchmark | Score |
|---|---|
| Successfully achieved the goal without any mistakes and was able to anticipate the needs of both the instructor and the diver. | 5 |
| Successfully achieved the goal without committing any errors and with minimal assistance from the instructor or staff. | 4 |
| The objective was achieved satisfactorily, with only a few minor errors. The instructor only provided brief reminders or suggestions for corrections. | 3 |
| The individual fully comprehends the tasks needed to achieve the goal. Still, there were notable mistakes or missing elements. The instructor had to step in and provide guidance to achieve a satisfactory outcome. | 2 |
| Multiple significant errors and omissions were made while attempting to meet the objective or the objective was not met. | 1 |
Practical Evaluation 1: Assisting in a Confined Water Session for Open Water Diver Students
- Assist student divers in organising their pre‐dive equipment setup.
- Assist in managing the movement of student divers during their training.
- Monitor student divers not receiving immediate attention from the Instructor during their training.
- Assist a student diver in overcoming any learning challenges they may be facing.
- Address or avoid any issues that arise during student diving.
- Conduct a skills Demonstration for student divers.
Practical Evaluation 2: Assisting in an Open Water Session for Open Water Diver Students
- Evaluate an open water training location and provide the Instructor with suggestions on whether it is suitable for training new divers.
- Assist student divers in organizing their pre‐dive equipment setup.
- Help with preparing the site.
- Assist in managing the movement of student divers during their training.
- Monitor student divers not receiving immediate attention from the Instructor during their training.
- Address or avoid any issues that arise during student diving.
- Guide student divers during an underwater tour with a 2:1 ratio.
Practical Evaluation 3: Assisting in an Open Water Session for Students on a Continuing Education Course
- Assist in managing the movement of student divers during their training
- For a training dive that allows for indirect Instructor supervision, escort continuing education student divers
- Inform the Instructor of any performance and learning difficulties.
- Assist a student diver in continuing education to overcome a learning difficulty.
- Address or avoid any issues that arise during student diving.
Practical Evaluation 4: Guiding certified Divers in Open Water
- Perform evaluations of the environment and divers, and take necessary supervisory actions based on the evaluations.
- Provide a pre‐dive briefing that is suitable for the specific dive location.
- Keep track of the buddy teams going in and out of the water.
- Address or avoid any issues that arise during student diving.