David Kenik has focused much of his training effort on distance learning, using DVDs. I’ve mentioned the fact that if all the firearms trainers in the country, including NRA Instructors, were working at full capacity, it would still only be possible to train less than 3 percent of US gunowners annually. Distance learning is a venue that needs to be used more in the industry.
http://exm.nr/L7sAvD
When I give private lessons, if I need to demo, I use the student's gun. That way they don't think I'm using a tricked out SCCY to be able to shoot well.
That's a little mind boggling to think about. There seems to be firearms instruction popping up everywhere.
I'm skeptical as to the effectiveness of this approach.
Subjects such as safety rules, gunhandling, and mindset are in your mind, mostly. You can practice them on your own.Originally Posted by Redhat
Every professional trainer I've been to has emphasized that point, saying that their (8h/12h/24h/40h, in-person) training course was just the beginning; the student must go home and practice on their own.
It's not a matter of either-or, or this is better than that; most people have real-life issues that are effective limits to anything else.
It's not hard for me to imagine a motivated student employing distance learning, because I am one.
Here's how I worked those numbers.
The NRA claims about 100,000 instructors and RSO's.
NRA guidelines are 4 students per instructor. I would consider one class per month to be full capacity, so 48 students per year. RSOs don't count in the equation since they can't award a Basic Certificate. So that's somewhere around 3 million students per year.
52 million is the estimated number of households that own guns, so I figure 2 people per household =~100 million gunowners. Hence, my calculation of 3 percent.
And those numbers don't figure in range availability, which heavily cuts into the number of classes that could be held.
That's why the concept of mandatory training is such an anathema to me. It would be yet another unfunded mandate that really works out to an almost wholesale ban; the training base just isn't there to support it. Another reason why I am so opposed to Brandon Webb's candidacy to the NRA Board of Directors. His idea that all public ranges should only accept shooters who have an NRA Basic Certificate would essentially outlaw shooting for 95% of the population of the US.
Yes, the numbers are staggering. That's why we have an ammo shortage. Instead of a couple of million people buying ammo regularly, now we have 10 times or more that number. The manufacturing capacity just isn't there. And it never will be. Get used to it.
When I give private lessons, if I need to demo, I use the student's gun. That way they don't think I'm using a tricked out SCCY to be able to shoot well.
That's the big issue right there.
I had an ER nurse in a class. I noticed she kept taking all head shots. Her response when asked why, "'I've seen too many people who have been shot in the chest putting up a fight in the ER." Point taken.
I don't doubt your numbers Claude, and it's staggering because I've not looked at the math before.
Sounds like we need a comprehensive nation wide program to start converting golf courses to something more useful.
Hey, a guy can dream................
Claude, your PMs are full.
Yes maybe for some skills but for others I believe you still need a skilled instructor with eyes on what you are doing to see things you may not. Now if you're already skilled enough to "self-assess", I'm not sure how much a distance learning course will help. I suppose shooters at a certain skill level could use video to help but I'm not convinced lower skilled students could.
Practicing skills from courses you attended...yes...but you learned them in attendance first.
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