A friend of mine recently ditched her studies at a leading university, and announced that she was going to change over to a distance learning course online to complete her PhD.
I was surprised, and wondered how easy it was going to be for her to study and write something so complex, with only the internet and online community to sustain her.
Since the early dawn of PowerPoint presentations and Computer Based Training courses, online learning has come a long way.
It’s possible to do an Open University course without ever meeting your tutor face to face, and many diplomas available online these days don’t require you to physically attend classes any more, to get qualified.
Teaching can take place in virtual rooms, and students can network together and share ideas without ever leaving the comfort of their armchairs.
How effective can a course be, if you only ever study ‘virtually’?
When you think about it, online training can be much more effective in many ways than face to face courses held in the academic environment. There is no time spent traveling to classes, and you are able to take advantage of the quiet space in your own home to conduct your studies.
The flip side of this is that many people can feel isolated if they are asked to learn something in their own time, and in their own space.
People thrive off the idea of community, which is why any decent training which is conducted through the web and e-mail should be supported by really strong, proactive customer service.
How I translated my findings in to development of my own blogging course…
When I first develop my blogging course, I was concerned that people would find it tough to receive their ‘lessons’ in online installments, and I was not sure how people would take to having advice dropping in to their mail box once a week.
The content is at times quite technical, due to the nature of the subject, so I made sure to illustrate every idea with images, videos and simple steps to make it easy for people to follow.
The results are really positive, and I now see the benefit of guiding people through the virtual environment to support their learning.
I think as long as I am always there to provide advice and support when people get stuck, the online training route can be hugely effective.
If you no longer want to be overwhelmed and understand the technicalities of blogging and would like to join the group of people taking the plunge in to online learning, and benefit from the Income Blogging Course, you can join here:
I’d love to have you on board. There’s no commuting to college, you can study in your own time, and you get to make an income from your blog! What more can anyone ask for?
P.S. The price of the course goes up this Thursday to $97 a month. Why? Because so many of our members are saying it is far too cheap!
Until then you can sign up at the cheap price:
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Hi Andrew,
Some awesome pointers here to be kept in mind as I design my training materials.
As you noted continuing support is a prerequisite of any online training. Since there is no live teacher in front of your students you must cover all questions and answers possible as well as being accessible.
Thanks for sharing your insight.
Ryan
Ryan,
During our research the biggest concern from people was having no support.
A lot of people would like a blog but unsure how to start or deal with the technical things…hence we added the forum and weekly live teleconference.
We like to think it makes all the difference.
Andrew
I definitely think that online training is becoming more and more popular, not just for making money online or blogging but for everything. Most people just find it much more convienant since they can do it when they want and complete it on their own time. It’s great that you took so much thought into your training, as some people just throw stuff together and expect people to learn from it.
Tiffany,
Taht’s another good point you make…doing the training when it suits you.
You can dip in and out when you want.
Andrew
I was thinking of joining your course for a while, but keep hesitating..some more questions here:
If i don’t know what niche is profitable, can you help me to choose one?
how much time do i need to spend in a week to complete the tasks require in the course?
Hi David,
In the very first lesson we guide you through the process of finding a profitable niche.
And with regards the time, it is anything between 5 and 10 hours a week.
If you have any more questions, just ask.
Andrew
Good points Andrew!
One thing about online or self-paced training is that it only really suits certain types of learning (like your blogging course for example, writing courses are perhaps another good example). People based learning, on the other hand, is a must-have for learning about communication skills, conflict resolution and a myriad of management and leadership competencies.
That said, I’m a huge fan of online/in person combination type courses – the best of both worlds! 🙂
Daniel,
I suppose we try and cover the ‘in-person’ side with a live teleconference each week but face-to-face would be even better.
Problem we have is our course buyers are form all over the world!
Andrew
If you study virtually you can work on what you think is right, stray wherever you want and work as hard as you want. Something which you can’t do in the real world… Kinda 😛
Peter
It does take some self-discipline to get the best out of virtual training, though.
Andrew
Hey Andrew,
Great points. I was never a fan of classroom learning for many reasons. Being able to learn when you want and set your own schedule makes online training so much more appealing. And I agree, as long as the continuing support is there, it’s simply the best way to go.
Alan,
Very true. I remember my days in the corporate world and staff hated CBT or any virtual training. They only loved classroom training.
Things have changed pretty quickly.
Andrew
I don’t really see myself teaching, though I have tried training people before on my previous job, about 3 years ago. And now I’m actually tutoring someone with SEO (part time). But still, I haven’t thought of making my own course or something like that, I just tried doing it to see if I have the potential to really make someone better in what I do best. Anyway, I would keep those pointers in mind in case I decide to launch my own course in the future, particularly in supporting them firsthand.
Regards,
Jason
Jason,
Sometimes, creating your won products can make a big difference to your income.
Perhaps…in the future, yes?
Andrew
On-line teaching is good if there is support readily available. Also with self paced learning there is less stress cos we can go at our own speed. The areas we find easy we will get through in record time; whereas if we have areas of difficulty then it may take longer. One of the good things about your course Andrew is that both you and Joel make yourself available for your students if they need extra help. You both go that extra mile to make sure we are succeeding and accomplishing what we need to on the course.
Patricia Perth Australia
Patricia
I think all course / product owners should go out of their way to support.
I have purchased so many products on-line and the support is appalling.
I now only buy products that have a refund policy and I always test out the support…just to see what response I get.
Andrew
Can Online Training Really Work? The fact is, it is working and is a multi-billion dollar industry. From Open Univeristy courses to self development courses, the industry is massive.
I visited a friend over the weekend who was raving about an online computer programming course that helps him to deliver highly efficient code and all he pays is $120 per year.
Online training will enable many to gain degrees from top universities from around the world, as well as help people acquire knowledge geared to self development.
Peter,
As I said to Alan above, things have changed (for the better) so quickly.
Bit like coffee shops…years ago we would never have thought about buying a coffee for $4, would we?
Andrew
learning via the Internet can really help people in whom there is no possibility pays visits normal colleges. I myself have tried this type of training, and I liked it
Online training course is very prevalent already especially for those who have no time and enough resources to go places and learn… For me it is cheaper. I effectiveness part, I think, depends on the will and capability of the person.
Karen
You are right to say it ‘depends on the will and capability of the person’.
The ‘will’ is key. If you are easily distracted and need someone telling you what to do all the time and monitoring your progress…it may not be for you.
Andrew