A simple question for you. Do you really take time to review and understand where you are spending your money and time to satisfy your required and elective professional education? And, if you are choosing online courses do you look beyond the cheapest priced courses.
Economic factors as a result of the downturn in the industry are forcing more and more in-class schools to close their doors and/or seek alternative sources of revenue to stay afloat. This has resulted in a rapid growth of Distance Learning in the Real Estate and Appraisal Professions. Particularly for Prelicense and Continuing Education.
But, in the rapid movement to distance learning by many traditional real estate schools and Boards of Realtors, many have left due diligence at the door. Getting something up fast without consideration to the quality of the offering and the quality of the delivery platform, particularly for Prelicensing Education is unfortunately the norm rather than the exception. Both the regulators and secondary providers (the schools) seem to feel that all distance learning from the primary national developers is the same and in fact not very good as compared to a live classroom presentation. Unfortunately, too many feel they have no choice but to approve and sell everything that is available. Most believe they don't have enough time, staff, or expertise to really review quality. I've also heard way too many agents and appraisers use the same excuses.
Reviewing for quality is a relatively simple process. The objectives of Quality Online Real Esate Education (for that matter all education) are:
- Have a student complete a legitimate educational process
- in which they learn something
- and you document the process.
The Acid Test for any legitimate online course of instruction(minimum requirements)
- Can you complete the course requirements without learning something?
- Can you complete the course in significantly fewer hours than rated?
Tomorrow's real estate professional has to focus on expanding their professional knowledge and increasingly will turn to distance learning for the convenience and availability. The educational quality of the delivery system will matter as much as the subject matter and content. No longer can you afford to throw away 12, 14, 22.5, or 24hrs taking CE courses without regard to retention and expansion of your professional knowledge. More and More real estate professionals are demanding an "outcome' to their education experience.
For the education providers and the real esate professionals "Good Education is Good Business". Therefore, due diligence by the providers and students pryor to choosing that online provider will in the long run help sustain and grow their businesses.
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