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ClickerExpo features five simultaneous courses at almost every time slot throughout three days, plus three Plenary Sessions and early-morning business Sessions—for a total of 50 choices! On top of that we have several early-morning education Sessions. There are courses available for every experience level and nearly every area of interest. This guide will help you navigate those choices and make the most of your ClickerExpo experience.
To choose the right Sessions for you, follow these three easy steps:
- Pick your experience level
- Pick your Sessions and Labs
- Register!
Below is everything you need to know to create your ClickerExpo game plan.
Pick your experience level
Each of the Learning Sessions and Learning Labs at ClickerExpo is given an experience level rating. Choose courses at the level that’s right for you (and your dog!) to make sure you get the most out of each and every class. Not all of your courses need to be at a single level; your selection should depend on your experience within the given area. Kindly note that you should always read the full course description to get the most complete understanding of whether the course would be appropriate for you (this is especially important for the freestyle and agility courses). By understanding the experience level rating, you’ll know what to expect—and what is expected of you!
- All Levels
Intended for those at each and every level of experience. There are three variations:
- Some All Level courses give registrants the opportunity to explore aspects of training and behavior to which they rarely have access. For example, Learn Anything! An Introduction to TAGteach demonstrates how clicker training is being applied to humans as a way to teach skill development in athletes and the disabled.
- Other All Level courses are appropriate for everyone because they teach a set of skills or provide information that everyone needs, but few have developed. Ken Ramirez’s Session The Complete Trainer is an example of this kind of All Levels course.
- Other courses address a specialty topic that we feel will be interesting and informative no matter what your experience level. Reaching the Veterinary Mind is a good example, as is Gimee Shelters.
- Foundation
Intended for those with little or no prior experience with clicker training. You may be an expert in traditional training, or in other areas such as veterinary medicine; this rating refers solely to your clicker training expertise. Foundation courses provide solid grounding in the vocabulary and principles of clicker training, learning theory, operant conditioning, and other key concepts. Foundation level Learning Labs provide registrants with the opportunity to begin to apply what they have learned. See also the Foundation Curriculum.
- Intermediate
Intended for those with a working knowledge of the vocabulary of clicker training and operant conditioning who have already learned to train basic behaviors with a marker signal, know how to put behaviors on cue, and have several behaviors with their dogs solidly on cue. Note that Intermediate Learning Labs often require that participating dog and handler teams have specific training and skills.
- Advanced
Intended for those with a solid understanding of learning theory and the vocabulary of training and operant conditioning as well as considerable experience in applying these techniques. For example, Advanced courses assume that attendees routinely teach behaviors through shaping and targeting, have many behaviors reliably on cue, have built small behavior chains, and know how to rename cues. Note that the dog you are working with in an Advanced Learning Lab should be accustomed to the freeshaping process and know how to initiate behavior and try new things without prompting or luring. Learning Labs often require participating dog and handler teams to have specific training and skills. Please do not try and work with less experienced dogs in these Labs.
Pick your Sessions and Labs
Now that you’ve narrowed the field by experience level, it’s time to pick your courses. ClickerExpo offers two distinct kinds of courses, Learning Sessions and Learning Labs. The relationship between multimedia-style classes and hands-on training with our expert faculty is one of the things that make ClickerExpo unique. If you are new to clicker training, please consider taking our Foundation Curriculum.
Planning your courses before arriving at ClickerExpo helps you maximize your experience; registering lets you reserve your seat for your preferred Learning Labs. Below is a description of both types of courses, Sessions and Labs, with some important notes.
Learning Sessions
- Learning Sessions are the primary teaching vehicle at ClickerExpo. Learning Sessions are delivered by ClickerExpo faculty in dynamic, multimedia presentations via lecture, on-stage demonstrations, video, and PowerPoint. Some Learning Sessions may include participation exercises individually or in small groups.
- Some Learning Sessions have two parts. You may attend just one, but we encourage you to attend both. In some cases, a Learning Session has a supporting, related Learning Lab that you may want to attend either as a participant or as an observer.
- You do not register for Learning Sessions before arriving at ClickerExpo. Space in Learning Sessions is not limited.
Learning Labs
- You must register for any Learning Labs you wish to attend before arriving at ClickerExpo, as space is limited. You may do this at the time you register for ClickerExpo or later, but before the start of ClickerExpo.
- Learning Labs provide an opportunity to work with your dog or to observe others working with their dogs. Learning Labs are limited to no more than 25 dog/handler teams (and often 5-15). Observer spots are also limited. ClickerExpo faculty members lead these Sessions; often other Expo faculty members assist. Many Learning Labs are based on concepts presented in a preceding Learning Session. There are also Learning Labs not directly linked to Learning Sessions; these offer great exploratory learning opportunities.
During registration, you will be allowed to register for three Learning Labs (assuming three-day registration). If you are a two-day registrant, you may register for two Learning Labs, and single-day registrants may register for only one Learning Lab. Learning Lab faculty assume that participants have attended the prerequisite Learning Session, if there is one. Please do not register to participate in a Lab if you do not plan to take the prerequisite Learning Session.
Check out the full schedule with links to full course descriptions and course details. We suggest that you print out the schedule and circle your preferred courses—or at least your preferred Learning Labs—before you register.
Register!
Now that you’ve chosen your experience level and know which Sessions and Labs pique your interest, you’re ready to register and reserve your place today!
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