Today, in the world of educational and professional development, traditional learning methods give way to new and exciting ones.
Today, in the world of educational and professional development, traditional learning methods give way to new and exciting ones. The trends bring along incredible opportunities and are usually associated with tons of new terms. One of them is “cohort-based learning," or CBL, which is getting more and more popular. It appears to be the key to encouraging collaboration and improving learning outcomes. In this article, we’ll talk about the concept, benefits, and practical applications of cohort-based learning. We’ll show you how this approach can open up a whole new world of possibilities for teamwork, skill development, and lifelong learning.
Let’s start with the big question: what is cohort-based learning and how does it work in practice?
What is Cohort-Based Online Learning?
The name says it all: it’s a learning method that involves grouping learners into a cohort—a fixed group that simultaneously moves forward through a course or program. It’s all about online collaborative learning, interaction, and sharing experiences among participants. In a traditional learning system, an instructor or teacher usually takes a leading role in discussion sessions with students. However, in a class designed as a cohort model, an instructor aims to engage everyone and ensure every student has a chance to contribute to the conversation.
How Does Cohort-Based Online Learning Work?
About a decade ago, there was a big push to make the education process more flexible and self-paced, especially for online learning. This approach is called a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC). Any learner could have access to a digital base of multiple courses and be set to learn in the comfort of one’s home or elsewhere without any time limitations. What can be better? Initially, MOOCs have faced a lot of challenges. According to some studies, completion and enrollment rates were quite low. Yet, we should acknowledge that the recent pandemic has changed our vision of education. Such MOOC providers as, for example, Coursera and Udemy are now reporting millions of new users on their platforms.
But here we’d like to focus on Cohort-Based learning platforms, like Simplilearn and Reforge, that offer a mix of self-paced modules and live virtual classrooms. It’s worth mentioning that Simplilearn was primarily known as an asynchronous learning provider and later successfully transformed into a cohort-learning space to go with technology and adapt to the needs of modern learners. Cohort-based online learning provides synchronous activities, including live lectures, group projects, and discussions. It also helps you build a sense of community and peer support.
The Purpose of Cohort-Based Learning
Learning
Let’s take a look at some stats. According to Harvard University studies, the completion rate for MOOCs is about 10%, while cohort-based courses show a 90% completion rate. So the main purpose of cohort learning is to encourage student interaction on online learning platforms since the so-called pack atmosphere leads to keeping up and not falling behind the group coursework. Cohort learning is typically used in K-12 and higher education systems, where a group or a class has a common lesson or works on a common task. As demand for online learning increases, the cohort-based model is successfully integrated into distance education as well.
Reflection
Reflection is a great way for learners to think about what they’ve learned, analyze it, and make it their own. It also helps them identify their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Critical thinking, self-awareness, and enhancing learning outcomes are the main components of reflection in the learning process. By using reflective practices, students can navigate through complex tasks and achieve great results in education.
Action
This is probably the most challenging part of the learning path because, at this stage, students are supposed to put knowledge into practice. It's about taking what you've gained from your collaborative learning experiences and turning it into something real. Unlike asynchronous online learning, where the student is alone with the course, cohort learning evokes a sense of responsibility. It's about showing what you can do, how you can do it, and how you've grown as a result of your learning.
Why is Cohort-Based Learning Important?
Learning is not easy, especially when there isn’t much incentive to keep going if you're bored. What are the keys to feeding one’s interest in education? Active engagement, collaboration, feedback, and accountability. All these, plus the integration of AI in education, are the cornerstones of a new effective approach, i.e., cohort-based learning. It comprises the delivery of strong relationship skills. And here it’ll be useful to go back to the examples of online learning platforms mentioned above and briefly explore the main differences in their approaches.
As you can see, the options can suit any taste and budget. And by the way, some research shows that the cohort-based learning model is somehow more popular, despite being expensive. It’s all a matter of preference. Which approach would you choose?
Benefits of Cohort-Based Learning
Each learner is free to choose the most convenient method of education for oneself. Some prefer self-paced courses, without any time or place restrictions. Others need someone to guide them, whether that's a trainer or a group of peers, to keep them motivated. We have summed up the key benefits of cohort-based learning for you:
Interactivity and real-time support
Online cohort-based learning involves the use of more interactive techniques than lecture-styled courses. This can range from a simple in-class task to a group discussion, where learners are asked to apply their knowledge to real-world issues. Participants easily get relevant feedback, and identify skill and knowledge gaps during cohort-based learning sessions. This suggests assistance and guarantees urgent problem solutions, service quality, and, admittedly, professional growth.
Community building
The community concept transforms into a virtual environment. It is a space where learners can collaborate with educators, interact, and share their fears or achievements. Research shows that most learners find virtual communities an important component of the learning journey.
Increased Motivation
Learning, working, and sharing the same goals within a dynamic group can help boost motivation and commitment to learning. This point is inseparable from the next important point, which is accountability.
Sense of Accountability
When working in a group, you feel more accountable to your colleagues. The principle of being ‘the links in a chain’ encourages ongoing effort and participation.
Professional development and growth
Professional expertise will contribute to career growth and help you stand out for your skills and qualifications.
Continuous learning and higher completion rates
Cohort-based environment allows continuous learning by bringing together people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Learners find it more comfortable to take risks, investigate, and experiment. In addition, it is proven that course completion rates are higher in cohorts than during self-paced learning.
Gamification
This is one of the key components of any learning process, especially when it comes to cohort-based learning. Integration of games prevents boredom and enhances motivation by putting the learners into a friendly competition with points and leaderboards.
Cohort-Based Online Learning Statistics
As stated above, the cohort-based approach engages online learning. It helps students complete their courses and gives them a better overall experience, which is great for the entire educational process. It is more likely to forget the material during passive learning, and vice versa - the chance of remembering what you have learned is much higher when you use the data and discuss it in a group. According to statistics, lack of interaction is the main obstacle on the way to success, both for learners and for course creators. After looking at the current issue, Saima suggests that educators can boost their ratings by using its AI-based video speed adaptation tool on learning platforms. The Focus Boost feature makes the speed and tone of the video fit the individual pace of every learner, which helps reduce distractions, improve concentration and comprehension, and make the learning process more comfortable. Multiple educational institutions and EdTech companies already collaborate with Saima and characterize it as a “tool for empowering education”. According to reviews, Saima’s AI-powered Chrome extension is an incredibly user-friendly and time-saving tool.
Cohort-Based Learning Examples
Online boot camps like Lambda School, and 4Geeks Academy use cohort-based models to teach coding skills.
Cohort-based mentoring programs at PwC, SoundCloud, Expedia Group, and many others encourage peer learning and support, as well as community-building
Such institutions as UCL or Harvard Business School often use a cohort-based approach for their MBA programs.
How To Implement Cohort-Based Learning
A strategic approach is the way to ensure the learning course is effective both all stakeholders.
Definition of goals and outcomes: Identify the specific goals and outcomes of the cohort-based program.
Meeting the needs of participants: Make sure that the content and activities meet the specific needs and skill levels of cohort members.
Structured curriculum: Set the timelines and form a logical sequence to motivate development and progress.
Usage of technology and tools: Implement LMS or online learning platform, and use interactive tools to enhance engagement
Ongoing support and feedback: Provide real-time support and feedback to encourage participation and collaboration.
Conclusion
In summary, we can acknowledge that the cohort-based approach is a great way to improve the educational process. Collaboration and peer support ensure smoother integration into learning. Constructive strategies coupled with relevant AI-powered tools can be a game changer in terms of productivity and knowledge sharing among participants.