Course Formats

LearningMetrics deliver instructor-led courses in a number of different formats. These are generally tailored to the course objectives given by the client, while taking the course curriculum into account.

Instructor-led courses delivered during daytime hours may follow a number of formats.

Fully residential

The fully residential course format involves the training being conducted in a hotel or conference centre, normally outside of city centres. Participants will be sleeping at the course venue and will therefore be able to interact in a friendly atmosphere outside normal working hours. It is also possible to continue the course into the evening, when the course curriculum is designed that way. Residential courses normally lasts a full working week in order to take advantage of the environment. This format is the most expensive in terms of non-curriculum related cost, whilst also the most effective in terms of knowledge gain and especially long-term retention of the curriculum.

Non-residential

When participants originate from the same department or general work area, it may not be necessary to use the fully residential format. In such cases the course may take place at a venue situated closer to the normal place of work. This may also be a hotel or a conference centre, although the participants are not expected to sleep at the venue. This experience is more akin to 'going to work' for the participants, and the format is more flexible with respect to topic. Courses may last anywhere from one to five days under this format and can thus be tailored to meet the requirements of specialised, highly technical topics and, simultaneously, cater for departments which cannot 'afford' to have team members away on courses for more than a few days at a time.

On-site

The ultimate in convenience is achieved through on-site day courses. Participants will experience the course as 'just another working day' because their travel and overnight arrangements are identical to normal working life. This option is the least expensive of the day course formats in terms of secondary, non-curriculum related, cost.

Weekend

The weekend day course format is used only in the most exceptional circumstances, as they are taking away valuable private time for participants and are generally disliked. There are nevertheless circumstances when participants from income generating departments find that the weekday course format reduces their income generating potential. In such cases participants often prefer a daytime course held on a weekend. This is possible if the course topic is limited in scope and therefore can be fit into a two-day time slot. Weekend courses can be residential, although participants tend to prefer the non-residential format in order to have some private family time during the evenings.

Sometimes daytime courses are impossible to schedule for participants from busy working environments. To cater for such requirements LearningMetrics offers instructor-led courses delivered after normal working hours. Since participants will have completed a full working day prior to such a course, it is generally advisable to restrict the learning sessions to a maximum of three hours, with two hours being the optimum.

On-site

The most efficient evening course format is by far on-site. Participants finish their job-related work and need only to walk to another area in order to join a course. The experience to the average participant is similar to an extended working day.

Non-residential

If meeting rooms are unavailable, or if colleagues from several work-sites need to be on the same evening course, it may be preferential to choose an external training venue. This may be at a hotel or a conference centre chosen in a location that minimises the travel distance from the client sites involved.