Professional Development That Works

The best kind of professional development doesn't just fill your calendar. It fuels your progress, helping educators like you connect ideas to action and build cultures of continuous improvement.

That said, no single approach to professional development fits every educator—or every moment. Webinars, conferences, and masterclasses each serve a purpose, depending on what you need most: quick insights, shared inspiration, or lasting transformation.

At Catapult, we specialize in masterclasses, but we know they aren’t the right fit for everyone. While we strive to deliver you the best, our goal isn’t to convince you to pick us no matter what. We want you to pick the best option for you and your colleagues so you have the right tool for the kind of change you’re trying to make.

Webinars, conferences, and masterclasses each have their strengths and their limitations. Each has the potential to inspire, inform, and transform, and each can benefit your institution, but the most effective institutions know when to use each.

In this article, we offer an honest look at how webinars, conferences, and masterclasses compare and how you can make the right decision for you.

Webinars: Accessible, Informative, and Efficient

What are they?

A webinar, or a “web-based seminar,” is an online presentation in which a speaker or panel delivers content to a virtual audience, either live or asynchronously. Webinars are usually about 30–60 minutes long and are designed for accessibility and scale.

The upside:

Webinars are a staple of modern professional development, and for good reason. They’re accessible, affordable, and easy to schedule. In under an hour, participants can learn about a best practice, discover emerging ideas, and engage in quick bursts of professional learning.

For institutions with tight budgets or limited time, webinars can be a smart way to spark new thinking or keep professional learning consistent throughout the year.

The limitation:

That said, webinars are designed for information sharing, not application or transformation. They tend to be one-directional, meaning they're great for listening to ideas but less so for dialog, customization, or application. They often struggle to keep viewers engaged and don't provide local, actionable solutions. Without one-on-one dialog, structured follow-up or reflection, insights often stay theoretical.

In short: webinars inform, but they rarely transform.

Conferences: Inspiring and Community-Building

What are they?

A conference is a professional gathering, often consisting of multiple days, where educators and leaders share knowledge, present findings, attend workshops, and network. Educational conferences can foster collective learning, increase exposure to new ideas, and aid community building across regions and specialties.

The upside:

Conferences bring energy. They unite educators around shared goals, showcase innovation, and provide valuable networking. Attendees often return recharged with new ideas, new partners, and renewed motivation. Frankly, some of the most impactful moments happen in hallways and over meals where people share and build relationships.

For leaders and teams seeking inspiration or a fresh perspective, conferences can reignite purpose and momentum.

The limitation:

Even the most inspiring event can lose steam once the daily routine resumes. Participants spend days trying to absorb too much information in too short a time. And most of us have a list of notes and ideas we got from a conference that we never implemented or did anything with. Without structured follow-up, implementation of even the best ideas often gets lost in the shuffle.

In short: conferences inspire, but they rarely sustain.

Masterclasses: Deep, Applied, and Transformational

What are they?

A masterclass is a deeper, more structured learning experience taught by someone who has (inter)national expert knowledge in a particular area. They're designed to go beyond passive listening to spark real change by helping participants both think differently about a topic and learn the next steps to apply what they learn in real, measurable ways.

The upside:

Masterclasses bridge the gap between inspiration and implementation. They offer the accessibility of webinars and the engagement of conferences, but go a step further. A well-designed masterclass connects learning directly to institutional goals, while providing time for reflection, discussion, and action planning.

Catapult’s model, for instance, integrates on-demand masterclasses, interactive Playbooks, team reflection, and live coaching support so participants can immediately apply what they learn. Each session is part of a larger system built to align teams, clarify purpose, and create measurable progress over time.

They’re also flexible and scalable—meeting educators where they are, online or in person—without losing depth or accountability.

The limitation:

Unlike shorter PD formats, masterclasses demand deeper engagement and follow-through. They require institutional commitment and work best for teams ready to rethink mindsets, metrics, and strategies—not for those looking for a quick burst of PD or a surface-level takeaway.

In short: masterclasses transform, but only if you’re ready to act.

Which Is Right For You?

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to professional development. What matters most is matching your goals with the right kind of experience.

In short:

• If your goal is awareness, start with a webinar.

• If your goal is connection, attend a conference.

• If your goal is transformation—real, sustained progress at the team or institutional level—a masterclass might be the right investment.

The Bottom Line

There’s no single “best” form of professional development. What matters is choosing the right tool for the right moment. Webinars spark curiosity. Conferences build community. Masterclasses drive change.

At Catapult, we’ve seen what happens when learning moves beyond information sharing to collective action. When professional development becomes shared, applied, and sustained, it doesn’t just change what people know, it changes what they believe they can do.

That’s what makes it professional development that truly works.

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If you feel that masterclasses are a fit for you or your institution, click here to learn more.