SchoolofDigital is bringing together something I’ve been wanting to do for a few years now – effective online training that brings together the advantages of e-learning with the benefits of face to face training.
It’s a hard nut to crack, but with some of the experiments I’ve been running recently with Steve Dale, David Wilcox and others; and following the online learning thought leadership of the likes of Donald Clark, I think I’ve come up with the best balance.
Hence SchoolofDigital – which is where I’ll be running courses on innovating online, by using innovative online delivery methods. The key elements are:
- asynchronous – learners don’t have to be in the same place at the same time
- social and personal – as well as shared resources, content and discussion areas, learners get one to one support from the course facilitator
- responsive – because this isn’t a pre-prepared day long course, there is the opportunity for content to be created to meet the specific needs of delegates as they arise
The first course we will be running will start at the beginning of May, and is on successful digital engagement.
Here’s a quick summary of how that course will work:
The course consists of eight lessons, which last for a week each. Total learner time per lesson is around an hour, which they can do in one chunk or spread throughout the week – it is entirely up to them. The idea is to provide a social, asynchronous learning environment where the learner can access materials and get involved at a time that suits them, within the framework of a weekly lesson format. We do as little synchronised activity as possible, to make things as flexible as we can.
Support is provided both to the group as a whole, with discussion and sharing of experience and knowledge encouraged; and privately through email or telephone discussion between the course facilitator and learners.
Each lesson will include some or all of the following elements:
- An introductory video introducing the topic and explaining some details
- Downloadable templates, resources, guides and case studies
- Links to further reading and case studies
- Interviews with practitioners
- Screencast demos of how to perform certain actions
- Learner discussion areas
- One to one private email or telephone support
- Additional content in response to queries and requests
- Assignments to practice learning
The eight lessons in this course are:
- Introductions, objectives, how the course and the platform works
- What is digital engagement and what defines success?
- Strategies for successful digtial engagement
- Popular platforms
- Emerging platforms
- Other tools and techniques
- Skills and roles
- Bringing it all together
The course is suitable for people already comfortable with the internet and social media, and who want to take their use of these tools to the next level in terms of meeting personal or organisational objectives.
The course costs £450 + VAT per delegate.