As an attendee of a class I am looking for relevant real life information that will help me: make money, save money or stay out of trouble. Much of this learning for me comes from people who have real time experience.

I will say that I believe the “market place” is changing and that it is a a disservice for some to disregard the needs of licensees and members in this new market. The static classes of just 5 years ago don’t cut it. “Seat time” doesn’t cut it either. I appreciate the leadership that AAR continues to take to provide current, focused and timely education to members. I believe the development of the rCRMS is a perfect example. Many of the classes in the GRI program are as well.

There is always room for improvement. From class development, instructors and the students. You get what you ask for, so time to start asking for more. Our clients certainly are.

As a real estate educator, I agree that not all course delivery by every instructor is particularly enlightening or relevant. However, my observation over the years is that most instructors are pretty good, and there is value in what they teach. I am appalled, though, by the recent trend of instructors coming out of the affiliated trades though (like mortgage brokers or home inspectors), where the course delivery is little more than a promotion of the company’s services.

In a day and age where bigger government and more regulation are so in vogue as the answer to every difficult question, I stand with a minority who advocate a market approach to these problems. Although I am not averse to reasonable guiding standards, I really do think it is the clientele, the students, who should determine whose education is worthy of attending.

When it comes to evaluating the benefits of education, real estate licensees, as a group, are bereft of care or discernment. Yet, this IS the very market who controls whether a school or instructor will ultimately persevere in education.

As reformers, I suggest that we have long been looking at the wrong end of the education process. Real estate education will adapt to the demands of the marketplace. If we want better, different, more timely, more relevant education (assuming that the education industry isn’t delivering along these lines), then the consumers (licensees) need to be more discerning and demanding.

It’s far too easy to castigate educators as the bugbear of education inadequacies. Perhaps we should help licensees change their perspective of education. When licensees become discerning enough to act on their wants and needs, education delivery will adapt. That’s the market approach.

Best,
Ed