By Jonel Thames Leake, CPCU, ASLI, AAI, CPIW, DAE, CLP
Now that the Learning Management System (LMS) or On Demand catalog has been available for a few months, we have heard one question time and time again. People are asking “Where did the self-study guide go?”. This article will solve that mystery.
Our IAIP courses can be primarily consumed in three ways. This gives you options to decide which learning method works best for you and your schedule.
The first way is taking a traditional in-person class with an instructor. You saw this way of taking classes at our recent International Convention and you may see this type of class at a local, council or regional meeting. This is a valuable opportunity to interact with the instructor and other class attendees in person. To take this course and take the test, you must purchase the Student Guide.
The second way is taking a virtual instructor-led class. This is similar to the in-person class where you have the opportunity to interact with the instructor and other attendees but it is done on your computer. No one will know if you have your fuzzy slippers on! These classes are not recorded and are offered on a regular basis by IAIP and by some regions. Like the in-person class, you must purchase the Student Guide.
The third and newest way to take a class in via the Learning Management System or On Demand catalog. This is a recorded instructor-led session that you take on your own – on your schedule, at your pace. You do not have any interaction with the instructor or other students, but you do have the freedom to take this class whenever and wherever you want. You can also do it in parts and take 10 minutes here and there. You are giving up the personal interaction but gaining the convenience of on-demand learning. This has replaced the previous self study method where you would buy a self study guide, study it and take the test. With the LMS, there is no study guide. You purchase access to the video and take notes. By purchasing the course, you will be able to take the online test and get credit for the course once you pass the test.
When you log into the IAIP store, for most courses you will see a student guide only. If there is only a student guide, that means that the course is available in the LMS. A very few courses do currently show availability for a self study guide as well. This means that the course is not currently available in the LMS. This is being actively worked on and we hope that all of our courses will soon be available on the LMS.
To summarize your options, you will need to buy the student guide for instructor-led courses. Those can be in person or virtual. To do a class on your own, you will need to purchase the course on the LMS. On the rare occasion that it isn’t available on the LMS, you can still purchase a self-study guide. Because the student guide does not include all of the instructor’s additional information you need to get the most value out of the course, you are not allowed to self-study with the purchase of a student guide. If you do this, you will not get credit for taking the course.
As a student who has taken courses via the self-study and LMS methods, I am excited that LMS has replaced self-study. In my experience, I have found that I have a much deeper understanding of the material on the courses that I have taken on the LMS than the ones I have taken self-study. The introduction of the LMS is a great member benefit!
Jonel Thames Leake, CPCU, ASLI, AAI, CPIW, DAE, CLP is currently working on her CLP-A designation and has taught many CLP courses virtually. She is currently serving as our International Secretary.