Discussion Board: Pros/Cons of Different Types of Facilities S20
This discussion board is set up to allow you to comment on the Pros/Cons of Different Types of Facilities. Please post two benefits and two challenges for each of the facility types that you chose to reflect upon. When you have completed your post, please take time to read through the comments of others. Compare their notes to yours and jot down any information that you feel may be useful to you as you begin to look at venues for future training.
Click “Post Reply” once you have finished sharing your benefits and challenges.
Community Colleges/Schools- Benefits- A lot of space and room sizes.
Challenges/Problems- Temperature and blocked off by thin walls and can be noisy.
Hotels- Benefits- Large meeting areas for space and you can set date and time.
Challenges/Problems- The cost and separate from hotel rooms is needed.
Benefits of being held at a child care center:
– If it is the same site where the participants are employed, then there is no travel time or obstacle of transportation (for those without a license or vehicle).
– Increased comfort of participants being in the same location where they work and trainers are able to see classrooms and give immediate feedback (if training involves classroom safety, active supervision, or etc).
Challenges/Problems of being held at a child care center:
– There is no change in venue so participants may feel more tired if they have already been at their site for 8+ hours.
Benefits of being held at a places of worship:
– There is usually a reduced or free cost associated with training at a church.
– Depending on the location of the church, it is usually pretty accessible and on a bus line.
Challenges/Problems of being held at a place of worship:
– This venue can make participants uncomfortable.
– This venue can cause conversations to become hostile if the subject of religion is brought up.
Benefits of child care center: Can catch participants right after work to get those hours in.
Challenges of child care center: Possibly no meeting rooms in the center.
Benefits of Community college/schools: Easy access for training participants. Good meeting rooms with equipment for training.
Challenges of community college/schools: Parking. Lots of people at the location.
Colleges-room size definitely a benefit, however I have always found that parking is an issue.
Child Care Centers-it’s great because they are often already there and find themselves at home and conversely these benefits could also be challenges.
Community Center
Benefits – large space, neutral setting, set for adults
Concerns – parking, driving to
Our space
Benefits – accessible, no driving
Concerns – not set for adults, not neutral, may not “feel” like training
Child care center- Benefits- Access to resources and technology, convenient for staff and no cost.
Challenges/Problems-adult seating, . staff being in same location all day
Meeting Halls/Community Centers- Benefits- adult seating, location and large space. Challenges/problems access to technology and cost
Benefits of being at a Child Care Center:
– This can be a convenient option for training of an entire staff who work at or near that location, and training can start shortly after the center closes.
– The location can be less threatening to the learners, which might result in more active participation.
Challenges of being at a Child Care Center:
– The training area may be uncomfortable due to lack of adult seating or tables.
– The training space may not provide many AV capabilities, such as a clear wall to project or working wifi.
Benefits of being at a Place of Worship:
– These locations are often free or low-cost for trainers, so using them can help keep the cost of training low.
– There is usually a room large enough to accommodate all of the learners.
Challenges of being at a Place of Worship:
– Sometimes the space lacks amenities, such as temperature control or protection from noise in adjacent areas.
– Sometimes the church location and/or the learning space within the church can be difficult to find for people not familiar with that building.
Community Colleges/Schools-
Benefits: 1.) No fee associated with the booking 2.) Easy to find location
Challenges: 1.) Doors locked, requiring check in/out for each entry/exit 2.) Noise from students, bell/signal of change of period
Meeting Halls/ Community Centers:
Benefits: 1.) Large amount of space 2.) Appropriate seating for adults as well as large training tables available
Challenges: 1.) Restrooms limited for large crowds 2.) Temperature regulation
Community Colleges/Schools
-Benefits: Great space/ room size
-Challenges: Parking and noise from other rooms
community colleges and campuses – adequate space – parking can be an issue if not close to the building – allow for late arrivals or plan ahead so that you have something to discuss while waiting for people to come in late – and can hinder group work if no tables and only desks in the set up of the environment.
hotel – most generally will be set up before hand if you work it out with the hotel staff – cost can be high, unless presenting at a conference – when presenting at a conference, you can have too many participants to allow for group work and be interactive.
libraries – most generally have tables and chairs that are comfortable in the meeting room and temperature is usually comfortable. con – can be parking.
