Fear of the Unknown

Fear of the Unknown

Don't be Afraid - Be Prepared

I think one of the reasons some people feel uncomfortable taking an online class is because they haven’t taken one before and they don’t understand how simple they are. I also have people tell me they are boring and they don’t want to sit and stare at a computer all day; they want interaction with people. Hey, me! I’d go nuts too if I was just completing a requirement. I strongly recommend online classes for people getting any type prelicense. On the other hand, I strongly recommend anyone needing continuing education take it in a classroom setting if at all possible. There’s a reason for both.

First let me explain how online courses are implemented. The first step is for the school or instructor to

write the course material and package in course objectives, learning objectives, and time frames for each topic discussed in the course. Everything is checked over 10 times for accuracy, and then it is sent to ARELLO for Certification that it meets all educational standards and requirements. Once certified it is ready to market. The next step is to send the package in an application form, to the (Alabama) Real Estate Commission for approval.  The Commission checks to see if all state requirements are met; these requirements are based on Alabama Statutory Law as well as rules set by the Commission. Once a course is approved, the school/instructor is notified, and the Commission places the course on the Commission’s website as an approved course. At this point the school can schedule class dates and times for that course. This process seems very simple but it is very time consuming as well as very costly. A very important factor is the time frame of the course approval. Courses are approved for two years and then the process starts all over.

Prelicense courses are designed to target specific areas of importance; things a person needs to know to list and sell real estate. They are terminologies, definitions, legal issues, contract law, agency law, federal laws, disclosure requirement, rights of ownership, mathematical situations and etc. An online class keeps a person focused only on the material they need to learn by providing a step-by-step process that causes the student to retain the knowledge.  Short quizzes are implemented throughout the course which is a valuable learning tool. Online classes can be taken from any computer; which means you can access your course from home, from work, or from anywhere you have internet service. I can’t say for other schools, but I provide everything a student needs online. There’s no need to books or printed material to complicate your study habits. Should a student not thoroughly understand something they click on the help button (on every page throughout the course) and state their question. This triggers a response from the instructor (me) and I explain the situation. Every student also has access to my cell phone which allows personal communication.

Once all modules within the provided course are completed, the student must take a proctored exam that lets me know if a student is ready to take the state exam; the area’s they need to review prior to take the state exam. This is very helpful to the student. Students living too far away to take the proctored exam at the school location, the exam can be taken at the library in the students home town. You see how simple it is?

If you have questions or comments about online classes, please post a comment. You can also subscribe to our FREE News & Updates and write your questions there. I will personally respond to you.