The ultimate guide to HESA webinars

HESA Training have been running live webinars for a number of years, however, since the pandemic this is how all of our live training has been delivered and we will continue to do so for at least the remainder of the 2021/22 year.

Providers are at the heart of what we do. We want you to come away from our training feeling more confident and informed about the HESA record you are working on. So, if you’re attending one of our webinars this year, here’s the ultimate guide of how to get the most out of it:

• Firstly, we try to offer as much flexibility as we can, as we know everyone has had more commitments to juggle over the last couple of years. Where we’re offering multiple dates, we will offer a range of weekdays and times to suit all staff members’ working patterns.
   
• We start all of our webinars 30 minutes before the start time. This gives everyone a chance to test their software and ensure they can access the webinar, as well as an opportunity for some informal introductions and time to grab a quick cup of tea before the main event begins!
   
• Speaking of cups of tea… we understand the importance of regular breaks. We consciously schedule our webinars so they are pacey, engaging and not too long in duration. Where a particular event necessitates a longer session, we will offer split days, as well as including more breaks.
   
• While the trainers and HESA staff supporting can view who is in the webinar, no-one else can. The same applies for when you ask a question using the questions pane. This can be a comfort to those who might ordinarily feel shy about posing questions in a group setting. Everyone who submits a question has the same opportunity to be heard and seen by a HESA trainer and to have their question answered.
   
• If you do wish to contribute more publicly, you can do so. We make use of the “hand raising” feature in different ways throughout our webinars – whether we are quickly polling the audience or inviting our delegates to ask their question audibly or contribute to the discussion. We will always check if you are comfortable speaking first.
   
• We want to engage with you and check your understanding, so we conduct polls and share tasks to complete throughout the session. While some of these have a time limit, you will find a copy of them in your slide pack, so you can have a go at these in your own time or during one of the scheduled breaks if you would like to discuss your thoughts or answer with us.
   
• We will share the slide pack with you ahead of the session in a pdf format. This means you don’t need to try to copy down everything you see on screen and can focus on absorbing the content. We record our webinars and share the recording with attendees after, which allows you to use the live session to absorb content and ask us questions and then use the recorded version to refer back to. This will be available for six months after the event, so you have plenty of time to revisit it and consolidate your learning.

So now you know how to make the most of a HESA webinar, why not book onto one of our events today!

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