PADI eLearning Portal for Diver Certification
Download the PADI eLearning Portal Case Study as a PDF

The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) truly is the “The Way the World Learns to Dive®.” With PADI-Member Dive Centers and Resorts across the globe, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) wanted a way to encourage new divers to discover the sport and get their open water diver certification. PADI courses traditionally use textbooks and videos in a classroom or home study environment to teach the theory portion of the Open Water Diver course. While PADI planned to continue with the use of these materials, the organization wanted to offer an online option. The goal was to enable its affiliated dive shops to offer an alternative product that is more convenient for their customers and represents another revenue source with less inventory to manage.

PADI needed a robust, yet easy-to-use system to create custom online content and deliver these courses through a channel of more than 9,000 dive shops web sites, worldwide. The eLearning portal required a single sign-on and administrative access for Retail Dive Store and Resort Members. Furthermore, PADI Member administrators needed a way to create their own sub-administrator accounts for instructors and staff with customized access rights. PADI’s global reach also presented an inherent need for the ability to deliver e-Learning courses 24/7 in multiple languages to its Members around the world. 

THE SOLUTION

Digitec adapted the Knowledge Direct® eLearning Platform to integrate with PADI’s member portal and dive center association member database. When a learner purchases a course, they are automatically connected to their local PADI Dive Center or Resort at the time of purchase. Once registered, the learner’s online learning portal is associated with that PADI Dive Center or Resort, so that learners can communicate directly with the Dive Center instructor.

Upon entry into the PADI e-Learning portal, the user experience is tailored to reflect the assigned dive store or resort; with their homepage links, branding and contact information. Learners then simply select their course, access the modules and complete the course. Upon completion of the modules and final assessment, the system automatically generates an email message to the learners, explaining where they need to visit to to complete the practical portion of the training and earn their certification. Administrative features enable dive center instructors and administrators to view learners’ reports, send out alerts and broadcast e-mail messages to their students. 

THE RESULT

By utilizing Digitec’s Knowledge Direct LMS, PADI is able to:

• Provide eLearning to approximately 5,000 learners each month.

• Allow 24/7 online training to their Dive Center and Resort Members around the world, support 9 languages.

• Allow individual Dive Center and Resort Members the ability to private label their micro-sites.

• Provide single sign-on through the PADI portal, integrating with their association member database.

For additional information and frequently asked questions about Learning Portals click here.

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Established in 1988, Digitec is an award-winning e-Learning production company, developing educational products for commercial, academic and not-for-profit clients. Digitec’s mission is to combine technology and creativity to transform learning from a singular, passive event into highly adaptive and engaging learning experiences that change lives.

The Knowledge Direct® suite of software, developed by Digitec, is an integrated learning system for mobile and web-based delivered training for mid to large-size associations, medical organizations, non-profit organizations and corporations. With integrated production facilities in Orlando, Florida and San Juan, Puerto Rico, Digitec’s highly creative staff of 20+ in-house artists, Flash animators, audio and video engineers, and computer programmers are focused on developing best-in-class eLearning technologies for the 21st century.