Today's busy professionals are continuously challenged by productivity and time management issues, one of which is how to handle the industry essential, yearly obligation to continuing education, not to mention keeping up with the latest programs and applications for computers.

Murphy's law notwithstanding, the courses that you must take always seem to fall at the most inconvenient times. After all, if business weren't good, you'd have more time. So there you are, forced to attend a course in person, which takes vital time out of your selling and presentaton schedule.

Wouldn't it be easier is you could learn by remote? Believe it or not, you can.

Distance learning is a new concept made possible by the technologies that serve the Internet and television. Tailor-made for agents, distance learning solves a number of problems - it's efficient, cost-effective, and enhances productivity for agents and their brokers alike.

In a 1996 article written by Dr. Tina Joy Pitt, the subject of distance learning is applauded as a possiblity and as a reality. Dr. Pitt wrote, "Internet distance learning has become a sensible option for people who work out of the office for many reasons. Providing employees with access to professional development opportunities via the computer lowers the prohibitive costs related to physical attendance. Accessing continuing education with a computer also reduces the problem of insufficient space for participants to attend in person. Problems of physical distance and the inability to attend during normal hours become nonexistent." Other costs are eliminated such as child care and enrollment fees for the attendee and facility and equipment rentals for the education provider.

The real estate industry is subject to cyclical trends, making it more difficult for agents to keep up. If business is slow, they must work harder to make sales happen. When business is booming, the demands of increased transactions provides even less time for attending seminars and taking classes to keep up their licenses and other credentials. The advantage to Internet educational activities is that they can be accessed at any time, from any place where there is phone service available.

For that reason, brokers are examining the costs and feasibility of different forms of distance learning. ERA Franchise, recently launched ERAtv, a satellite operated broadcast system in which over 2,600 ERA offices equipped with satellite dishes receive proprietary company/affiliate/vendor news and information just by tuning in. As for interactive learning, most large brokerage firms have Intranets in which their agents, management and vendors can log on to gain access to news releases, information, news, forms and training materials.

Learnitonline.com is a ZDNet subscription site for online computer training. The courses on the site, which include Microsoft Office 97, Windows 95 and assorted browsers, are available through a low yearly subscription fee. The courses are divided into manageable, "bite-sized" tutorials so users can get the precise information they need precisely when they need it, delivered right to their desktops. Utilizing LearnFlow technology, the site boasts shorter downloading times and a better interactive learning experience than text-based courses or self-study tutorials.

For Real Estate Commission-approved home study courses, Prep-USA offers education solutions for agents, brokers, and aspiring agents. These downloadable or direct ship courses are a great alternative to classroom learning, and cover courses for pre-licensing, post license, brokers pre-license, and continuing education. Some courses require that accrediting tests be proctored, which will mean completing the test in person at a commissioned agency, but at least you can get the course work out of the way during down times.

Advises Dr. Pitt, "No longer does the professional need to squeeze continuing education/professional development into their schedules. Now, educational activities via the Internet can fit easily into a busy schedule."

Published: July 1, 1998

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