If you’re feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by low student engagement and lack of success in your online courses, despite your efforts to create quality content and meaningful interactions, then you are not alone!
In today’s episode, Mara Kucirek joins us to highlight how you can create an engaging course that encourages student interactions while also dissolving a few myths you may believe.
The Struggle Most Creative Educators Face
As you’re introduced to the realm of online course creation, you may have a deep-rooted desire to share your expertise and knowledge with others. Oftentimes, educators get side-tracked by perfection or being an instant expert. Instead, your motivation should come from genuinely wanting to make a difference through education.
Mara’s journey to education wasn’t without its hurdles, as she struggled with the technical intricacies and the daunting task of selecting the right platform. Her story mirrors the common struggles and uncertainties faced by many aspiring course creators, offering a comforting reminder that imperfection is an integral part of the learning process. Mara’s experiences resonate with those who have felt the weight of expectations and showcase the raw, authentic journey of navigating through the world of online education.
Should Everyone Create an Online Course
Over the last few years, many creative entrepreneurs have entered the education space by creating digital products and courses. The pivot into education is not only about sharing your skills and knowledge, it’s about fostering stronger connections with your audience, expanding your brand visibility, and potentially unlocking a new revenue stream.
When done right, becoming an educator gives you a platform to teach, inspire, and impact on a deeper level. Mara Kucirek believes that almost any professional could create an online course, but it’s not without its caveats. Authenticity, knowledge, and transparency in teaching are fundamental.
Debunking “Create Your Course in a Week” Claims
Creating a course is not merely about compiling lessons together. It’s a process that requires patience, strategic planning, and attention to detail to ensure effective learning along with thoughtful user experience. The idea of producing a course in a week might appeal to creatives looking for a fast and easy way to grow, but this concept undersells the effort, research, and refinement that goes into a successful course creation.
Estimating a few days for course creation, especially for a first-timer, might be oversimplifying the process. If you’re considering launching a course, it’s important to be honest with yourself and your audience about the time it takes to launch a course.
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome as a Creative Educator
One of the things that holds so many of us back from entering the education space or even launching our next product offering is imposter syndrome. The feeling of imposter syndrome often stems from the belief that what you have to offer has already been provided by someone else.
Keep in mind, even in a saturated field, your experiences, the way you present information, and your unique approach can bring something new to the table. As Mara articulates, it’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling like an imposter due to the existing wealth of similar online courses, yet, every course is unique, just like every teacher in a school imparts knowledge differently. It’s important to recognize your individualistic value.
Don’t Overwhelm Students
When designing your course think as a student. Would you engage with a long list of lessons or prefer a streamlined, digestible chunk of information? This is something that so many educators get wrong.
While we often think that we need to teach everything we know, an intimidating list of lessons may actually turn a student away. In online courses, less is more. You can build trust and turn your students into advocates when they learn exactly what they need to know.
Unpopular Opinion
Mara’s unpopular opinion is that there is no software out there that is the perfect software. When Mara works with her clients, she’s often navigating them through which of online platforms is right for their needs. Once you understand your needs and the features of each platform, it’s important to do a cost-benefit analysis of each platform, analyzing the necessary features for your specific course. Even after you’ve determined the platform you want to go with, you shouldn’t force yourself to stay with that platform forever, but rather examine your evolving needs and switch platforms if necessary.
Finding the right platform for your online course means evaluating various options and aligning them with your budget, business goals, and student needs. Given the ever-evolving landscape of online course platforms, it’s important to be flexible and adaptive to changes in technology, features, and pricing models.
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