Though online training is more readily available and flexible, face-to-face training is the traditional way and still has its advantages:

- Networking

Onsite courses are effective in giving the opportunity to create real life human interaction with the other learners and to exchange handshakes and conversation. This means participants can network more efficiently which in itself has a lot of benefits.

- Engagement and Focus

When attending onsite courses, participants are usually in a classroom with the trainer/s. Many teachers will implement strategies to keep them involved and engaged as much as possible, to retain their attention and to definitely encourage better results.

- Adaptability 

Courses that operate face-to-face have the option to be adapted to the learner’s needs when needed. This keeps the participants happy because many of them will not want to learn the excess information that does not apply to them, and at the same time they will be unsatisfied if they didn’t learn what they wanted to learn.

- Discussion

A lot of great things can come by being in a room with other people wanting to learn, such as detailed discussions and debates regarding subject topics where participants may even learn from other people and take in viewpoints that they haven’t considered yet.

- One to one teaching if any problem arises

Every learner is different, some are very independent in the sense that if they have a problem, they will eventually solve it themselves. However there are a lot of them who need to be shown or have something explained because they do not understand it.

If a problem arises when learners are in a face-to-face course, they can simply ask the trainer to explain it better so they know what is going on.

- Collaboration

Face-to-face collaboration may help participants better identify their own strengths and weaknesses. Enhanced self-awareness will help improve their teaching style. Moreover sharing and discussing ideas can play a pivotal role in deepening participants’ understanding of what should be done to innovate their approaches to teaching and benefit their school.

- Group work

Being part of a team may help participants better develop their interpersonal skills such as speaking and listening as well as team working skills such as leadership, and working with and motivating others. These skills will be useful throughout their career.

- Interdisciplinarity

Groups of teachers that work well together can make up a team, plan interdisciplinary modules and  have a significant impact on their students’ learning and knowledge/skill/competence acquisition.

 

These are some of the reasons why onsite courses should be included in in-service teacher training programmes together with online courses. The two approaches both play an important part in boosting professional development, fulfilling different but complementary needs.