Cohort-based learning: a trend, or just old wine in a new bottle?

A few decades ago, education looked completely different from how it looks today, with online learning then still a thing of the future. That's not to say that virtual classrooms have completely replaced traditional classrooms now, but that several advancements have ensured continuous learning even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online education has evolved over the years, with cohort-based learning being the latest development.

The evolution of online learning 

Online learning subverted the traditional understanding that students need to be physically present in an educational institution in order to learn anything new. It gave learners the flexibility to learn from the comfort of their homes. According to Fortelab, these are the stages of the evolution of online education:

Massive open online courses 

It all started with massive open online courses (MOOCs), through which top universities offered their offline courses in an online format. This method enabled learners from any part of the world to take these courses and learn from top minds from home.

Though MOOCs were the pioneer in breaking the confinements of traditional learning, the completion rates for these courses were just 15% or less. One of the major reasons for the low completion rate was the limited interaction between instructors and students. Also, it wasn't possible for individual instructors not affiliated with a learning institution to create courses and share their expertise through MOOCs.

Course marketplaces 

Marketplaces provide the space for independent instructors to create their own online courses. By this means, an expert can create a course, host it on an external website, and sell it to learners worldwide. This has helped many freelancers and solopreneurs start a training business around their expertise.

However, the lack of control over learners, the lack of autonomy in establishing their brands, and the prevalence of rigorous pricing models has forced many experts to abandon these marketplaces. Often, trainers can't communicate in any direct way with their clients, many of whom are non-committed learners attracted by the marketplace's massive discounts.

Online course platforms 

Course platforms empower trainers and experts to set up their own online training business. These platforms have several built-in tools, with which a trainer can easily build a website, add course contents, onboard learners, and generate revenue around expertise. With online course platforms, trainers have complete control over the course pricing and other proceedings of their training business.

Using a course platform, a trainer can utilize several engagement elements in their courses, like quizzes, polls, and discussion forums. Also, live workshop features enable trainers to engage with learners in real time. This does, to an extent, promote community learning among learners.

However, learners may still feel they're taking the course alone. They have to wait for the next one-on-one session with their trainers to have their questions answered.

Cohort-based learning implements this missing element of collaborative learning and makes learners feel that they are a part of a community.

The human need for community 

Being social animals, humans are wired to live in groups, and have done since the Stone Age, at least. Humans in those times were hunters and gatherers who needed to work in groups to survive and fight off dangerous predators. In those times of uncertainty, living in a community helped them to survive and thrive.

Even in modern times, the need for living in a community has never faded: we feel secure when together; we develop better techniques and technologies through collaboration; we help and support each other through instances of misfortune. Living and working in groups has therefore made our lives much easier. The human need for community and our ability to perform better in groups is the basis of cohort-based learning.

What is cohort-based learning? 

A cohort is a group of individuals who share similar characteristics. Cohort-based learning is when a group of learners with similar learning goals advance through an educational program together. It's identical to traditional learning, where a group of students attend an educational institute, proceed through the curriculum, take tests, and participate in activities together, except that it takes place online.

Cohort-based learning vs self-paced learning 

Cohort-based learning is a collaborative style of education, with learners taking a course together in a specified time. In a cohort, all the learners enrolled in the online course have to attend the live sessions at the exact time, submit assignments by the due dates, and complete the course together.

In contrast, self-paced learning courses involve pre-recorded content which a learner can access at their convenience. However, learners might easily lose interest in their courses due to the lack of motivation and collaboration. The course-completion rate of self-paced courses is around 3%, whereas for cohort-based courses, it's more than 90%.

Benefits of cohort-based learning 

Cohort learning primarily promotes collaborative learning and facilitates communication. Learners can brainstorm ideas directly with peers and have their questions clarified instantly. Apart from this, cohort learning offers a ton of other benefits, too:

• It makes learning more engaging and fun.

• Learners get an opportunity to network and bond with like-minded people.

• It motivates learners to be competitive among peers, thus increasing their performance.

• Since learners study in groups, they get different perspectives and better insights.

• It eliminates procrastination among learners.

• Cohort-based learning boosts course completion rates.

Disadvantages of cohort-based learning 

There are obviously certain drawbacks to cohort-based learning. However, these can arguably be ignored, as the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

• Since cohort classes are time-bound they don't offer flexibility and convenience to learners.

