Are virtual classrooms and electronic instructors in your future?

By Corrine Shearer, CAE , director of education, Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS ®

As more members get up to speed with technology and add the Internet to their daily business routine, pressure grows to incorporate technology into other aspects of the real estate industry, such as education.

With more than 20 states currently recognizing education delivered via distance learning (Internet courses, phone seminars, videotapes, and audiotapes) for continuing education credit, it’s a concept whose time has come.

Distance learning is gaining a following among real estate professionals and association education directors—and not just because of its continuing education credit approval. Although credit will do a lot to drive the market for distance learning, the potential of this new learning phenomenon goes deeper.

Associations are finding that distance learning technologies, especially the Internet, can provide new channels to keep members connected with association services.

Distance learning described

Distance learning can be delivered in a variety of formats, which break into two general categories, instructor led and independent study.

Instructor-led distance learning generally has some form of virtual classroom in which the instructor directs the learning process. These sessions tend to be live and may require the students to be at a predetermined place, such as in front of their computer or on the phone, at a certain time. Technologies commonly used for this type of delivery include videoconferencing, teleconferencing, or Internet simulcast.

Independent study puts the student in charge of the learning process. These learning opportunities are available on demand and can be taken whenever and wherever the participant has access to the necessary technology. In addition to the traditional print-based correspondence courses, newer options include videotape, audiotape, computer disk, CD-ROM, and even Web-based training, with material downloaded from the Internet.

Advantages and obstacles

Offering distance learning to your members presents both advantages and obstacles for the student and the sponsoring association. Among the main advantages—and the biggest reason associations turn to distance learning—is the cost-effectiveness.

Certainly the easier it is to take a class, the more classes busy members will take. Distance learning is popular with members who typically can’t or won’t attend in-person education because of location, travel costs, or time required away from the office. With convenient telephone seminars and Internet courses members may also be inspired to take more than the required continuing education credit classes.

Virtually unlimited class size is another bottom-line advantage of distance learning. Although phone seminars and videoconferencing may have technological limits to participation, other distance learning methods can be offered as often and to as many real estate professionals as an association can handle, even over state borders.

Distance learning may also be a better teaching method, since some studies show that multimedia formats can provide increased retention compared with traditional classroom delivery, and time required for learning can be shortened by 50 percent.

Offering students a variety of education delivery options, in addition to a variety of course topics, allows them to choose the format that matches their learning style.

The Wisconsin Association of REALTORS® chose to mix video and online to offer a relatively low-tech version of its classes to members. Live-course presentations are videotaped and then sold for independent viewing, after which students take an online exam. Kathryne Kuhl, the association’s senior vice president, says the response to the video courses has been tremendous, and the convenience has outweighed the drawback of a decrease in networking among members and in classroom interaction with instructors.

When considering distance learning for your association, keep in mind some of the obstacles.

Development costs, especially up front, can be high, and if information changes often, revisions can be costly.

The expense of course development can be minimized by sharing it with other associations, technology partners, or real estate schools. Do your research before signing a contract and be cautious of exclusive agreements.

Jennifer Dodge, education director for the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® , offers several Web-based courses through a technology partner that provides the programming and tech support. Local boards have also entered into a marketing agreement with the state association. Dodge says that members have been apprehensive and that the transition from the association’s successful correspondence format has been slow, but it’s building.

Many associations report that initial student acceptance of distance learning, especially online, is slow. High-tech delivery methods may be intimidating for students less familiar with computers.

Distance learning students need to be fairly self-directed and motivated to complete courses. And associations need to realize that not every member is capable of distance learning. A carefully worded member survey can help you determine what types of distance learning methods members want and what percentage of your membership is interested.

Another potential obstacle to a distance learning program is your current education staff and instructors. Adapting course material for delivery via distance learning media can be a challenge for teachers who rely on the interaction with students to determine the level of detail presented or the pace of the class. And not all content is suited to every delivery method. Each distance medium must be carefully chosen to support the specific learning objectives of the class, which may take some trial and error.

As technology enhancements are created to allow distance delivery options to replicate the classroom more closely, members will become more comfortable with them. The added choices, flexibility, and convenience will be a draw, especially for the members who are accustomed to using the Internet as a business tool, a resource, and a communication vehicle.

Yet, for students who still want their education in a classroom with a live instructor and real students, there appears to be no need to worry. All indications are that distance learning will not eliminate the classroom experience, but rather provide an alternative to it.

However, for any association wanting to be a player in education delivery, it will be difficult to ignore the increasing demand for distance learning.

Corrine Shearer, CAE , director of education for the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS® , holds a master’s in education, training, and development from Penn State. She can be reached at 717/561-1303, or e-mail shearer@epix.net

Six steps to launching a distance learning program

1. Clearly establish what your association wants to accomplish with a distance learning program, and
how the program fits into your association’s strategic vision.

2. Set realistic financial budgets, timetables, and goals. New program development often costs more than
you think, and you’ll also need to spend money on marketing. Allow time for members to accept a new
delivery method, and be prepared that you may not see dividends the first year.

3. Survey your members to determine what they want and whether they’ll use distance learning. Know the
level of technology to which your members have access and are comfortable using, and choose a
delivery format that will be user-friendly. Does the potential size and usage frequency of your audience
justify the expense?

4. If continuing education credit is a goal, know your state regulations concerning distance learning
thoroughly and apply for course approval.

5. Develop your distance learning program by applying the same education planning process as for class-
room delivery. But also remember that distance learning design and delivery require additional skills
to deal with the new dimensions of the learning environment. These skills include effective
application of technologies to support the class; course design that promotes interaction via
technology; and courses built on “mastery-based learning,” which is the sequential development of
education units, with an evaluation of student progress at set intervals and an opportunity for
students to go back and review particular material.

6. Provide adequate staffing and infrastructure to support a new program area and ensure its growth.
A selling point of distance learning is its convenience and speed, but a hardware system too slow to respond and not enough live instructors to answer students’ questions over the phone or by e-mail will derail the best-planned programs.