In Online Ed, Content Is No Longer King—Cohorts Are: A Few Stories About Big Decisions

In Online Ed, Content Is No Longer King—Cohorts Are: A Few Stories About Big Decisions

In today's digital age, educational content is readily available and easily accessible. With platforms like YouTube, newsletters, blogs, and social media, people can view learning-related content at their fingertips. The abundance of content has led to a discouraging realization for many creators - content generation is no longer a winning strategy. Traditional social platforms, such as YouTube and Twitter, separate monetization activities from community building. Creators have to find alternative ways, like brand partnerships or merchandise, to capitalize on their expertise.

The same can be said for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). These courses offer pre-recorded videos and a defined syllabus program, allowing learners to access content on-demand. However, the completion rates for MOOCs are dishearteningly low, ranging from 3 to 6 percent. The grand promise of online education seems to fall short in delivering tangible results.

This gap between promise and reality has given rise to cohort-based courses (CBCs). CBCs are interactive online courses where a group of students progresses through the material together, with hands-on, feedback-based learning at the core. These courses offer a sense of community, which is scarce in the content-rich world of online learning.

One study conducted by researchers at MIT found that online courses have a dropout rate of about 96 percent over five years, on average. Additionally, the majority of MOOC learners never returned after their first year. This highlights the need for a more engaging and community-driven learning experience.

Cohort-based courses provide students with active and hands-on learning opportunities. A 2019 Harvard study discovered that students in an introductory physics class scored higher on tests following active learning sessions. These courses require more effort from students, allowing them to learn through trial and error.

Moreover, cohort-based courses bring the network benefits of startup accelerators to a wider market. The value in accelerators goes beyond content; it's about the community. Y Combinator alumni have cited the network, exposure to new ideas, community, and access as invaluable resources. The same principles apply to cohort-based courses.

Live, bi-directional learning creates a sense of accountability. Interactive processing, as advocated by clinical psychologist and professor Spencer Kagan, is a powerful approach to comprehension and retention. Students engaging in interaction with partners or teammates over the content have a higher chance of understanding and retaining the material.

Community building is also crucial for improving learning outcomes. Collaborative efforts in completing course material have shown to yield higher scores compared to working solo. As the saying goes, "two heads are better than one." Even in physical activities like cycling, the presence of others can unlock latent energy. This principle is evident in the popularity of Peloton's social-exercise model.

However, monetizing expertise as a content creator can be challenging. Traditional social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter create a divide between monetization activities and community building. Content creators often have to resort to brand partnerships or low-margin merchandise to make a living. This detracts from the sense of community they aim to build.

Cohort-based courses offer creators more leverage with a productized offering. By creating a course once and running it with different cohorts, creators save time and effort. Ali Abdaal, a YouTuber, reportedly made significantly more money from his cohort-based course compared to his MOOCs. This shows the potential for creators to monetize their expertise more effectively.

Ultimately, what matters most are student engagement and learning outcomes. Cohort-based courses challenge traditional notions of online education by incorporating live instruction, peer cohorts, community, accountability, and hands-on active learning. These courses redefine what success looks like in online learning and open up new opportunities for learners and creators alike.

Actionable Advice:

1. Consider joining a cohort-based course to experience the benefits of hands-on, interactive learning and build a supportive community of peers.
2. For content creators, explore the potential of cohort-based courses as a productized offering to monetize your expertise more effectively and foster a stronger sense of community.
3. When seeking online education, prioritize cohort-based courses that offer active learning, feedback, and opportunities for collaboration to enhance your learning outcomes and engagement.

In conclusion, the shift from content-centric online education to cohort-based courses reflects the evolving needs of learners and creators. The abundance of educational content has made community and engagement the scarce resources in online learning. Cohort-based courses address this gap by providing hands-on, interactive learning experiences that foster a sense of community and accountability. As the landscape of online education continues to evolve, cohort-based courses offer new opportunities for success in learning and teaching.