Boba Fett? The Star Wars bounty hunter? Yes indeed. He has graced us with his presence during our PADI IDC here in Bocas Del Toro. Scuba diving and Star wars? How do they mix? In this case we were utilizing him during our Knowledge development presentations as a training aid. An element of fun that gets student to think outside the box and add as much as possible to a presentation.
Training aids
So what is a training aid? A training aid that you use when teaching, is an element that adds something to your presentation. It could be used to illustrate a point or to reinforce something. When training to become an scuba instructor you have to be adaptable. Students do not always learn in the same way and you may find, that you have to illustrate a simple concept in a completely different way.
As part of this idea, during a PADI IDC I like to try and introduce very different objects as training aids. Something as simple as a napkin. Maybe a toy car. How would you use a toy car to illustrate the most important rule of scuba diving? Makes you think huh?!
Streamlining first
So, how did the journey of Boba Fett go that day in the classroom?Well, first up, he got to illustrate the concept of being streamlined underwater. As a man with a jetpack, it is easy to see how you can compare him to a scuba diver. First he was swimming through his small tank of water, with dangling hoses, getting all caught up with the local wildlife. Then he was all nice and streamlined, using less energy being super hydrodynamic. A great idea.
Navigating the stars ( and the ocean!)
Next up Boba Fett was involved with underwater navigation. How does he navigate “Slave 1” around the galaxy? What if his space computer fails? He can use natural navigation right? Use the stars. And when descending into an area to do this he may be with feet down and head up so he can orientate as he is doing this. Even with his full face mask on he is ready and prepared.
Ready with your equipment
He next leaped into the rescue diver program. Equipment related problems. What if his jet pack fails? With scuba equipment it is important to not make temporary gear, things that aren’t really meant for scuba. In addition, diving with gear you are not familiar with. What if he used a jet pack he was not familiar with? How would he cope if he pressed the wrong control? He could have an accident right? All of this amongst other things were beautifully used to illustrate the fact that scuba equipment problems could be the same as any other type of equipment.
So, with just some of these uses, the students were able to illustrate what may have been pretty tricky concepts into some fun humorous comparisons. IT can lighten up a classroom session and make it more fun, so helping the students retain the information. So next time you are trying to get a point across, think outside the box. Maybe Boba Fett could help you!