What is the difference between the three-day and five-day courses?

In both courses, participants are trained in how to use a particular scale (participants must choose one) and given guided practice conducting assessments in actual child care settings. A comprehensive debriefing session follows each practice assessment, with the authors on hand to answer questions. This basic training is supplemented in the five-day course by in-depth interpretations of the major requirements of each sub-scale, with the aim of improving scoring accuracy and supporting technical assistance/training for program improvement. Both courses are introductory, and neither ensures that a participant is reliable with the authors' interpretation of scoring. However, more information to encourage appropriate use of the scales is offered in the longer course.