Web Based Home Inspection Training

[Mark S. Elliott]

Is anyone interested in being involved in a new venture to build an internet training school for inspectors? The goal is to provide training that develops the students skills and confidence with a mixture of formal study materials, expert tuition from certified inspectors and practical filed assignments with working inspectors.

Let me know if you are interested.

Mark

[jmichalski]

I am always interested in technology ventures like this. If it existed in a well-presentd format, I absolutely would have gone this route when I was getting into the business.

[Mark S. Elliott]

The school would be based around a learning forum where content would be posted in mainly text format or though there would be some streamed audio/video. All of the content would be developed by inspectors but under the supervision of an instructional designer with Masters in distance education.

The key goal will be excellence in learning content, tuition and student performance!

[Nick Gromicko]

Mark, will you be a guest on our show please? We can include your courses in our program of shows: http://www.nachi.org/nachitv.htm

[mcraig]

Nick a couple sugestions from an old Studio owner from when studios were built better.
1. You have to many hard surfaces and sharp corners.
2. Florsent lights cause Micraphones to hum.
3.The window in the sound control room is going to cause some harmonic distorsion.

What brand Mix board are you using? are you transfering to tape? and what size? or are you doing the complete digital thing. What cameras are you using?
Hint most pro news teams etc.. are still using Beta Cams for the picture defonission and quality and then transfering it to digital.
oh no I can't use spell check when I do a Quick reply OOOP's

[wforsyth]

definition

[Roy L. Talamantes]

Mark, sound interesting, let's talk somemore....

[Mark S. Elliott]

Originally Posted by gromicko

Mark, will you be a guest on our show please? We can include your courses in our program of shows: http://www.nachi.org/nachitv.htm

Nick,

more than please to

Mark

[jmichalski]

Originally Posted by melliott1

The school would be based around a learning forum where content would be posted in mainly text format or though there would be some streamed audio/video. All of the content would be developed by inspectors but under the supervision of an instructional designer with Masters in distance education.

The key goal will be excellence in learning content, tuition and student performance!

Sounds excellent, and very in line with what I think many adults would prefer to see in training and education. Do you have any thoughts for a practicum component? I always thought that this is the one element that is missed in many training experiences is the feel of doing an individual, complete, hands-on inspection. Maybe the student could either work with a local chapter for a ride-along, or could submit a mock inspection of their own home for comment. Granted, this would require some feedback and staff to manage...and I can see it becoming unweildy, but I am not an ed expert, so I figured I would toss it out there.

Overall, sounds good so far!

[Mark S. Elliott]

Thank you very much for your replies. I’m very excited about this project. I have been giving a lot of thought to this project and my ideas are still evolving. My goal is to create a learning environment that is flexible and uses existing learning material together with student/teacher resources. I believe that we have a great learning resource in the NACHI web site, our professional inspector membership, the web, and published materials in general. My thinking now is that we could develop an online Professional Development School.

Professional Development School

Could we create a Professional Development School open to all and aimed at developing all of our skills through debate and discussion? I believe we can.

My idea is to use a series of case studies aimed at teaching inspectors how to fine tune the inspection process and use the resources that are available to help them throughout their inspection careers. The case studies will be short scenarios based on actual inspections. The stories will enable the many and varied aspects of home inspection to be presented in the context of the working environment using a process known as “Learning-In-Action” (Schon, D.A. (1987) Educating the reflective practitioner). These case studies would come from our membership but be reworked by an instructional designer to ensure that they fit into a defined learning path with measurable learning objectives.

Each case will challenge the inspector to develop his or her own solution using existing knowledge, books, web research and/or video. I would not publish books per se but provide references and leave the student to choose the materials that best fit their needs. In this way we do not have copyright issues to contend with and students will have a vast array of learning material to choose from.

The Professional Development School would provide opportunities for successful, experienced inspectors to mentor inspectors who are new to the business, which will help them in their own professional development. It would help the newer inspectors develop their businesses by addressing technical and business issues. An open discussion might even give individuals the confidence to price high rather than low.
What do you think?

Mark

[gkoehl]

Originally Posted by melliott1

Is anyone interested in being involved in a new venture to build an internet training school for inspectors? The goal is to provide training that develops the students skills and confidence with a mixture of formal study materials, expert tuition from certified inspectors and practical filed assignments with working inspectors.

Let me know if you are interested.

Mark

I'll help out



I can do digital video, sound recording, mixing editing and graphics
and web design.

[Mark S. Elliott]

For those of you that would like to take this idea forward I think the first step should be to define the area of professional development we wish to develop in the inspector cohort. The following is a simple list based on the NACHI BB and serves as a straw man so do pull it apart and build into back the way you would like to see the subject area to be defined.

Exterior
Interior
Electrical
HVAC
Ancillary Services & Additional Topics
Pool, SPAR and Mold inspections
Plumbing
Structural

In addition to these subject areas I believe that the following should be added

Sales and Marketing
Business Planning

Should there be more or less? Let me know your thoughts. Finally would it be in order for those interested in taking this forward to meet online/teleconf?

Mark

[gkoehl]

Originally Posted by melliott1

Exterior
Interior
Electrical
HVAC
Ancillary Services & Additional Topics
Pool, SPAR and Mold inspections
Plumbing
Structural

I think the categories are pretty well defined as far as industry standard.
I think the amount of attention and throughness of coverage will be of best benefit

Originally Posted by melliott1

Finally would it be in order for those interested in taking this forward to meet online/teleconf?

Mark

NACHI chat room might be a good place to conf.
Just set up a time