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At CalTrin, our innovative learning model enables child- and family-serving professionals to choose training and educational experiences that work best for your schedule, learning style, and career path. Our training opportunities are organized around four domains: Direct Service Delivery Skills, Evidence-Based/Evidence-Informed Service Delivery, Management & Leadership Development, and Trauma-Informed Systems. Learners engage with CalTrin by attending live, virtual training (webinars and workshops), completing self-paced courses, and exploring our extensive archive of recordings and materials.

So, what is the difference between a Webinar, Workshop, and Self-Paced Course? And how do you decide which of the three formats is best for you? The answer to that depends on your learning preferences, including how much you enjoy high-interactive learning opportunities versus lecture-style presentations versus self-guided learning. This post will outline some of the key differentiators and elements of each type of training event to help you decide which format might best fit your needs.

 

If you are someone who prefers to attend a training without your webcam on, would rather not participate in breakout room discussions, and learns best through listening and watching (auditory and visual learners) – webinars might be the right choice for you!

Format (Lecture, Lower Interaction)

CalTrin webinars are designed and structured similarly to a lecture, where a presenter discusses a topic in detail and typically utilizes a slide presentation to outline key points. The presenter is not able to see or hear participants because attendees do not have the option to turn on their web cameras or microphones. Breakout rooms are not supported in a webinar format, so there is no opportunity for participants to engage in discussions with each other directly.


Participant Interaction

Does the lecture format mean there is NO participant interaction? Not necessarily. CalTrin webinars typically involve interactive features to promote discussion and enhance your experience as a learner.

Interactive Features for Webinar Participants:

Target Audience & Registration

CalTrin webinars are generally designed to provide valuable information to a broad audience of professionals at all levels of child- and family-serving organizations. For this reason, there are limited to no prerequisites to attend. In general, the webinar format works well for those who prefer to learn by listening, observing, and reflecting on topics or principles to inform the next steps. A certificate is available upon completion of a webinar. There is no cost to learners for CalTrin webinars.

 


If you enjoy group discussion, sharing and hearing ideas with others, and learn best by doing (kinesthetic or social learner) – then online workshops are a great option for you!

Format (Group Discussion, Higher Interaction)

CalTrin online workshops are designed to mimic an in-person event as a highly interactive experience, where participants frequently engage with the presenter and with each other. Participants are expected to utilize a web camera and microphone and will likely be placed in breakout sessions for small group discussion and sharing.

Participant Interaction

As an attendee, you would be expected to fully engage in the workshop and may be asked to participate in higher-interaction features and activities to enhance your learning experience.

Interactive Features for Online Workshop Participants:


Target Audience & Registration

CalTrin workshops are limited in participant size and may be designed to meet the specific needs of a target audience. For many workshops, an application is required. CalTrin’s Training Coordinators review all applications and select participants who best fit the target audience (role, organization, experience, etc.) while also trying to balance learners from across the state. In some cases, there are attendance requirements for a workshop, such as that you attend both parts of a two-part training. A certificate is available upon completion of a workshop. There is no cost to learners for CalTrin workshops, and all associated training materials are free.

Participant No Show Policy

CalTrin workshops have limited spaces, and there are frequent waiting lists. Due to the cost of training and time associated with planning each CalTrin workshop, individuals who are selected to participate are expected to attend for the full duration. Participants who do not attend training and do not contact/notify CalTrin in advance may not be selected for future application-based workshops for up to six months.

Unlike a webinar, workshops often provide the opportunity for you to develop an action plan during the training event. If you prefer a higher interaction learning experience, then you may enjoy CalTrin’s online workshops.

 


If you prefer to learn at your own pace and control the amount of material and duration needed to absorb information – self-paced courses are a great alternative learning option!

Format (Self-Guided, Flexible)

CalTrin’s self-paced courses provide the flexibility to fit learning and professional development into your schedule. Each course is self-guided and includes clear learning objectives, interactive features, including video and learning activities, and additional resources to explore in depth at your own pace.

Participant Interaction

As a self-paced learner, you will have full control over your engagement with the coursework. While there are no traditional interactive features such as polls, breakout sessions, or group discussions, our self-paced courses feature interactive learning activities.

Interactive Features for Self-Paced Course Learners:

 

Target Audience & Registration

CaTrin self-paced courses are generally designed to provide valuable information to a broad audience of professionals at all levels of child- and family-serving organizations. For this reason, there are no prerequisites to register for a course. You will be asked to register for a free account on our learning management system (LMS). Once registered, users will have access to self-paced courses as well as recordings and materials from select live trainings. A certificate is available upon completion of a self-paced course. All self-paced courses, recordings, and associated training materials in the LMS are offered at no cost to learners.

Learn more about CalTrin’s self-paced and interactive courses in this blog post.


Let’s recap!

Have specific questions related to CalTrin’s webinars and workshops? Contact us!

Last updated November 22, 2024