Dummies Guide to Cohort-Based Teaching
Muskaan Choudhary
January 15, 2025
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12 min read
In today's rapidly evolving job market, where employers are constantly seeking employees with unique skill sets, keeping up with the growing demands can be challenging. This issue extends to students too, who face the daunting task of not only absorbing a vast amount of content available but also effectively learning, memorizing, and applying this knowledge.
Something that could make all this easier? Cohort-based learning.
So let’s deep-dive into the world of learning and teaching cohorts and the multiple benefits it has to offer.
To understand what cohort-based learning is, we must first understand what a cohort is. The term “cohort” literally means “a group of people.” Thus, cohort-based learning emphasizes the core principle of learning within a community. In the simplest terms, cohort-based learning is a collaborative approach that involves learning and progressing through the cohort class as a group. It can occur either in-person, online or through a hybrid model.
All individuals in the cohort of students enroll for a single program or course and advance through it together, at the same pace, interacting and collaborating with one another to complete tasks and achieve learning objectives, while being supervised by a mentor. In this way, cohort-based learning/cohort education is also a community-inspired and strength-based approach to teaching and learning.
In an experiment, Hermann Ebbinghaus, a 19th century German psychologist, tested his memory over varying periods of time. After collecting the data, he plotted it all on a graph which is now known as the “Ebbinghaus forgetting curve” (pictured below). He discovered that with time, our memory deteriorates.
When we study alone, we typically remember 28% of what we learned after 2 days. With additional practice, the number moves up to 46%. However, if we apply the knowledge gained, answer questions related to the information acquired, and actively interact with it, we can remember up to 68%. The reason? Continual recall, application, interaction. All of these things help the information adhere to our memory.
Cohort-based learning leverages these principles by fostering an environment of active engagement and collaboration, which helps learners retain information more effectively.
Cohort-based learning is a no-brainer for people who prefer learning in groups or like engaging in collaborative work. It also has other benefits, such as:
Cohort-based learning is a strength-based teaching and learning model that leverages the collective knowledge and skills of the group to enhance individual learning experiences. Whether you need help with an assignment, guidance on career and future goals, or just some extra motivation, you can always turn to your fellow learning cohort members or faculty for support. The collaborative environment ensures that you're never alone in your learning journey.
When you work in groups, you are automatically exposed to multiple approaches, perspectives, and outlooks, which significantly contribute to broadening your horizons and hence, your personal growth.
You may also discover new areas of study or fields of work that capture your interest. Unlike self-paced learning, where you're the sole participant, cohort learning offers the unique advantage of shared experiences and collective insights.
Students in cohort classes are meant to achieve learning goals together as a group, necessitating strong communication and collaboration. This collaboration and cooperation on assignments and projects fosters meaningful interactions among the members of the cohort class, promotes a sense of belonging and in turn, boosts productivity.
Learning cohorts offer a unique opportunity to work together and build relationships with people from different backgrounds and if online, even different parts of the world. By enrolling in cohort courses, you can connect with individuals who share the same interests and goals. This network not only enhances your learning experience but also cultivates meaningful connections and relationships across diverse cultures and regions, thereby expanding your mental horizons much beyond the coursework.
While self-paced courses have completion rates as low as 3%, cohort-based courses often see completion rates of over 90%. Learning alongside others not only helps you stay on track with deadlines, assignments, and projects but also enhances your motivation throughout the course. Moreover, being a part of a group of batchmates keeps you encouraged, accountable and committed to your group’s shared progress and goals.
As soon as the world shifted online, people readily dove head-first into self-paced courses. However, like any other new fad, its excitement soon started to wear off due to the low motivation and productivity rates. On the other hand, cohort-based learning started gaining momentum due to its high completion and productivity rates.
This is why learners are eventually moving towards a cohort-based learning model. Not only does it have the aforementioned benefits but it is also supplemented with live interaction and learning, boosting student engagement rates.
Teaching these courses can seem like a task if you’re used to one-on-one teaching or creating self-paced courses. However, here are some tips to get started on your journey of teaching a cohort.
It is extremely vital to only bite off what you can chew. Enrolling too many students in one cohort can disrupt your workflow and compromise the quality of learning.With too many students, you may end up with too much work and struggle to provide the necessary guidance and attention, potentially straining your student-teacher relationships.
Thus, it's best to limit the number of students in each cohort. This allows you to engage more meaningfully with each student and builds a stronger sense of connection among the group. Start with a manageable number of students, and as you gain experience and confidence, you can gradually increase the strength of your cohort.
