Ameritrain 25 Jun , 2022 Ameritrain

Online Courses

Online courses are designed to be taken online and in a self-study format. That means that no one is monitoring you while taking the course, you can complete as much or as little at a time, and your time is recorded. The time you must complete the course may be finite, and the extent of that time depends on the course provider’s offering. Ameritrain’s 8-hour CE course is available to complete until the end of the calendar year in which you purchased the course. But most course providers have more strict rules at that time, so make sure you know what you are buying.

And like any similar courses, online courses are also divided into modules, lessons, or units. Online courses are also referred to as e-learning modules, digital courses, e-courses, online training, etc. In the mortgage industry, continuing education courses typically last from one hour up to 12 hours depending on what states you are selecting, but the number of hours increases accordingly for more than one state.

One final important distinction is that online courses for mortgage professionals have an authentication login system, called a BioSig, that is designed to authenticate users. All course providers must have this system in order for MLOs to be given credits for the hours of education they have completed.

Live Webinar

A web-based live webinar is a live teaching session offering a complete 8-hour to 12-hour comprehensive course. Some course providers may also be offering state-specific courses, but not all do. Webinars are the equivalent of a live course but are conducted on the internet. Students can be at home or the office while taking the course, and although the instructor or a course facilitator conducts students’ authentication, there is no BioSig involved in this type of course. Participation is expected of everyone, which is why the sizes of these classes tend to be small (depending on the course provider), and they are typically more engaging, fun, and quick pace.

Online VS Webinar

How to choose between a webinar vs an online course delivery format?

To figure out if you should take a webinar or online course, here are a couple of things to consider and ask yourself:

• How much time are you willing to invest in a course? If time is unlimited, you could choose the online route and complete the course as time permits.

• Is cost an important factor for you? If not, investing in a live webinar may be the way to go since they tend to be a bit costlier than the online course, but they are more fun and engaging.

• How computer-savvy are you? We recommend the live webinar option if you are not very well-versed because some MLOs find it hard to navigate the BioSig authentication requirements.

• Are you able to take an entire day off your schedule to complete a course, or do you prefer to complete a few hours at a time? In that case, we recommend taking the online course because typically a live webinar requires a seven to eight-hour commitment.  

About Ameritrain

Ameritrain Mortgage Institute provides NMLS approved mortgage education for Mortgage Loan Originators. Services include mortgage training, professional development, learning management, and consulting.

MLOs may choose to take our courses in the way which serves their needs best, whether it is in webinar, live classroom, self-guided online, or instructor-led online form. We are dedicated to giving our students the best experience to receive new or continuing education and certification.

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Mortgage professionals, CE season is here, and when it comes to your mortgage education training, there are many ways to complete your annual requirements, including taking a live class, online course, or live webinar.

Today we will tackle the question of online vs. webinar format. Many people in the industry may sometimes tend to interchange the two methods thinking both may be referring to the same thing, but that is not true. Both are e-learning methods, yes, but they also have distinct differences, and it’s essential to precisely pinpoint the differences between them to determine which works best depending on your particular circumstance. Also, remember that both are intended to serve different purposes and audiences.

Online Courses

Online courses are designed to be taken online and in a self-study format. That means that no one is monitoring you while taking the course, you can complete as much or as little at a time, and your time is recorded. The time you must complete the course may be finite, and the extent of that time depends on the course provider’s offering. Ameritrain’s 8-hour CE course is available to complete until the end of the calendar year in which you purchased the course. But most course providers have more strict rules at that time, so make sure you know what you are buying.

And like any similar courses, online courses are also divided into modules, lessons, or units. Online courses are also referred to as e-learning modules, digital courses, e-courses, online training, etc. In the mortgage industry, continuing education courses typically last from one hour up to 12 hours depending on what states you are selecting, but the number of hours increases accordingly for more than one state.

One final important distinction is that online courses for mortgage professionals have an authentication login system, called a BioSig, that is designed to authenticate users. All course providers must have this system in order for MLOs to be given credits for the hours of education they have completed.

Live Webinar

A web-based live webinar is a live teaching session offering a complete 8-hour to 12-hour comprehensive course. Some course providers may also be offering state-specific courses, but not all do. Webinars are the equivalent of a live course but are conducted on the internet. Students can be at home or the office while taking the course, and although the instructor or a course facilitator conducts students’ authentication, there is no BioSig involved in this type of course. Participation is expected of everyone, which is why the sizes of these classes tend to be small (depending on the course provider), and they are typically more engaging, fun, and quick pace.

Online VS Webinar

How to choose between a webinar vs an online course delivery format?

To figure out if you should take a webinar or online course, here are a couple of things to consider and ask yourself:

• How much time are you willing to invest in a course? If time is unlimited, you could choose the online route and complete the course as time permits.

• Is cost an important factor for you? If not, investing in a live webinar may be the way to go since they tend to be a bit costlier than the online course, but they are more fun and engaging.

• How computer-savvy are you? We recommend the live webinar option if you are not very well-versed because some MLOs find it hard to navigate the BioSig authentication requirements.

• Are you able to take an entire day off your schedule to complete a course, or do you prefer to complete a few hours at a time? In that case, we recommend taking the online course because typically a live webinar requires a seven to eight-hour commitment.  

About Ameritrain

Ameritrain Mortgage Institute provides NMLS approved mortgage education for Mortgage Loan Originators. Services include mortgage training, professional development, learning management, and consulting.

MLOs may choose to take our courses in the way which serves their needs best, whether it is in webinar, live classroom, self-guided online, or instructor-led online form. We are dedicated to giving our students the best experience to receive new or continuing education and certification.