When You Can Go Online, Why Attend a Live Conference?

by | May 3, 2017 | Learning Edge Blog, News

Jennifer Filla

When it comes to learning, there’s only so much we can cram into our brains at once. On the face of it, that means conferences do it all wrong – right?

Think about your last conference: (a) tons of unrelated learning sessions, (b) 60 to 90 minute sessions with no time to practice the new learning, and (c) lots of interruptions with social activities and keynote speakers.

Exactly how much of that mountain of material is any given attendee going to be able to absorb, retain, and implement? And yet, GREAT things happen as a result of conferences. So what’s going on?

It’s the Live Experience, Silly!

If anyone tells you that the trend is moving away from live interactions, do NOT believe them! The live interactions at conferences can give us tremendous value, including:

  • Meeting new people and processing and sharing ideas with them
  • Experiencing the passion and motivation of enthusiastic speakers with big ideas
  • Identifying supporters to help you take action when you return to the office
  • Mega brain stimulation that shifts your perspective and re-charges your creativity!

What’s in a Learning Outcome?

I recently presented to the Institute of Fundraising’s Researchers in Fundraising group in London (read about it here). I included the usual (boring) types of learning outcomes, but as I worked with the organizer (shout out to Helen Hays) we ended up with a fun program that included real content about women in philanthropy, lots of movement breaks, small group discussions, Q&A with three experts, and some reflective time at the end to consider what actions to take when back at the office.

What a difference it made to consider more than knowledge outcomes when creating an educational event!

Is Live Better than Digital?

Live presentations and conferences are important learning experiences for prospect research professionals. They inspire and motivate us, and broaden our network. Digital experiences, such as on-demand courses and hybrid online courses like the ones offered at the Prospect Research Institute, provide comprehensive learning experiences focused on knowledge and skill acquisition and development.

When considering your continuing education needs, go beyond knowledge and skills to evaluate your needs as a whole person. Yes, we need to learn new skills to perform our work. But we all need some inspiration, brain stimulation, and the opportunity to meet great people, too!

Words from happy Researchers

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I love your Master Class format – small group, clearly defined curriculum, solid professional information and resources and focus on discussion.  But most importantly I was impressed and delighted to see that you incorporated an additional and extremely practical layer of knowledge, through hands on experience with tools (pivot tables) or resources (Candid).  This adds real value to the educational experience you offer.

Betsy Mehlman

2020-Master Class

Jen’s course on insider stock and compensation was informative, interesting, and well-thought out. Jen broke down the complicated material into digestible pieces. She showed us resources that I use in my day-to-day research that I wouldn’t have otherwise known about. Jen is always quick to respond and has been helpful even after the class has ended. She answers questions thoroughly and is always pleasant.

I was able to take what I learned from the course and present the material to our front-line fundraisers. One fundraiser told me after my presentation that she discovered one of her donor’s compensation was much higher than she thought. So, already, this information has come in handy! Thanks again Jen!

Kim Anthony, San Francisco CA

Insider Stock and Compensation

The Capacity Rating Workshop was really useful. I was new to the prospect research field when I took the workshop, so it helped to demystify capacity ratings for me. The online classroom provided a great forum for interaction with the other participants and for a robust exchange of ideas. Beyond that though, Jen shared a wealth of information and resources about capacity ratings and other important aspects of prospect research. I highly recommend this workshop whether you’re new to the field or have years of experience in our profession.

David Lloyd, Prospect Research Professional, San Francisco, CA

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