Non-credit activities include Conferences, Seminars, Institutes, Workshops, Short Courses, and programs done both on and off campus. A general type of meeting usually of one or more consecutive days' duration, attended by a fairly large number of people. A conference will have a central theme but is often loosely structured to cover a wide range of topics. The emphasis is on prepared presentations by authoritative speakers, although division into small group sessions for discussion pur- poses is often a related activity.
Participants are usually individuals who already have some competence in the field of interest.
Institute programs may have certain continuity, meeting on a yearly basis, for example. A small grouping of people with the primary emphasis on discussion under a leader or resource person or persons. In continuing higher education, a seminar is more likely to be a one-time offering, although it may continue for several days. Quizzes and examinations may be given, depending upon the determination of requirements. The distinguishing feature of the workshop is that it combines instructions with laboratory of experimental activity for the participants.