Both companies and instructional facilities have turned to teleseminar services for training purposes. While most people think of a teleseminar as just a meeting or conference that takes place over the telephone, it is probably for delivering a lecture, class or workshop and also ensures students have access to all the necessary training materials that are not likely available in their local communities.
How Teleseminars Work
Unlike other types of training that require students to be in a classroom or training/conference room, the teleseminar training session takes place over a teleconference line. In order to avoid the chaos that is likely to infiltrate a class involving so many people, there are guidelines of etiquette that have been created in order to allow things to move along smoothly.
The teleseminar training session can be something that occurs just one time or it can be an ongoing event that may continue for weeks or months. It may even comprise a series of short courses that take place over time. There may also be homework involved when students participate in a series of teleseminars; this work will be assigned for completion in between the teleseminar classes.
Important Aspects of Teleseminars
Teleseminars are usually in audio format and as a result don’t provide students with visual aids that make the learning process easier. This means the leaders of the teleseminars must provide students with those visual representations either as attachments to the students’ email or downloads from the teacher’s website. The visual handouts are usually in PDF format so the majority of students can open the materials, but some leaders use other formats such as Excel, Power Point, Flash and other types of materials that will enhance the learning experience.
Types and Benefits
There are two basic types of teleseminars: lecture and interactive. During the lecture type of teleseminar, the leader of the class provides students with a set agenda during a period when students simply listen to the information the leader provides. If the leader provides an interactive teleseminar, the lecture is part of the class, but there is also a period of time during which students can ask questions and participate in exercises related to the material the leader presented during the lecture period.
The teleseminar learning environment is beneficial to students in many ways. Many adult students are very busy trying to work and attend school at the same time, so it allows them to obtain training in various areas in short, one-hour increments where they don’t need to leave their homes or offices. This type of learning even allows students to obtain training while they are away on business trips. The fact students do not need to travel the company has no costs associated with hotel or travel expenses as a direct result of the training.
Conclusion
Companies that offer teleseminar services are very popular in today’s busy learning environment. Teleseminar training sessions are beneficial not just for companies but also as a means for adults to learn things on their own that may help them advance in their careers. The interactive teleseminar environment is probably the best way for students to learn although the lecture is able to pack more information into a short period of time. Both has advantages and disadvantages that only the student can assess on an individual basis.
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