5 Advantages 💻 Webinars Have Over In-Person Lectures

5 Advantages Webinars Have Over In-Person Lectures:

The latest advancements in communication and technology and the challenges posed by the pandemic have resulted in many innovations in the digital learning space. Gone are the days when attending conferences and seminars to gain new knowledge to upskill or establish networks are confined to one location. These days, it doesn’t matter wherever you are in the world. Instead, you can take online classes, lectures, or workshops with your laptop and a reliable Internet connection.

This includes webinars, an online-based seminar where the presentation is broadcasted via the Internet using video-based online meeting technologies, like Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams. Unlike webcasts, where the video is on-demand, webinars take place in real-time and allow interaction between the speaker and its participants.

Webinars have become essential in most digital learning platforms due to their many key advantages. In this article, Will Cotter, who runs his company Happy Cleans remotely, shares how the benefits of this online tool have become a game-changer in today’s education and professional industry.

Let’s dive right into it.

Cost-Effectiveness

Webinars are less expensive to produce and participate in than in-person lectures and seminars. The lecturer or institution involved does not have to invest significantly in booking large conference halls and other types of venues to accommodate many participants. Likewise, students and other attendees do not have to worry about transportation and make hotel arrangements to go to, for example, three-day webinars.

Convenience and Flexibility

In-person conferences and lectures always pose the risk of schedule conflicts or logistics. Convenience and flexibility are two of the biggest advantages of webinars. Aside from being held online, most webinars also pre-record the event, giving participants the option to access it whenever it’s most convenient. With webinars, students no longer need to travel far to attend lectures. Instead, they can be sitting on a couch, taking the train, or cleaning the living room while listening to the speakers and still learn so much.

Encourage Networking Among Participants

In professional settings, in-person seminars and conferences are an opportunity to grow your network in your field. The same is true for webinars. Participants can still create meaningful connections through the chat feature of video-sharing technologies. The possibilities also become limitless as webinars are made available to international participants from other countries.

Less Intimidating, More Interactive for Some People 

Attending in-person classes or conferences can be emotionally overwhelming for some participants. On the other hand, webinars offer can feel safer because students who do not like being in the spotlight can simply listen in the background. However, the chat feature makes them less afraid to speak out, ask questions, and participate in discussions.

More Accessible and Opens Bigger Opportunities 

Because of their accessibility and ease of use, webinars have opened bigger opportunities and more exciting possibilities for students and other types of participants. Webinars by top companies or ivy league universities are now open for anyone in the world to attend. People who have to work full-time can now finish their degree or get professional training or certification for their current jobs.