Community Colleges/Schools –
Pros – Plenty of Parking/Lots of Space/Room Size
Cons – Comfortable Seating/Cold Rooms
Child Care Centers
Pros – Location/Place of work (you feel like you’re at home)
Cons – Child seating & tables/ place of work so its distracting (you see things that needs done)
Hotels:
Benefits – A lot of different spaces/rooms and easy access to a variety of food choices
Challenges – Parking and some of the rooms were way too small and some were way too big.
Meeting Halls/Community Centers:
Benefits – Big rooms with plenty of space and centralized location for the attendees
Challenges – Located next to the community pool (could hear kids playing, music, whistles, etc) and parking (due to the pool)
Community Colleges/Schools:
Benefits–usually centrally located, technology is available
Challenges–scheduling, not being able to get in after hours or on weekends
Hotels:
Benefits–space is plentiful, accessible for those with disabilities
Challenges–fees associated with renting space, unfamiliar environment
Childcare centers
Benefits-usually staff know location, feel at home, have items possibly needed for demonstration
Challenges, Space and adult size seating.
Hotels
Benefits Large spaces usually equipped with technologies and Large adult seating and tables, Multiple bathrooms/ Meeting areas.
Challenges Fee associates with rental, Possibility of loud noises, being able to log in to WIFI/ work technology
Benefits of Library:
-Computer access
-Private Work Space
-Access to multiple texts
Challenges of Library:
-Limited space/time options
-Can’t get loud with fun activities and songs
Benefits of Hotels:
-Large Group Setting (conference room)
-WiFi Access
-Room to move around
Challenges of Hotels:
-Potential Interruptions by hotel staff/guests
-Limited time/availability
Community Colleges–Benefits–Great technology integrated throughout the room and room set up is very conducive to everyone being able to see a speaker
Cons–Entry process–everyone has to be checked each time the enter the building to make sure they are allowed in and school is often in process–limiting your ability to have freedom at breaks
Community Center–Benefits–lower cost, plenty of room/set up options
Cons–often poor technology/sound quality and you may be sharing the space with other groups
Community Colleges/Schools Benefits: Adult size tables and chairs were available
Audio-visual equipment set-up was available
Community Colleges/Schools Challenges: Parking posed the biggest problem
Arranging the environment … presenter brought in a lot of materials to create a warmer learning environment.
Child Care Center Benefits: Used materials already at school and had AV equipment they were familiar with. We were able to tour the facility during breaks to see their space and how they applied what they were talking about.
Child Care Center Benefits: It was very crowded as the space was not very big
Furniture was uncomfortable
Hotels/Benefits- I love having trainings at, because they have good food, it’s spacious, and technology.
Drawback-The temperature is usually too cold or hot and too many people in the training room.
Libraries/Benefits- They have good seating, table space, and technology.
Drawbacks- You usually can’t have snacks and the temperature is cold to me.
Community College/School
Benefits
– Furniture was comfortable
– AV equipment set up and easy to use
-There was plenty of parking
Challenges/Problems
– Traveling to location depending on the time of day traffic was difficult
– Finding the room location was a problem in such a spread out facility
Child Care Centers
Benefits
– No travel was already in the building and it was convenient right after work
– Familiar could refer to your space during training because it was right there
Challenges/Problems
– Small Furniture was very uncomfortable for the entire training
– Since you were in the building all day (working) and then had training there it was a very long day
Meeting Hall – Two benefits of conducting a training in a meeting hall is that it is conducive to a large group discussion training. There is usually a lot of space to also conduct small group breakouts. Two challenges are acoustics and sound might be hard to understand and that usually large meeting halls require centralized air, preventing the trainer from helping the group become comfortable.
Schools/classrooms – Two benefits are that the rooms can be easily manipulated and often provide desks. They also generally come with technology needed for presentations. Two challenges are that they are small and group breakouts might be difficult. They also may not have tables that can be used for group work or large groups.
