Online Learning Is Evolving to Finally Put Community First

2022-07-17
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For proof of just how big an impact the pandemic had on online learning, one need only look at the numbers.

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Between 2019 and 2021, the industry exploded, going from $200 billion to over $315 billion in value. And while it's easy to credit public health restrictions for catapulting online courses into the mainstream, that doesn't mean the trend is on track to wane as Covid (hopefully) retreats into the rearview. The appeal of affordable, flexible and accessible knowledge on everything from bread-baking to resume-writing is here to stay, with the industry projected to be worth $1 trillion by 2028. But the future of online learning won't look like it did during the era of social distancing and isolation.

Despite the growing interest from investors and learners, there's a lingering misconception about what online learning is, namely a static and solitary experience typified by dense courseware that can be intimidating for learners and creators alike.

The truth is that online learning is evolving into a much more diverse and fluid way of sharing knowledge — one that's grounded in an aspect many people overlook in the experience: community.

Related: The Digital Learning Revolution: How Classes are Moving Out Of The Classroom

Serving knowledge through connection

When I started my first online course, I viewed it as a thing I put out into the world for others to access on their own time with little involvement from or connection to me. That was a great starting point, and it led me to found a company based on the idea that anyone can create a business — and generate income — by sharing the knowledge they already have. The potential to achieve success in building traditional courses remains strong today, but it's far from the only (or even the best) option for both learners and creators.

Connection has always been a primary human need, and the pandemic has only intensified our hunger for it. Over the last two years, online groups formed around shared passions and niche interests have exploded in popularity and taken on new meaning in our lives. A recent study found that 77% of people surveyed said the most important group they belonged to in life was online.

The communities that arise from Facebook groups, online forums or even among followers of certain social media influencers are natural environments for informal knowledge exchange, allowing peers to pass on advice on topics ranging from raising backyard chickens to learning obscure coding languages. And the trust and bonds that grow in these communities also become fertile ground for more formal learning pathways — such as coaching sessions, in-person seminars, and yes, online courses — to emerge from the creators, moderators and owners of these spaces.

The key difference is that these learning pathways grow out of the community, and not the other way around — a kind of 180 reversal of the way learning and community used to function. Especially as adults, we've all heard that taking a class is a great way to meet people, but the sweet spot of online learning seems to be flipping that idea on its head: building a community around a shared interest and then offering educational programs that can deepen the experience.

Related: 5 Ways to Connect With Your Online Community

The power of putting community first

To truly understand the power of community, you first have to understand what it isn't. We're not talking about free-for-all opinion-fests on the open internet. Community isn't found in the comments section on YouTube or in being one of 1 million+ followers on an influencer's Instagram.

Real communities are curated, with active creators who vet or invite members to join based on common interests and set a code of conduct around respectful communication, privacy and discretion. Members, meanwhile, are committed to active dialogue and the exchange of ideas and information — there's no grandstanding or challenging for the sake of ego. These are crucial components in creating the conditions for knowledge to flow: You need a safe space where everyone is invested.

While online communities have in the past started in Facebook groups, bulletin boards or other open platforms, we're seeing a rapid shift to private communities hosted under the brand of the community leader. This allows for a more curated experience that's much more valuable to members and can create a more profitable opportunity for the owner.

This might sound like a high bar for creators, but in many ways starting a community is an easier entry point than writing and marketing a full-scale online course. And with a built-in feedback loop, creators can tap into their communities to gauge interest before they invest in creating more formal educational products that generate income and serve real value.

That's what Nadia Zadeh did, for example, in building her 60,000+ community of creators and influencers. Initially, Sidewalker Daily was a place for people to connect and exchange ideas, but with a growing desire for interactive learning opportunities among members, Zadeh created a number of live events and online courses — which group students into interactive cohorts — in response to the requests from her existing community.

Related: How to Build an Online Community People Will Love

Learning with others also makes for a better experience for participants. Studies show learning in community has a positive impact on everything from retaining information to course completion rates. But even in the absence of an overt teacher-student dynamic, just being involved in a group of committed, like-minded people can be beneficial for gaining and exchanging knowledge.

I'm part of a couple of communities that are dedicated to entrepreneurship and leadership. One of the things I love about these groups is that, although they do offer formal seminars and courses, they offer other ways to gain more knowledge and wisdom. Just being part of the community gives me access to new ideas and perspectives when members answer someone's question or share a take-away from their own process of trial and error. The idea that everybody is an expert at something ensures I'll gain knowledge just by participating — and it's what keeps me engaged and coming back.

For all its convenience and flexibility, the downside of online learning has always been the idea that it doesn't provide one of the best aspects of taking a course IRL: connecting with other people. We're finally seeing the industry mature and find its footing by evolving to blend offline and online, and prioritizing community connection, no matter what form it takes.

