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Communities are a focal point of cohort-based courses (CBCs). You can't just have a start and end date, and expect students to finish. You NEED community.
So how is community building different for CBCs vs other products? What are challenges unique to courses?
Read on
So how is community building different for CBCs vs other products? What are challenges unique to courses?
Read on
1/ Cohort-based courses have a start and end date. This sense of urgency (aka a deadline) is exactly what most of us need to get our shit together and focus.
This time bound element means you can't build community with a slow burn.
This time bound element means you can't build community with a slow burn.
2/ Like a Michael Bay movie where cars are blowing up in the first three minutes, there needs to be action right away.
For a 2 week course, if students are feeling cold 1 week in... 50% of the course is already over.
For a 2 week course, if students are feeling cold 1 week in... 50% of the course is already over.
3/ You need to help students trust each other, quickly and deeply, so they can get the full benefits of a cohort-based course.
4/ Building trust between students empowers them to:
- give feedback with generosity
- receive feedback without being defensive
- focus on improving, not posturing
- have shared culture re: "what it's like around here"
Community managers create that trust, but it's not easy.
- give feedback with generosity
- receive feedback without being defensive
- focus on improving, not posturing
- have shared culture re: "what it's like around here"
Community managers create that trust, but it's not easy.
5/ Another layer of complexity that CBC community managers face is working across multiple courses.
You have to create communities *within* the course and *across* courses. For example, let's say you have courses on topics like design, writing, investing...
You have to create communities *within* the course and *across* courses. For example, let's say you have courses on topics like design, writing, investing...
6/ You need to manage students with a range of personas, values, and psychographics. Writing students might respond to diff tactics than investing students.
From a content POV, you have to build community--without necessarily being a subject matter expert yourself.
From a content POV, you have to build community--without necessarily being a subject matter expert yourself.
7/ Like a subreddit, each course can have a different culture.
You need to give enough space for students to co-create and let the community reveal itself... While giving enough structure and prompting so students aren't twiddling their thumbs.
You need to give enough space for students to co-create and let the community reveal itself... While giving enough structure and prompting so students aren't twiddling their thumbs.
8/ And lastly, courses are *learning first, community second*
Community without learning is hanging out with friends. For example, meetup groups, fellowships, or social gatherings. So course communities have to create camaraderie AND enable learning at the same time
Community without learning is hanging out with friends. For example, meetup groups, fellowships, or social gatherings. So course communities have to create camaraderie AND enable learning at the same time
9/ If these sound like interesting challenges you’re eager to tackle, we're currently hiring for a Community Lead. This is an important role and we would love to meet you. Apply in the form here: https://forms.gle/G1WLAA349S5jtjwg9
