Online vs Live Classes

[Vermonter]

Always enjoyed live classrooms full of different appraisers to bounce ideas, concerns and tactics off of, but have to say I've become increasingly favorable to online CE classes (AI specifically). This past cycle I took 14 hours in class and 22 hours online and have a few observations-

The 2 live classes I took turned into 3.5 hours of appraiser complaints and wild tangents and 3.5 hours of rushed education on topic. Live classes are better for location specific topics because they will be catered to your area, but again they tend to drift off topic constantly.

Found the online classes to be more inclusive and actually took me longer than the listed hours. They can be more vague however when it comes to details about work in your specific area or state.

Obviously, online classes can be a way for an appraiser to cheat, but have to say the actual education seems to be more difficult and more complete than the live classes.

Flame suit on.

 

[TC]

Always enjoyed live classrooms full of different appraisers to bounce ideas, concerns and tactics off of, but have to say I've become increasingly favorable to online CE classes (AI specifically). This past cycle I took 14 hours in class and 22 hours online and have a few observations-

The 2 live classes I took turned into 3.5 hours of appraiser complaints and wild tangents and 3.5 hours of rushed education on topic. Live classes are better for location specific topics because they will be catered to your area, but again they tend to drift off topic constantly.

Found the online classes to be more inclusive and actually took me longer than the listed hours. They can be more vague however when it comes to details about work in your specific area or state.

Obviously, online classes can be a way for an appraiser to cheat, but have to say the actual education seems to be more difficult and more complete than the live classes.

Flame suit on.

I agree. I took all my CE on line this year and did not miss for 1 second listening to appraiser stories. Much cheaper and I did not miss a day of work. I'm pretty much done with live classes.

 

[Kevin Mc]

I typically split them. Half live AI and ocassionally McKissock and half online (AI and McKIssock). I Like both.

 

[zdfenton]

I do all mine online. I used to do McKissock but now do all AI, the quality is substantially better in my opinion.

The back and forth is interesting and helpful but doesn't add much to the education. I think you'd be better off getting your back and forth by joining an organization like AI or NAIFA

 

[RSW]

I did all of my classes live with the Columbia Institute. Bryan Reynolds taught the last two and they were some of the best CE classes I have ever had. My hat is off to Bryan Reynolds and the columbia Institute.

 

[Tom Woolford]

Things slowed down for me the end of the month, so I figured I'd get a jump on the next renewal. I took two courses from Appraisal University and was very, very pleased. I am looking forward to their expanding catalog. An excellent experience.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

I did all of my classes live with the Columbia Institute

Good outfit. I would challenge anyone who took my minerals course to say we didn't cover a lot of ground and we wasted too much time on war stories...and I think that is the norm....I'm no "real" teacher.

I really cannot think of any of my courses that wandered far far off topic with the rarest exception. Few instructors will tolerate it and typically it is something like the USPAP update which has 15 minutes of real "updates" to cover and the rest of the time is punishment for being an appraiser.

I contend most appraisers take on line course because they are introverts who can breeze thru the typical CE in half the time they get credit for. I would rather see a "go to meeting" type "on line" if that is what it is going to come down to, where the instructor can see the students and the students can see the instructor on the computer...and they have to be there 7 hours.

Seems funny so many people want to increase the educational requirements, the hours requirements, the CE and qualifying requirements on the one hand and OTOH do the very opposite.

 

[Couch Potato]

Good outfit. I would challenge anyone who took my minerals course to say we didn't cover a lot of ground and we wasted too much time on war stories...and I think that is the norm....I'm no "real" teacher.

I really cannot think of any of my courses that wandered far far off topic with the rarest exception. Few instructors will tolerate it and typically it is something like the USPAP update which has 15 minutes of real "updates" to cover and the rest of the time is punishment for being an appraiser.

I contend most appraisers take on line course because they are introverts who can breeze thru the typical CE in half the time they get credit for. I would rather see a "go to meeting" type "on line" if that is what it is going to come down to, where the instructor can see the students and the students can see the instructor on the computer...and they have to be there 7 hours.

Seems funny so many people want to increase the educational requirements, the hours requirements, the CE and qualifying requirements on the one hand and OTOH do the very opposite.

I think the reason most take online courses is the convenience factor. An online class can be done anytime, but live classes are only offerred a few months before renewal. I like to do my classes in the months just after renewal.

A "go to meeting" style online class would certainly be better than what is done now, but I would much rather see asynchronous classes given via a quality learning management system where the students must study and participate over a one week time frame for a 7 hour class. Rather than than staying awake taking most of the energy, time for thoughtful learning would exist.

 

[Rich Heyn]

CE Webinars are available now

My business partner and I have been using the "go to meeting" aka web conferencing aka webinars to deliver CE through Northern Michigan University since early last year.

We have one scheduled today and another next week. Give it a try.

http://webb.nmu.edu/Appraiser/

Frankly, I think this method represents the best of both worlds. The convenience of traditional (asynchronous) distance education coupled with a "live" instructor, or in our case, two instructors.

 

[Doug in NC]

I admit more is covered online. As has been said, the live classes are often spent in discussions (which I am not sure is unintended). What bothers me is that online offerings are being priced too close to live classes. Costs of online courses have got to be much lower (not paying for an instructor's F-T salary, benefits, travel, lodging, cost of facility, refreshments, etc.).

I found an online USPAP update course is offered at almost half price of many live classes, partly because they don't require you to PURCHASE A $70 book that you may never use (look it up online instead). I'm probably going to go that route, since I don't get much out of live USPAP classes anyway.

How do you get away with taking "all" CE online? I'm only permitted to take 14 hrs per 28 hr period.