参考译文
在线学习最终将社区放在首位
要证明疫情对在线学习的影响有多大,只需看看数据。2019年至2021年间,该行业实现了爆炸性增长,价值从2000亿美元增至逾3150亿美元。虽然我们很容易把在线课程成为主流归功于公共卫生限制,但这并不意味着随着Covid(希望)退到后视圈,这一趋势将会减弱。从烤面包到写简历,负担得起的、灵活的、可获取的各种知识的吸引力将持续下去,预计到2028年,该行业的价值将达到1万亿美元。但是,在线学习的未来看起来不像在社交距离和隔离时代那样。尽管投资者和学习者对在线学习越来越感兴趣,但对在线学习的误解仍然存在,即静态和孤独的体验,以密集的课件为代表,对学习者和创作者来说都是令人生畏的。事实上,在线学习正在演变成一种更加多样化和流动的共享知识的方式——这种方式的基础是许多人在体验中忽略的一个方面:社区。相关:数字学习革命:课堂如何走出教室当我开始我的第一个在线课程时,我把它看作是我把它放到世界上,让其他人在他们自己的时间里访问,而我很少参与或与我联系。这是一个很好的起点,它引导我创建了一家基于这样一个理念的公司:任何人都可以通过分享他们已经拥有的知识来创造业务并产生收入。今天,在建立传统课程方面取得成功的潜力仍然很强,但它远非学习者和创造者的唯一(甚至是最好的)选择。联系一直是人类的一项主要需求,而这场大流行病只会加剧我们对联系的渴望。在过去的两年里,围绕着共同的激情和小众兴趣而形成的网络团体大受欢迎,并为我们的生活赋予了新的意义。最近的一项研究发现,77%的受访者表示,他们生活中最重要的群体是网络。来自Facebook群组、在线论坛,甚至是某些社交媒体有影响力人士的追随者之间的社区,是非正式知识交流的自然环境,让同行们可以就从养鸡到学习晦涩的编码语言等各种话题提供建议。在这些社区中成长起来的信任和纽带也成为了更正式的学习途径的肥沃土壤——如辅导课程、面对面的研讨会,当然还有在线课程——这些途径从这些空间的创造者、版主和所有者那里涌现出来。关键的区别在于,这些学习途径是在社区中发展出来的,而不是反过来——这是学习和社区过去运作方式的180度大逆转。尤其是作为成年人,我们都听说上课是认识朋友的好方法,但在线学习的最佳点似乎是颠倒了这个想法:围绕共同的兴趣建立一个社区,然后提供可以加深这种体验的教育项目。相关内容:与你的在线社区建立联系的5种方法要真正理解社区的力量,你首先必须了解它不是什么。我们不是在谈论开放的互联网上的自由言论盛宴。社区不是在YouTube的评论区找到的,也不是在一个有影响力的人的Instagram上的100多万粉丝之一。 真正的社区是精心策划的,由活跃的创作者根据共同的兴趣审查或邀请成员加入,并围绕尊重沟通、隐私和自由裁量制定行为准则。与此同时,成员们致力于积极的对话,交换思想和信息——没有哗众取众或为了自我而挑战。这些都是为知识流动创造条件的关键因素:你需要一个安全的空间,让每个人都投入进去。虽然在线社区过去是在Facebook群组、公告板或其他开放平台上开始的,但我们现在看到社区领袖品牌下的私人社区正在迅速转变。这允许一个更有策划的经验,这对会员更有价值,可以为业主创造一个更有利可图的机会。这可能听起来对创作者来说是一个很高的要求,但在许多方面,创建一个社区比编写和营销一个全面的在线课程更容易入门。有了内置的反馈回路,创作者可以在投资创造更多能产生收入和服务真正价值的正规教育产品之前,深入他们的社区,评估他们的兴趣。例如,Nadia Zadeh就是这样做的,她建立了6万多创作者和有影响力的人的社区。最初,Sidewalker Daily是一个让人们联系和交流想法的地方,但随着成员之间越来越渴望互动学习的机会,Zadeh创建了许多现场事件和在线课程,将学生分成互动队列,以响应她现有社区的要求。相关内容:如何建立一个在线社区,人们将与他人相爱,也为参与者提供了更好的体验。研究表明,在社区学习对从记忆信息到课程完成率等方方面面都有积极的影响。但是,即使在没有明显的师生关系的情况下,仅仅是参与到一群忠诚的、志同道合的人当中,对获得和交流知识也是有益的。我是几个致力于创业和领导的社区的一员。我喜欢这些小组的原因之一是,尽管他们提供正式的研讨会和课程,但他们提供了获得更多知识和智慧的其他方式。当成员们回答某人的问题或分享他们自己的试错过程中的一些心得时,成为社区的一份子就能让我接触到新的想法和观点。每个人都是某方面的专家,这种想法确保我通过参与就能获得知识——这也是让我参与并回来的原因。尽管在线学习非常方便和灵活,但它的缺点一直是,它没有提供在线学习的最佳方面之一:与他人联系。我们终于看到了这个行业的成熟,并找到了立足点,通过融合线下和线上,并优先考虑社区联系,无论它采取什么形式。
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