What Happens on the SSI Instructor Evaluation?
Discover how the SSI Instructor Evaluation verifies your dive standards knowledge, classroom teaching and in-water instructional ability.
The IE confirms that you are ready to teach
After successfully completing the SSI Instructor Training Course, the Instructor Evaluation verifies that your knowledge, diving skills and teaching ability meet the required SSI performance standards.
The evaluation is conducted by an authorised SSI Instructor Certifier. It is separate from the development and coaching you receive during the ITC.
During your Ocean Tribe ITC, you will practise the same types of academic and in-water presentations used during the evaluation. By the time the IE begins, the structure should already feel familiar.
Areas of evaluation
The IE evaluates written knowledge, academic teaching, confined-water teaching and open-water teaching.
Each section focuses on your ability to apply SSI standards and create a safe, effective learning environment for student divers.
The four main IE components
Your exact timetable may vary, but the Instructor Evaluation normally includes these four core areas.
Written examinations
Demonstrate your understanding of SSI Training Standards.
Academic presentation
Teach an assigned knowledge topic using SSI materials, examples and student interaction.
Confined-water teaching
Brief, demonstrate, supervise, identify student problems and debrief an assigned skill.
Open-water teaching
Conduct two assigned skills in open water while controlling the site, students and assistants.
Written examinations
Show that you understand the SSI standards governing the programs you will teach.
Complete a multiple-choice examination covering professional-level dive theory and SSI Training Standards.
Theory subjects may include physics, physiology, equipment, decompression theory, ecology, dive skills and dive planning.
The standards section tests your ability to understand program requirements, ratios, depths, supervision and certification procedures.
The standards portion is normally open book. The goal is to know how to locate the correct information—not memorise every standard.
Your Ocean Tribe ITC includes exam preparation and practice to identify any areas requiring additional study.
Academic presentation
Demonstrate that you can explain diving knowledge clearly and help a student understand a difficult concept.
The evaluator assigns a question or knowledge topic from an appropriate SSI diver-training program.
Prepare a short presentation using SSI lesson guides, manuals, digital learning and other approved teaching materials.
Explain the subject clearly, involve your students and use appropriate examples from real diving.
Connect the knowledge to student safety, comfort, equipment or their future diving experiences.
Presentations commonly last around 10–15 minutes, depending on the assigned topic and current evaluation requirements.
Confined-water teaching
Show that you can organise, teach and evaluate scuba skills in a controlled in-water environment.
Deliver a clear briefing explaining the skill, its value, the required performance and how the session will operate.
Demonstrate the assigned skill slowly, clearly and at demonstration quality.
Supervise the students while maintaining appropriate positioning, control and awareness.
Identify deliberately assigned student problems, intervene when required and help each student meet the performance requirements.
Finish with an effective debrief that reinforces success and provides useful corrective feedback.
You may also be asked to demonstrate selected Open Water Diver skills, including an emergency skill, at instructor quality.
Open-water teaching
Bring together site organisation, student control, skill teaching and professional judgement in a real open-water environment.
Prepare the training site and organise the equipment, students and certified assistants.
Brief the assigned Open Water Diver skills, including the session organisation and safety procedures.
Teach the assigned skills while maintaining control of the group and the open-water environment.
Recognise and correct deliberately assigned student problems while ensuring the performance requirements are met.
Conclude with an organised exit and a clear, positive student debrief.
Complete the required rescue demonstration, including bringing an unresponsive diver to the surface and providing appropriate assistance.
Your ITC prepares you for this
None of the evaluation formats should be a surprise. During the ITC, you will practise the presentation structure, scoring approach and skills required for the IE.
Practise theory and standards examinations before the IE.
Deliver several academic presentations and receive trainer feedback.
Practise confined-water briefings, demonstrations and student corrections.
Conduct open-water presentations in realistic teaching scenarios.
Refine your rescue and demonstration-quality scuba skills.
What happens next?
After successful completion
Once all certification requirements are completed and processed, you can begin your career as an SSI Open Water Instructor.
- Complete the applicable SSI professional-registration requirements.
- Begin teaching through an eligible SSI Training Centre.
- Develop experience through team teaching and mentorship.
- Add Specialty Instructor ratings.
- Progress toward Specialty Instructor and Divemaster Instructor.
If a component needs to be repeated
Not passing one section does not normally mean repeating the entire Instructor Training Course or Instructor Evaluation.
- Review the evaluator’s feedback with your training team.
- Practise the specific area that needs development.
- Return to a future IE to repeat the required component.
- Confirm current resit dates and fees directly with Ocean Tribe.
Instructor Evaluation FAQs
Is the Instructor Evaluation included in the ITC?
The IE is a separate evaluation following the ITC. Ocean Tribe’s current full ITC packages may include the IE fee, but you should confirm the inclusions of your selected package when booking.
Who conducts the Instructor Evaluation?
The IE is conducted by an authorised SSI Instructor Certifier rather than being evaluated solely by the team who delivered your ITC.
How long does the IE take?
The Ocean Tribe IE is normally scheduled across two days. The exact timetable can vary according to candidate numbers, conditions and SSI requirements.
What happens if I do not pass one section?
You will normally need to repeat only the relevant component at a future IE. The evaluator and training team will explain the development required and any applicable resit fees.
Is the standards exam open book?
The standards component is normally open book because instructors need to know how to locate and correctly apply current SSI Training Standards. Confirm the current format during IE orientation.
Do I need to memorise my academic presentation?
No. You should use the approved SSI teaching materials effectively, explain the assigned subject clearly and interact naturally with your students rather than delivering a memorised speech.
Prepare for your IE with a complete Ocean Tribe ITC
Develop your teaching skills, practise every evaluation component and arrive at your SSI Instructor Evaluation ready to succeed.
