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Most online courses suck.
Here’s why cohort-based courses are the future of learning:
Here’s why cohort-based courses are the future of learning:
Most online education “innovation” hasn’t created a better experience for students or instructors.
Cohort-based courses are changing the game because they are:
✅ Better for learners
✅ Better for instructors
Let’s cover why:
Cohort-based courses are changing the game because they are:
✅ Better for learners
✅ Better for instructors
Let’s cover why:
1. Access to expertise
You won’t find instructors for cutting-edge topics like crypto or UX teaching full-time at a university.
The digitally-native professors of the future are often operators themselves & draw from experience in the trenches.
Students are the beneficiaries.
You won’t find instructors for cutting-edge topics like crypto or UX teaching full-time at a university.
The digitally-native professors of the future are often operators themselves & draw from experience in the trenches.
Students are the beneficiaries.
2. Bi-directional, not one-directional
Students learn from the instructor–but can learn even more from fellow students.
Cohort-based courses allow for:
• Exposure to new people
• Opportunity to challenge your POV
• Chance to think for yourself
It’s a dynamic way to learn.
Students learn from the instructor–but can learn even more from fellow students.
Cohort-based courses allow for:
• Exposure to new people
• Opportunity to challenge your POV
• Chance to think for yourself
It’s a dynamic way to learn.
3. Learning by doing
In working with thousands of students in cohort-based courses (CBCs), I've rarely heard students say "I wish there were more lectures."
What do they say?
In working with thousands of students in cohort-based courses (CBCs), I've rarely heard students say "I wish there were more lectures."
What do they say?
I wish there were more...
∙ small group discussions
∙ hands on projects
∙ critique/feedback
∙ Q&A
∙ role playing
∙ time to hear from other students
∙ solo exercises
∙ reflection questions
CBCs create space for this type of active learning.
∙ small group discussions
∙ hands on projects
∙ critique/feedback
∙ Q&A
∙ role playing
∙ time to hear from other students
∙ solo exercises
∙ reflection questions
CBCs create space for this type of active learning.
4. Higher completion rates
Community, active learning, time constraints, and hands-on participation create best in class engagement and completion rates relative to passive online education.
🚫 Static video courses have 3-6% completion rate
✅ CBCs have 75% completion rate
Community, active learning, time constraints, and hands-on participation create best in class engagement and completion rates relative to passive online education.
🚫 Static video courses have 3-6% completion rate
✅ CBCs have 75% completion rate
5. Sense of urgency
If something is available anytime, there's no reason to do it now.
In theory, watching videos on-demand gives you flexibility…
In reality, you get distracted halfway through the first video & forget to come back.
If something is available anytime, there's no reason to do it now.
In theory, watching videos on-demand gives you flexibility…
In reality, you get distracted halfway through the first video & forget to come back.
On the other hand, a cohort-based course might only last 1-2 weeks.
Personally my best work has always been done in a sprint when there’s a deadline.
Not rushed, but time bound. This forces students to prioritize and focus.
Personally my best work has always been done in a sprint when there’s a deadline.
Not rushed, but time bound. This forces students to prioritize and focus.
6. Rigorous
In cohort-based courses, there’s no room for bullshit--and this includes from instructors.
There’s nowhere to hide. You’re forced to show up and do the work.
This makes the content more actionable and the outcomes more tangible.
In cohort-based courses, there’s no room for bullshit--and this includes from instructors.
There’s nowhere to hide. You’re forced to show up and do the work.
This makes the content more actionable and the outcomes more tangible.
7. Accountability
∙ Non-trivial price points mean students have skin in the game
∙ Clear start and end dates create urgency to participate
∙ Positive peer pressure to show up for fellow classmates
CBCs don't only rely on students’ internal motivation.
∙ Non-trivial price points mean students have skin in the game
∙ Clear start and end dates create urgency to participate
∙ Positive peer pressure to show up for fellow classmates
CBCs don't only rely on students’ internal motivation.
8. Community
It’s weird to admit but I’ve been more vulnerable in small group discussions in CBCs than I have IRL…
The deep connections you make in CBCs are special.
They're lasting friendships that continue long after a course ends.
It’s weird to admit but I’ve been more vulnerable in small group discussions in CBCs than I have IRL…
The deep connections you make in CBCs are special.
They're lasting friendships that continue long after a course ends.
9. Better for learning higher order skills
My friend Maya is a self-taught designer. She learned Photoshop via Skillshare courses.
But she said, “These courses didn’t teach me about creative strategy, how to elevate my taste level, or make creative decisions.”
My friend Maya is a self-taught designer. She learned Photoshop via Skillshare courses.
But she said, “These courses didn’t teach me about creative strategy, how to elevate my taste level, or make creative decisions.”
It’s hard to learn higher order skills (like analyzing, reasoning, applying ideas) by reading a textbook or watching videos.
You need a collaborative space with critique, discussion, and hands-on practice.
You need other people. CBCs bring those people together.
You need a collaborative space with critique, discussion, and hands-on practice.
You need other people. CBCs bring those people together.
10. Instructors can monetize expertise
You still have to market your course, like you would for any product.
But you can build a thriving course business even if you don’t have millions of fans.
At Maven, instructors regularly earn $10-20K & sometimes $100K+ in a single cohort
You still have to market your course, like you would for any product.
But you can build a thriving course business even if you don’t have millions of fans.
At Maven, instructors regularly earn $10-20K & sometimes $100K+ in a single cohort
11. Leverage
You need to create new content for newsletters, podcasts, tweets, etc on a weekly basis.
But you don’t need to create content from scratch each time you run your course.
The effort is front-loaded:
· 80% to build the course upfront
· 20% to run future cohorts
You need to create new content for newsletters, podcasts, tweets, etc on a weekly basis.
But you don’t need to create content from scratch each time you run your course.
The effort is front-loaded:
· 80% to build the course upfront
· 20% to run future cohorts
When Seth Godin and I started the altMBA in 2015, I had no idea challenging the dominant form of online learning (video-based courses) would lead to a new course format.
We accidentally created a new category: cohort-based courses!
Amazing to see all the activity in this space.
We accidentally created a new category: cohort-based courses!
Amazing to see all the activity in this space.
At @MavenHQ, we’ll continue making it easier for experts to teach what they love.
If you found this valuable:
1. Follow me for more on education, leadership, and marketing → @wes_kao
2. Ready to build your own course? Apply to Maven Course Accelerator
maven.com/maven/course-accelerator
If you found this valuable:
1. Follow me for more on education, leadership, and marketing → @wes_kao
2. Ready to build your own course? Apply to Maven Course Accelerator
maven.com/maven/course-accelerator