Benefits to child care centers:
-convenient for staff
– no need for travel
– materials may be on hand
Challenges:
-child seating may be uncomfortable not conducive to learning
-may be a distraction as staff are seeing tasks around building/room they need to do
Benefits to library:
-computer access
-large space
Challenges:
-travel time adds to time for staff
-less convenient
Hotels-
Benefits: Large Spaces for groups to attend, General location close to amenities
Challenges: Public location with lots of noise/possible interruptions, Possibly no control of temperature
Libraries-
Benefits: Technology Available, Support Staff on site
Challenges: Parking, Temperature Control, Possible restrictions on Food and Drink
Libraries:
Pros-Large meeting room with tables and chairs, no fee to use and access to free wi-fi.
Cons-limited hours of operation and not enough bathrooms.
Meeting Halls/Community Centers:
Pros-Large spaces to tables, chairs and technology available and adequate bathrooms for participants.
Cons-Cost, location might not be convenient for all participants.
Hotels
Benefits: Convenient for out of town guest.
Large areas where people can spread out and have space.
Challenges/Problems: Cost can be expensive.
Can’t control the temperature in the space.
Libraries
Benefits: Media equipment is already there and accessible.
Quiet atmosphere without disruptions.
Challenges/Problems: Space can be small.
Furniture can be uncomfortable (stacking or folding chairs).
Libraries: Pros : Separate large room, Adult seating and tables available. A kitchen was also available if needed. Access to technology, free parking and large lot.
Cons: Minor distractions, hours might not match what you need.
Child Care centers:
Pros: Convenient location
Cons: Furniture is not adult size, not enough space
Hotels:
Pros: Large area, adult furniture, technology access, restaurant within hotel, training located within hotel you’re staying in, no driving for some, free parking.
Cons: Parking might cost $ if you’re not staying at hotel. Temperatures fluctuate.
Child Care Center:
Pros – Training in the environment. May be able to do some better hands on training.
No charge for using the space if doing training for staff.
Cons – Small spaces. May not be a lot of room for a larger training.
if staff has been working all day, they may not want to attend training in the center they work in.
Library:
Pros – Can be free.
Offers different size rooms to accompany different group sizes.
Cons – May not always be available when you need it.
Can cost depending on group size.
May not be easily accessible to staff.
Hotels:
Benefits- Plenty of space to, not only bring together groups from different programs, but also to move around for engaging activities.
Challenges- Cost of renting/reserving the space could certainly be a challenge.
Child Care Centers:
Benefits- This can be scheduled during a convenient time for staff at the end of the work day. No travel would be involved in attending this training for the staff already working. The environment is familiar to the attendees. Facilities with a cafeteria or large gross motor space would have plenty of room for engaging activities.
Challenges- Attendees could be distracted if it is at their workplace and they are unable to separate work from training. Depending on the space available in the child care, the space may not comfortable fit adult attendees and may not provide proper space for engaging activities.
Child Care Centers
Benefits= Love learning in the spaces in which the lessons will be applied; setting allows you to visually picture the topics/lessons in action; you can so actual demonstrations in the classrooms
Challenges= can be distracting due to noise and cries in the background; if the business is in operation during the session, people can get pulled away during it to resolve another “center issue”
Hotels
Benefits= good parking (location, distance, accessibility); feel honor and valued because of the nice, classic environment, gives you the opportunity to get out of the “four walls” of your center
Challenges= location may be very far from home or work; you miss out on the real-life application as far as environment and space goes
Child Care Centers
Benefits= Love learning in the spaces in which the lessons will be applied; setting allows you to visually picture the topics/lessons in action; you can so actual demonstrations in the classrooms
Challenges= can be distracting due to noise and cries in the background; if the business is in operation during the session, people can get pulled away during it to resolve another “center issue”
Hotels
Benefits= good parking (location, distance, accessibility); feel honor and valued because of the nice, classic environment, gives you the opportunity to get out of the “four walls” of your center
Challenges= location may be very far from home or work; you miss out on the real-life application as far as environment and space goes
Library
Pros-
The space that you normally are able to rent is free.
Amount of space is large enough to hold a good number of people.
Parking
Cons
Where is the library located compare to others work place?
Having to set up the meeting space and tearing it down again.
Child Care Center
Pros
Learning taking place in the environment it is made for.
