Should classroom courses for home inspectors in Canada be outlawed?

[Billy Boerner]

Originally Posted by jfarsetta

Billy,

The premise of eliminating a classroom is ridiculous. For this to be a legitimate argument, one would need to examine ALL educatonal venues. For instance, it would need to apply to elementary, secondary, and collegiate education.

Nick is writing this to be provocative. I suspect that an educator with pedigree in this arena may be in favor of on-line offerings in some instances but would never see the validity on any argument that attempts to validate a notion and implies that classroom training is somehow harmful.

Instead of all this jazz, why doesnt InterNACHI challenge the NHIE on its merits as a psychometrically valid exam. If what NACHI has been saying for years is true, exposing this alleged hoax, then informing the states that specify a phychometrically valid exam be used for HI Licensing should be informed. At that point, the NHIE would no longer be valid for the purposes of licensing. It would put the state of licensing in turmoil, and rightfully so.

IMO, InterNACHI should be putting its resources in that direction, as opposed to trying to outlaw classroom training.

Is this to say that InterNACHI will son no longer recognize classrom training, in favor of something else?

Joe,

I don't think it should be eliminated. I feel it should be combined with required on the job training. You simply can't learn to be a HI in a week. Impossible. Without field training classroom training is worthless IMO. The way it stands now it's a joke. You might as well just eliminate it because your only harming consumers by putting uneducated people out on the streets with a license. Simply giving someone the right to inspect a home after a week of training and after passing a test is crazy. There's a big difference between reading a book and memorizing compared to actually viewing defects and having them explained to you live on the scene. Doesn't compare. I feel NACHI could drastically increase their membership database if they actually shot live video or pictures demonstrating each question on thier 2500 practice questions. That would be almost as good as being in the field.

Bill

[Nick Gromicko]

I like the NHIE because states that adopt it can't then go about saying that licensing means something. NHIE makes state licensing little more than registration. Everyone can register (get a license).

InterNACHI handles the rest (that states don't involve themselves with): www.nachi.org/success.htm

State licensing boards who adopt the minimum standard NHIE as the only measure of competence have a duty to inform consumers that licensing means next to nothing.... and it does.

Consumers beware, being licensed is like being up to code, so horrible that if you did anything less it would be outright illegal. Finding a good inspector isn't hard: www.nachi.org/blind.htm

[Marcel Gratton]

Originally Posted by ccurrins

One major difference is that you can't ask a question and get a direct answer.

And what are those class disruptor's going to do? Every class has them...

Regardless, I still prefer the classroom environment especially if it results in having a beer and shooting the breeze with some friends afterward...

[jbettencourt]

I have attended both Joe Farsetta's course and John McKenna's course as well as have been to college, I have also done the distance learning thing. If I can afford it and schedule it I favor a classroom experience as there are plenty of things a good instructor can convey by relating a real world experience that they have had that you don't really get from online or distance training. I also have to agree that you learn just as much in the hallways and after class drinks as you do in class.

[Nick Gromicko]

Should hallway discussion with beer or wine be required education for all home inspectors?

http://www.nachi.org/images06/torontointernachi_039.jpg

I'll drink to that!

[Charles R. N. Crooker]

Originally Posted by gromicko

Should hallway discussion with beer or wine be required education for all home inspectors?

http://www.nachi.org/images06/torontointernachi_039.jpg

I'll drink to that!

I'll agree to that!!

[jbettencourt]

Next round is on me! , but seriously when I attended both Joe's and John's classes as a newbie I was able to meet and speak to some very successful and knowledgeable inspectors/businessmen(remember we are running businesses). As a result I took away much more information and knowledge than just what the training courses were about, and that is something that online or distance education cannot provide. You are also able to make associations or friendships with others that may be helpful to you down the road.

[hlowe]

Hey Nick!

I think it's ridiculous to suggest outlawing classroom training, in Canada, or anywhere else. I run classes in Toronto, On., and although I use a lot of Internachi online material; I also incorporate both hands-on training in the classroom, with doing lots of actual class home inspections in the field.
I believe my students get the best of all worlds, in terms of training, but I still have to agree with James Bushart, who said that three guys chatting during a smoke or lunch break would transfer more valuable knowledge, in 15 mins. than you would during a one hour video, and it's largely due to the interaction between them; the asking and answering of relevent questions.
Online is good. Classroom is better.....Doing lots of actual inspections is the best way to learn! Sharondale Academy, in Toronto, offers all three methods
rolled into their unique inspection training classes, available two or three times a year. Check out " TRAINING " at WWW.HEALTHYINSPECTIONS.COM
Online is the easiest way to make money, but if that's the reasoning behind training that way; the students are getting ripped off, in more ways than one!

[zswieca]

Nothing replaces classroom training.


Rockway Home Inspection
http://www.SanAntonioTexasHomeInspector.com
San Antonio Texas, San Antonio based home inspection company offering services throughout San Antonio and surrounding counties.

[Nick Gromicko]

Harold writes:

Hey Nick!

I think it's ridiculous to suggest outlawing classroom training, in Canada, or anywhere else.

I was trying to be ridiculous with the title of this thread. InterNACHI supports more classroom training than all the schools combined. In fact the largest home inspector classroom event in the history of the industyr was held by InterNACH last year in Canada. 7 tracks (classrooms) running for 3 days: http://www.nachi.org/convention2007.htm

And I just did this classroom event: www.nachi.org/toronto2008.htm

My purpose in writing the article and making the post was just to make the point that online education has its advantages to both inspector and consumer. Some still poo-poo it.

[hlowe]

Sorry Nick!.........I misunderstood your intentions. It appears we are in total agreement on that issue, afterall.

[Nick Gromicko]

It was what is known as lobbing a Gromicko grenade. I was trying to get a discussion going on the pros and cons of each and went overboard on the title of the thread.

BTW: I just signed up for a Calculus classroom class at C.U.

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by gromicko

It was what is known as lobbing a Gromicko grenade. I was trying to get a discussion going on the pros and cons of each and went overboard on the title of the thread.

BTW: I just signed up for a Calculus classroom class at C.U.

Man!!! Now, in the morning, you gotta get up and outta bed, take off the pyjamas (or are you "au naturel"), get dressed, drive/walk to the campus........when I'm sure U. of Phoenix would get you credit in a few weeks .......all right from your bed!!!

[Nick Gromicko]

No, it's worse than that... it's night school!

[Charles R. N. Crooker]

Originally Posted by gromicko

No, it's worse than that... it's night school!

So staying awake should not be a problem