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Being a leader in today's marketplace requires us to be lifelong learners, commanding us to constantly look at various means to strengthen our knowledge-base and our skill-set. And lucky for us, today’s technology has increased the options available for learning formats. While there is still great benefit to meeting in person, new technology is helping streamline online and on-demand opportunities. With all the options available, which one is right for your organization? Let’s discuss three of the most popular options; seminars, on-demand training and webinars.
Seminars – Designed to bring together groups of people at a particular location, a seminar provides meetings based on a single topic. Presented formally by an instructor or panel, seminars provide an interactive element where participants raise questions and have discussions and debates on the information presented. The disadvantage to seminars, however, is there is little flexibility with the seminar schedule and can be costly.
On-demand – Ready when you are, on-demand training is flexible enough to meet the demands of busy schedules. With 24/7 access, you can learn on your own timeline and are not limited to class schedules or off-site locations. Most on-demand courses are broken down into individual modules of limited duration—meaning you can learn when you have a few spare minutes. The downside? Training is all on your own and there is usually no or little opportunity for interaction with any other participants or an instructor.
Webinars – A webinar is a presentation, lecture or workshop that is broadcast over a web platform with the help of webcasting software. Participants in a webinar do not physically meet; rather the meeting is virtual where audio and visual documents can be shared with the help of relevant technology. Information is given and received in real time. Webinars are very convenient for the participants. You can attend the session from the comfort of your home without having to worry about traveling to a different location and the only cost you incur is the time spent during the conference. With its convenience, low cost and opportunity to interact with the presenter and other participants, webinars hit the “sweet spot” in continuing education.
The AOE team has instructional designers and coordinators that can design and develop educational and online courses as well as coordinate the delivery of live webinars and classroom-based seminars. We deliver between 15-20 single, one-hour webinars annually, however, extended topics may be delivered as a multi-part series. In addition, we offer classroom-based seminars, delivered on-site at the customer’s location. For on-demand, self-paced courses, we develop about 25-35 courses per year on a variety of concrete-related topics.
Need help with continuing education options for your organization? Contact us! We are here to help!