No travel for employees
Cons-
Comfort level of staff receiving training, (furniture, room set up, etc.)
Distractions from what they should be focused on and focused on what is going on with children in another room.
The two facilities I chose were:
Childcare centers
Public meeting/conference halls
Childcare centers can be great locations for a training. They are often available on the weekend or evenings for little/no extra cost, especially if the training is being taken by staff. They are also great locations to really dig deep and discuss subjects such as developmentally appropriate practices and classroom setup because they provide a ‘hands on’ location/experience. The two cons associated with this type of location would be furniture and available technology. These centers may not have enough adult seating options and may not have projectors, screens, or internet.
Public meeting areas/conference halls are also great locations for training! They are often associated with little/no cost to rent. They also have ample amounts of adult sized furniture and relevant technology. Unfortunately, because of their public nature, these spaces may book up quickly and may not be available at the time/day needed for a training. Additionally, because they are public, they may be open to the public during the day and have extra foot traffic and distractions during the training time.
libraries- FREE!!! usually have great seating and IT. great community partner for getting the word out. open late hours and weekends. sometimes issues with public opening doors and interrupting.
worship centers- FREE!!! usually have different size spaces so that you can get the right fit for the number of people you are training. great seating and IT.
Out of all of the listed Potential Training Locations, the two I would choose would be the Library or the Meeting Halls/Community Center. The library because it is free. You just call them way ahead of time and let them know what your needs are, and they will try to accommodate you and your need. The Meeting Halls/Community Centers are good for space and specifically, meetings. Yes they may cost, but they would be ideal to have a training session. These can also be used if I wanted to schedule a meeting in the early morning or day. I don’t really see any challenges or problems with these locations. I did see one problem with the Child Care Centers. They could only house you after their closing hrs. during the week. However, they may let you utilize their facility on a Sat.
At the end of the day, I feel like it is all about planning ahead of time to make sure you have a venjue set in place to hold your training.
Out of all of the listed Potential Training Locations, the two I would choose would be the Library or the Meeting Halls/Community Center. The library because it is free. You just call them way ahead of time and let them know what your needs are, and they will try to accommodate you and your need. The Meeting Halls/Community Centers are good for space and specifically, meetings. Yes they may cost, but they would be ideal to have a training session. These can also be used if I wanted to schedule a meeting in the early morning or day. I don’t really see any challenges or problems with these locations. I did see one problem with the Child Care Centers. They could only house you after their closing hrs. during the week. However, they may let you utilize their facility on a Sat.
At the end of the day, I feel like it is all about planning ahead of time to make sure you have a venue set in place to hold your training.
Hotels
Pros- Large meeting rooms, access to facilties
Cons- large parking lots but no parking due to hotel guests
Places of Worship
Pros- Large meeting rooms, access to facilities, parking
Cons- Limited participants due to location being a place of worship. Some people may not feel comfortable attending in place of worship different than their religion.
Library/Meeting Room– Two benefits of conducting a training in a meeting room is that it is conducive to a large group discussion training. There is usually a lot of space to also conduct small group breakouts. Two challenges are parking, due to it possibly being a public place parking could be limited and usually large meeting halls require centralized air, preventing the trainer from helping the group become comfortable especially if it is a preset temperature that can not be tampered with.
Schools/classrooms – Two benefits are that the rooms can be easily manipulated and often provide desks or chairs and tables. They also generally come with technology like a computer, screen, smart board, projector, and printer needed for presentations. Two challenges are that they are small and group breakouts might be difficult. They also may not have an ample amount of tables o chair that can be used for group work or large groups. The size of these items may not be suitable for adults either.
Two places I reflected on was a church and a library. The pros are both of these facilities come with little to no cost (if you are a member of the church) and usually have flexible scheduling.
The cons of these chooses could be the not having the right set up for your presentation or not having all the accommodations you may need for a training. For example, what if you plan to use a prezi to present your information and the church has no screen and projector.
Community Colleges
Benefit: Furniture, technology equipment, internet
Challenges: You have to work around the schedule of the college to schedule your training course
Hotel:
Benefit: Nice comfortable environment
Challenges: rates can vary and it can be expensive depending on the size of your classroom