The World of Cohort Based Courses
Life slowed down with the pandemic.
Days overflowed with minutes, hours for personal reflection.
The gears inside my mind started spinning.
Confused.
Some days I found motivation in teaching my kids during distance learning. Rarely, and with much luck, I found time for reading and listening to podcasts.
I felt unplugged.
The thirst for professional involvement only grew bigger.
What about the BA in Child Development from TUFTS University or the international MBA from IE Business School? Or the six months spent studying abroad in Tokyo? How can I pay it forward? How can I make this world a better place with the gifts I have been given? All these questions remained in my head, and motivated me to find a way to share my knowledge and skills with the world. In whatever way this would look like, I want to be a changemaker.
The search continued.
The latest pandemic news given by our president in El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, was done through twitter. Lockdowns, quarantine dates, and protocols were announced in daily tweets. You didn’t want to be caught off guard on the streets for not checking your twitter account.
Little did I know Twitter would not only keep me informed in the pandemic, but was going to introduce me to the world of Cohort-based courses (CBC’s). These courses are a collaborative learning style of online courses in which students advance together through the program. They pose many advantages over traditional universities or self-paced programs online. You get to learn about and practice skills with a global group of people. The founder and CEO of Virtually, an online platform for course creators, Ish Baid, said in his latest podcast on this subject “College is an option, it shouldn’t be the only.”
The first CBC I came across with was David Perell’s Write of Passage course. I spent about four months learning and studying the site, not wanting to sign up and be caught in a mousetrap. I watched his videos, read his emails, and followed his tweets. They all aligned with his main purpose: to teach people to write online to create serendipity in their life.
Although I enjoy my privacy and anonymity, I decided to try something new. With the support of my husband, I signed up for cohort 6 of Write of Passage.
Entering the world of CBC through Write of Passage has been an incredible experience. Before the course started, we were connected to 200+ fellow students from all over the world. The community of like minded people came together to share global experiences. This became one of the most valuable aspects of this course; being able to geek out with others who enjoyed geeking out!
Through this course I have reconnected to my intellectual self after spending the past three years as a full time mom. I have also been able to practice skills that are relevant to the world now, in a short period of time and at a significant lower cost. All of these benefits of CBCs were mentioned in the research I made before signing up, but living this experience only proved those articles right.
Through Write of Passage, I have discovered the impact writing online can have in my life. Allowing others to learn about my latest projects, what I'm interested in, and what my skills are, can attract professional opportunities. Connecting to a network of people that “has your back,” has been great support in starting a new journey.
CBC’s are a great start point for online connections, retraining, and professional opportunities. These courses create opportunities to fill your days with meaningful connections. To speed up life even during pandemic. To redirect personal reflection to your desired path.
The gears inside my mind are still spinning.
Spinning in another direction, with ideas that fill my heart, mind, and soul. With ideas that are sowing seeds for my future.
Discovering writing has started to satisfy my thirst for professional engagement.
Hopefully, my writing will someday be what David calls a “Vehicle of Serendipity”.
Cohort- based courses you might be interested in:
I haven’t taken these courses myself, but they are certainly on my list. These seem to be the most recommended these days!
Write of Passage by David Perell- This is an excellent option to start an online writing publishing method, connect to like minded people from around the world, and like David Perell says, “increase serendipity” in your work and life.
Building a Second Brain by Forte Labs- Through this course, you will learn how to create and develop a second brain to save your best ideas, organize your learning, and expand your creative output.
Minimum Viable Video by Cam Houser- In this course you will learn to get comfortable making videos even if you hate being on camera.
Performative Speaking by Robbie Crabtree On Deck Performative Speaking is an eight-week remote program. It was developed for ambitious professionals who want to become powerful public speakers. The curriculum includes storytelling, speaking frameworks, deliberate practice. Also, you will have access to an incredible community to help you become the speaker of your dreams.
Part-time YouTuber Academy by Ali Abdaal In this course you will learn how to grow your YouTube channel from 0 to 100,000+ subscribers. Also you will learn how to transform it into a sustainable, income-generating machine without quitting your day job.
Supercharge your Productivity by Khe Hy- In this course, you will design a system to double-down on your life's biggest priorities.
10KDesigners By Abhinav This is an invite-only masterclass on becoming a UI/UX designer, finding new opportunities for growth and kickstarting your career.
