Course Designers Increase Course Retention And Grow Your Vision - with Mariana Peña
Dec 7, 2023
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Mariana Peña, an award-winning instructional designer and course expert, shares insights into her learner-first course design philosophy. She discusses the curse of knowledge and the importance of stepping back to create a useful journey for everyone. Mariana emphasizes the need for clear signs and guidance in online courses and shares strategies for addressing learners' concerns. She also explores the process of course creation and certification programs.
Understanding your audience's level allows you to create a meaningful learning journey and advocate for them.
Good curriculum design saves time for course creators and ensures easy understanding, implementation, and self-assessment for students.
Deep dives
The Importance of Understanding Your Audience's Level
One common difficulty that online course creators face with course design is the tendency to forget that their audience may not be at the same level of expertise. When creators are excited to share their best secrets or proven techniques, they might overlook the fact that their audience is not yet at that level. It's crucial to step back and consider the various levels and possibilities that your participants might be facing. Understanding your audience's level allows you to advocate for them and create a meaningful learning journey.
The Benefits of Evidence-Based Curriculum Design
Good curriculum design brings various benefits. Firstly, it saves time for course creators who can focus on growing their businesses instead of getting lost in the details. By partnering with someone knowledgeable in instructional design, creators can share their vision and have it transformed into a comprehensive and effective course structure. Secondly, evidence-based curriculum design ensures that the course is easy for students to understand, implement, and self-assess. This leads to better results and increased retention. A well-designed curriculum inspires trust, encourages long-term engagement, and helps students grow alongside the course creator.
The Overlooked Importance of Curriculum Design in Education
Curriculum design is a vital aspect of online education, yet it often gets overlooked in the advice offered by coaches and experts. Many aspiring course creators believe that their expertise alone is sufficient, without realizing the value of instructional designers or curriculum experts. These professionals understand the learning process, combine it with the creator's philosophy, and ensure that the curriculum aligns with the intended outcomes. Recognizing the significance of curriculum design is key to creating effective and successful courses.
Steps for Creating a Good Course
When creating a course, it is essential to start by practicing and honing teaching skills. Asking oneself how to best support the learner experiencing the most friction within the information is a key consideration. It is essential to identify the most problematic scenarios and define a roadmap that helps learners achieve specific goals or outcomes. Developing milestones, examples, checklists, interviews, and other resources ensures learners can clearly track progress and understand their journey. Additionally, self-assessment tools enable learners to measure their growth and achieve a greater sense of independence.
Welcome to "The Art of Selling Online Courses" podcast! Our special guest, Mariana Peña, is a devoted course expert, award-winning instructional designer, and taco enthusiast. Passionate about your message and education? Mariana's here to guide you, helping maximize impact through optimal learning experiences.
With 15+ years collaborating across diverse fields, Mariana has worked with coaches, consultants, authors, speakers, academic institutions, and 7-figure business owners.
Join us as she shares insights into her learner-first course design philosophy, respecting your interdisciplinary knowledge, intersectional perspective, and innovative approach. Don't miss Mariana's expertise on enhancing your online courses!