• Learners can't advance to the next chapter even if they've picked up course concepts faster than their peers. They have to wait for others to catch up.

• Cohort courses have strict deadlines. Learners may at times feel pressure while submitting an assignment or taking a test.

• If a learner has missed a session, they have to rely on their peers for class notes, unless the instructor makes the course content and recordings downloadable.

Implementing cohort-based learning in your virtual academy 

Now that we know what cohort-based learning entails, let's take a look at how to implement it within your online academy. There are several platforms that help you achieve this, one of which is TrainerCentral, a platform that supports both self-paced and cohort-based learning.

To create a successful cohort-based course, you need to plan ahead, from figuring out your course title to implementing feedback from learners.

1.  Choosing the title for your cohort course 

Though it's not the title but the content of a course that's important, having an intriguing title for your course helps you promote it and reach learners more easily. There are several methods for naming your course. However, we found these two methods to be the most effective:

Speak the language of your learners 

Learners usually search for a course with a keyword. Finding the right keyword and tweaking it a bit will yield a title for your course. Let's take an example of learners searching for a dance course.

You could straight away use this keyword in your title—say, "Dance course for dummies" or "Basic dance moves for teens." This title is on point and conveys what the course is all about. You can go even more specific, like "Traditional Irish dance for beginners," to narrow down your target audience.

Emphasize the course duration and benefits 

The next method is to include the duration of your course and the benefits that your learners will receive by enrolling in it. Here's an example of a course title we can improve upon: "Scale your baking business."

By adding the elements of duration and benefits to this title, we could end up with something like "Learn how to double your pastry sales in 60 days." A title like this is a sure-shot way to hook potential learners. But make sure to keep any promises you make in the title; don't let the title be mere clickbait.

2. Structuring your curriculum 

Once you've figured out a title for your course, it's time to draft your course curriculum. To draft a strong curriculum, you'll need a proper lesson plan. Chapters with bite-sized content are preferable, since learners can more easily understand concepts and retain information in smaller doses. Having a curriculum also helps learners prepare for what they'll be learning throughout the course and understand how much time it will take to complete the course.

Since you're hosting cohort-based learning, learners should only be able to access specific chapters on specific dates. You can use drip scheduling to schedule the release of your content, so that all your learners can progress together.

3. Conducting group activities 

The one thing that every trainer misses about physical classrooms is the ability to conduct group-based activities. Group discussions, brainstorming sessions, and practical assignments open room for engagements and promote a collaborative learning ecosystem.

In a virtual classroom, conducting group sessions can be a bit tricky. However, there are certain features in online course platforms like TrainerCentral whereby you can boost participation and make sessions more engaging.

1. Breakout rooms: Breakout rooms let you divide your learners into several smaller groups to conduct skill-specific and team building activities.

2. Assignments: Assignments are a great way to enhance your learners' analytical and real-world skills. Use due dates to ensure all your learners complete their assignments and move to the next chapter together.

3. Discussion forums: When taking an online course, it's usual for learners to feel that they're progressing through the course alone. Discussion forums promote community learning by helping learners to brainstorm ideas with peers and have their questions clarified immediately by their instructors. (Here's a snapshot of TrainerCentral's Discussion forum)

1. Drip scheduling: A drip schedule enables you to schedule specific lessons and materials to become available to learners on specific dates. This helps you control the pace of learning and ensure that all learners proceed through the course together.

4. Delivering a better learning experience 

However well-planned and perfectly delivered your cohort course may be, you'll always receive feedback from your learners. However, since learners are looking to learn something from your course, most of their feedback will be constructive. Implementing learners' comments in your course can help you refine your teaching methodologies and deliver an inspiring learning experience.

Enable students to post anonymous reviews so they can provide legitimate feedback without fear. Be clear that you value their feedback and that it'll help you enhance their learning experience. Also, never forget to address them with a reply message, explaining how you plan to implement their feedback once they've submitted it.

Conclusion 

Applying the concept of cohort-based learning in online education helps trainers build engagement and collaboration among their learners. It motivates learners to network with people around the world who share similar goals, values, and interests. When implemented in an online course properly, cohort learning could one day replace even the traditional classroom.