At the tail end of 2015, I took a four week online course. The course – The Modern Blogging Masterclass. The instructor – Gini Dietrich at Spin Sucks. The experience – invigorating and mind bending. During those four weeks we dove into the strategy behind selecting keywords, content production, distribution, metrics and more. I think my brain physically hurt at one point. This was my first online course, and it will not be the last. The experience provided valuable, relevant information I could implement immediately.
If you are considering enrolling in an online course, here’s my two cents on how to get the most bang for your buck:
- Stay up to speed – Given the time frame of the course and the amount of content to digest, falling behind is daunting. Staying on track allows you to be an active participant in the ensuing discussions. It also prevents you from asking that question that everyone asked two weeks ago.
- Use the resources provided– A huge benefit of the course was the private Facebook group created for all those enrolled. It offered both a collaborative environment and online networking opportunities. The questioning, discussing and deliberating came in at an almost constant stream.
- Accountability– Even though we were not required to submit our homework, having the structure ensured I would actually think through different content development avenues. I actually took the time to lay out a solid, strategic plan.
- Balancing act- At times it was difficult to balance assigned homework with regular work demands. It helped to remind myself that these assignments had a long term benefit.
- Choose your topic carefully– If your are given homework, choose to apply assignments to a personal or work related project. Picking topics related to my job/employer helped me designate specific time at work to hunker down and actually do the assignments.
- Collaboration is the name of the game– I was pleasantly surprised at how willing classmates were to offer advice, share their expertise and offer critique. This collaboration helped grow a community of online learners who started to learn from each other, in addition to the instructor.
- Video access– When deciding to enroll in an online course, make sure you can access a recording of the live class at a later time and date. Life happens and sometimes you cannot attend the live viewing. The ability to re-watch (and watch again) was hugely beneficial.
- Dual screens– It seems silly, but listening to the course on one screen and taking notes or following along on the other helped me understand what Gini was explaining. Of course this is not necessary, just an approach I found beneficial.
The pace, creative thoughts and exposure to new ideas got my creative wheels spinning. I started to approach topics and content development from a completely new angle. Thank you, to Gini and her team, for kicking me into gear for 2016.
Have you taken an online course? What was your experience?