Your classes are about to kick off, and with your schedule all set and everything in place, the next crucial step is crafting your lesson plan.
A well thought-out lesson plan will help you navigate through the course, acting like a roadmap that outlines what students need to learn and how to deliver it effectively. It provides a structured framework to define your goals and identify the tasks best suited for your cohort, ensuring a coherent and purposeful learning experience.
Maintain a meticulous record of attendance, classes, grades, assignments, and so on. Using a class management software can help you a great deal in effortlessly managing the various aspects of teaching a cohort class. Decide on the content to be covered throughout the course and divide it into modules or parts to be taught on a day-to-day basis.
Keeping yourself organized will alleviate a lot of stress that might otherwise come with the hassle of group classes and will help you with efficient time management too.
Resources like Blendspace, Planbook, and Chalk allow you to plan your lessons on a daily, weekly, or bi-weekly basis, to design activities and interactive games for your students, and to grade them too.
If you’re teaching an online cohort, it is extremely important to keep in mind that it could vary in terms of geography. Since your cohort may include individuals from various parts of the world and thus, different time zones, ensure that your course is accessible and manageable for everyone.
To accommodate the different time zones, set assignment deadlines at least one day after class sessions, providing flexibility for all learners. Additionally, reassure participants that recorded lectures will be available for those who may miss live sessions due to time differences. This approach not only helps learners stay on track but also nurtures a more inclusive and comfortable learning experience, allowing everyone to engage and connect more effectively.
Once you’ve determined the type of cohort course you want to offer, the next crucial step is to strategize how to promote it effectively. Successfully marketing your course to the right audience significantly influences various aspects, such as scheduling, course material, and overall planning. By identifying and reaching your target audience, you can tailor your course to meet their needs and optimize its impact.
Use varied marketing channels, ranging from the traditional (but extremely powerful) word-of-mouth to the dynamic social media platforms, and everything in between.
With online teaching and classes gaining momentum, the market has already become extremely competitive. Thus, to stand out, it is important to identify your differentiator and analyze your competition.
Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is key to distinguishing yourself in this crowded space. Think of your USP as the defining factor that sets you apart from the rest. When defining your USP, it's best to stay true to who you are, to your core values and strengths. Consider these questions:
By focusing on these aspects, you can highlight what makes your offering special and compelling.
Keeping students engaged is a crucial aspect of effective teaching, especially if you're new to cohort-based learning.
To boost engagement, try incorporating enjoyable activities that are also educational. Encourage students to collaborate on projects, which not only makes learning more interactive but also helps them develop essential soft skills and interpersonal skills that are valuable in the job market.
You can also refer to this article on five ways to engage learners throughout a cohort program by Harvard Business for additional strategies.
Providing timely feedback to students not only helps them stay on track but also enables them to understand their strengths and areas for improvement. However, delivering this feedback without harming their self-esteem can be challenging.
Remember to convey your message positively while offering constructive criticism. One effective method is to hold one-on-one sessions with students so that you can engage in open, frank discussions. For more useful strategies, check out our guide on 4 Uncomplicated Ways to Provide Students with Effective Feedback.
Let learners know that their class experience matters to you. You could gather testimonials from your students during, after, or throughout the course to gain valuable insights about your cohort teaching strategies and methods. Create discussion forums where students can provide feedback, reflect, discuss, and ask questions.
You can also create surveys using Survey Monkey or ask for more detailed, informal responses using Airtable or Google Forms.
If your students enjoy your class, they will likely provide positive feedback, which you can then share on your website and social media platforms. This not only enhances your online presence but also helps build a strong brand image.
Learning in cohorts is an effective way to enhance comprehension and retention of material. This approach is gaining momentum as compared to self-paced courses, which have gradually lost their appeal due to the lack of interaction, motivation and accountability, all of which are readily present when it comes to cohort education. Thus, group learning is becoming the new norm, providing a dynamic and supportive educational environment.
Due to the various advantages they offer, teaching cohort-based courses is also highly advantageous. However, as the teacher of a cohort, it’s essential to not put too much pressure on yourself. Remember, there's no such thing as the "perfect" cohort. Embrace feedback and suggestions from your cohort members and your contemporaries and continuously strive for improvement. By refining and iterating your course, you can create a more enriching and fulfilling experience each time.
If you are looking for the perfect platform to supplement your cohort-based teaching journey, Classcard can help you seamlessly manage your teaching and learning business. Our practical and easy-to-use software allows you to schedule classes, manage bookings, track attendance and payments, share resources, and a lot more. With the right tools and platform, you can grow your business and nurture learners for the future!