Continuous professional education (CPE) is traditionally delivered in-person, often through live seminars and workshops. However, virtual CPE has gained popularity in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Virtual CPE can often be more effective than in-person CPE for the following reasons:
The flexibility of virtual CPE is far greater than that of in-person CPE. Courses can be taken online anytime, anywhere, and you can choose from various subjects.
Typically, in-person CPE requires attendance at specific times and locations. Therefore, you may have difficulty fitting it into your schedule because it has set start and end dates.
The convenience of virtual CPE is much greater than in-person CPEs. It can be time-consuming and inconvenient to travel to physical locations for in-person CPE. However, you can take online courses from anywhere if you have an internet connection. Virtual CPE courses can also be accessed anytime, anywhere, so you can learn around your busy schedule.
In-person CPE tends to be more expensive than virtual CPE. Travel and accommodation costs are usually included in the cost of in-person CPE courses. Online courses are often free or inexpensive, and you will not have to pay for travel or other expenses associated with in-person courses.
Compared to in-person CPE, virtual CPE can be more engaging. Online courses often use video games and quizzes to keep students engaged and learning. Consequently, you are more likely to remember them and find them enjoyable to learn. CPE in person, on the other hand, can be boring and difficult to focus on.
The advantage of virtual CPE is that you can complete it at your own pace, regardless of when you want to work on it. People who want to learn slowly or have competing priorities benefit from this.
On the other hand, a live CPE session requires you to attend at a specific time.
Compared to in-person CPE, virtual CPE can be customized more easily. You can often customize your learning experience by choosing from various courses to meet your needs and interests. In contrast, in-person CPE has a limited number of studies that may not be relevant to your needs.
Networking with other professionals can be a great benefit of virtual CPE. Students can interact with other students and experts through online forums or chat rooms. Those who get anxious in crowds may find in-person CPE intimidating.
You can learn from a variety of resources by taking virtual CPE. Course materials, including lecture notes and slides, can often be found online. Unlike online CPE, in-person CPE often doesn't offer access to resources outside the live sessions.
Compared to in-person CPE, virtual CPE offers many advantages. In addition to being more flexible, convenient, affordable, engaging, self-paced, and customizable, it is also more affordable. Therefore, virtual CPE can be a great option if you search for a better way to learn.