Stanford University Libraries

Workshops: Advantages, Disadvantages and Considerations

Advantages

  • Users are usually very motivated
  • Have flexibility over length and frequency of sessions
  • Can offer a series of workshops that build on one another

Disadvantages

  • Users attending may have a broad range of skills (computer and language)
  • May have difficulty getting a room if classroom space is in short supply
  • May be hard to fit everything that you want to cover into a single workshop
  • Handling large classes for hands-on practice may be difficult

Considerations

  • Takes a lot of work to develop good workshop
  • Can team teach or bring in experts
  • What instructor resources do you have? (Transparencies, presentation software, live online, use “canned demonstrations,” etc.)
  • Ideal to include hands-on practice for online searching workshops but may be hard for a one hour session
  • How big a class can you manage?
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