Technology gives us all kinds of wonderful tools to enhance virtual
classes for solo entrepreneurs. Teleconferences, audio and video
recordings, both streaming and downloadable, interactive multimedia,
online learning environments, automated learning tools - all great
options. But while the bells and whistles might abound, what is it that
REALLY makes for a great virtual learning experience?
Last January, I was having lunch with my friend/advisor Sherry Essig.
We were talking about a virtual course I was taking at the time that I
was really enjoying. The subject matter of that course (marketing) was
one I was pretty familiar with as an MBA student, in consulting with
clients, and even co-writing an e-book on the subject. So
why the heck did I pay several hundred dollars to take a class
on a subject I already knew a lot about? And why, when I was finished,
did I feel more capable of using that knowledge to improve my business
than I might have after reading another book?
As we talked, Sherry started noticing the elements I was raving about:
structure, accountability, and
community. What I was really paying for wasn't the knowledge (although I definitely learned). I was paying for:
- a schedule to do the learning (
structure);
- a modest work assignment each week, and a place to post my completed assignments (
accountability);
- and a rich network of fellow students to share with and learn from (
community).
Here is a look at these three elements - and how you can apply them to your own course design.
Structure
I think of structure as the element that gets me to sit down and "do
the learning"; usually, in the form of a scheduled appointment, with
myself or someone else. For a live class, this is a no-brainer. The
scheduled classes provide the structure.
However, the trend toward offering recordings shortly after the live
class can undermine the urgency of being on the call live. Recordings
are invaluable when there is truly a conflict for the student (and can
add value to the course overall) -but it also makes it easy for students
to rationalize when they get busy (and when are solo entrepreneurs not
busy?) and skip the class, knowing the recording is there whenever they
get around to listening. (I'm guilty of this!) And then suddenly there
is no structure, no timetable to listen to the recording. (Sometimes
this means I never do get around to listening to the class.)
How do you solve this dilemma and provide the structure your
students really want? I haven't seen anyone with a good solution to
this yet, but here are some ideas to experiment with:
-
Make the recordings available "on-request". Each
week anyone who needs the recording has to contact you. Most students
will, I think, shame themselves into not missing more than a couple,
just to avoid having to ask each week! If not, you can perhaps
challenge them after the second or third request (a great coaching
moment!) If the recordings are a valuable part of your offering, upload
them to be available to all a week after each class, or at the end of
the course.
-
Give some incentive for being on the calls live. Something
above and beyond what they are paying for (i.e., you can't penalize
them for not showing up!) Free ebooks, audios, CD, etc.
-
Give an incentive for attending all the calls - sort of a perfect attendance bonus. Maybe even a modest rebate on the cost of the course!
Accountability
AKA homework. Learning and retention is enhanced when the student
does something to practice what they've just learned; even better, if
they can implement it in their business right away. So how can you
encourage students to complete the homework?
-
Have students email their homework to you. You could even provide an incentive by offering valuable feedback to your students.
-
Provide a space online to post homework. Nothing like peer
pressure to get some people moving! This also offers a rich opportunity
for the student to ask for help; feedback, etc. (see Community, below).
You can implement this with something like Moodle, a bulletin board,
etc.
-
Ask students to "sign" a statement of intent to do the homework. This can help them make a promise to themselves to work hard to keep up.
-
Assign buddies to trade homework. For some, knowing that
someone else is waiting can be motivating. This can also backfire if
neither student complies - letting them both rationalize away the work.
A threesome might work better.
-
Check in with students. Send an email and ask them how the
homework is going. Sometimes they are just stuck and a few words of
wisdom from you could quickly get them back on track.
Community
Just as it's easier to stick with an exercise program with a buddy
or a regular workout group, interacting with fellow students can
provide the "I'm not in this alone" feeling that they sometimes need.
Community can also be an excellent side benefit of taking the class; it
can provide a richer learning experience as additional wisdom is
shared, and students may even make connections that last long after the
final class. You can create community environments for your students:
-
Create a bulletin board. Students can post
homework, ask for feedback, ask questions, and share their own
knowledge. Password protection is recommended, to provide a "safe"
environment without fear of a silly question getting aired via search
engine later.
-
Set up mastermind calls. These are calls, facilitated by
you (or your teaching assistant), that are open to whatever the
student(s) need to talk about, ask questions, etc. Depending on class
size, you might need to break students into groups, each with their own
call time, to ensure everyone gets the air time they need.
-
Set up mastermind groups. These can be very effective
especially in long-running programs. You create the groups, or let
students form their own. They will probably need either live help or
some instructions on how to set up a powerful mastermind group.
-
Establish buddy pairs or triplets. Trading homework,
weekly check-ins, giving feedback, are all possibilities to explore.
For a long program, mixing up the groups midway can liven things up
and give a second chance to students who just didn't mesh with their
first buddy.
Summary
We can't make our students learn and use what we teach them. But we
can provide a supportive learning environment with the structure,
accountability and community elements that make true learning more
likely.
