10 Gold Standards Of Premier Cohort-Based Learning: How To Level Up Your Course Like Write of Passage
Write of Passage - Cohort 7
Write of Passage is a life-changing experience and an education rolled into one.
As my friend Danny Oak describes it, “I came in with a dream, I leave with a goal. My confidence about my future as an Internet Citizen is unshakeable right now!”
I feel the same, despite knowing there’s a long road ahead. Write Of Passage (WOP) has changed the laws of physics around creating opportunities. In terms of connecting with a diverse range of interesting people, and doing work that nourishes my soul.
After an intensive five-week journey with 200+ inspiring people, I’ve realized there are 10 Gold Standards that made this experience so profound:
1. Authentic core team
Core teams are the heart and soul of an experience. They create a vibe that catches fire and spreads wildly throughout the course.
WOP example: David Perell, Will Mannon, and their all-star team of mentors, stewards, and operations people raised the bar in terms of creating an optimal learning environment. In addition to bringing great energy to the live sessions, they also went above and beyond to continuously add support services (like accountability groups and midpoint check-in calls) that helped us achieve our goals faster and better. And their authenticity in helping us overcome every hurdle had a ripple effect as others embraced it with their own good-natured energy, generosity, and support.
Takeaway: The energy and responsiveness your team exudes are the biggest influences you have on an overall course experience. So put your best foot forward and seize opportunities to address any gaps as you go.
2. Clarity on the end state
Intentional learning design begins with the end in mind. What should students be able to do by the end of the course? What next step should they be able to take?
WOP example: Perell’s vision is for WOP to be a launch pad for students to embark on anything from a major career move, to a bold personal goal. And based on the success of alumni like Ana Fabrega and Packy McCormick, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be. By the end of WoP, we’d built a portfolio of five passion pieces, a site, and a newsletter that only stands to grow thanks to the mindsets we’ve established.
Takeaway: Envision your students embarking on their next adventures at the end of your course. Use this image to strategically map the learning journey from where they are now.
3. Empathetic network of mentors
Learning is a social activity. But the bigger the cohort, the more challenging it is to address individual student needs.
WOP example: WOP laid roots for a diverse, inclusive, and empathetic community by assembling an all-star team of mentors representative of the rich blend of cultures, backgrounds, and interests of its students. Each of the 14 mentors offered optional weekly sessions for students to exchange thoughts, ideas, and feedback in smaller groups. And mentors brought major TLC to these sessions by sharing their own personal stories of how they’ve grown through WOP, offering tips on how we could do the same.
Takeaway: If you’re running a large cohort (of 50+), consider having at least 1-2 mentors who can dedicate time to guiding students along their journeys. Make sure those you select are representative of your students.
Write of Passage - Cohort 7 Alumni Mentors (minus Lead Mentor Charlie Bleecker).
4. Focus on overcoming psychological barriers
The topic of a course is only the tip of the iceberg. 90-95% of the challenges you need to help students overcome are hidden beneath the surface.
WOP example: As my friend Clarke Read said, "Write of Passage isn't about writing... every single piece of it is about overcoming some psychological barrier to writing. There's about 5% of this course that's actually about the craft of writing."
Takeaway: When designing learning activities, ask yourself, what potential psychological barriers (e.g., misunderstandings, biases, or preconceived notions) might prevent students from being able to do this? Make sure you address those hurdles along with the craft itself.
5. Abundant feedback system
Feedback drives learning. So the more individual feedback you provide to students, the more valuable your course is to them.
WOP example: WOP implemented a first-class feedback system that operationalized mentors, students, and community stewards led by Michael Dean to:
ensure all 200+ students received rapid feedback on every assignment.
promote active learning through an iterative and collaborative writing process.
maximize peer-to-peer feedback through simple frameworks.
Takeaway: As a course creator, your feedback system is your competitive edge. So focus on having 1-2 key facilitators and then use additional resources to go guns blazing on feedback.
6. Seamless logistics
Put plain and simply, online courses can easily become a shit-show given the level of detail required to coordinate different platforms and virtual logistics.
WOP example: WOP Course Director Will Mannon has set a gold standard for what’s called the “The Swan Effect” in event planning: the ability to “glide around looking calm and collected, whilst paddling [frantically] below the surface to ensure every aspect of an event is perfect.” As students, we had full visibility on the learning journey and logistics from day one. And through regular emails and updates during the live sessions, we had everything from calendar invites to writing resources available at our disposal throughout the course.
Takeaway: Running a course is like running a marathon. Great Course Directors make it look easy but don’t underestimate the level of work required.
7. Clear expectations on cadence
Satisfaction with learning experiences is determined by the degree to which participant expectations align with reality.
WOP example: Perell used a flight simulator analogy to illustrate the nature of WOP. He explicitly and repeatedly told us “this is supposed to be hard” so that once we move on from the course, we’ll be equipped to handle real world conditions with confidence.
Takeaway: As a course facilitator, think of yourself as a chef tending to a pot of water that repeatedly boils to the brim. You must regularly bring it back to a simmer to keep everything running smoothly. You need to do the same for your students as they weather the ups and downs of their doubts and fears.
8. Being in the trenches with students
The more you empathize with your students, the more engaged they are by what you say.
WOP example: One of the challenges we were tasked with in WOP was to cold email someone we admire with a bold request. Not only did Perell share many examples of how he’s done this in the past, he also got in the trenches with us and reached out to someone he admires with a bold request of his own. Additionally, lead mentor Charlie Bleecker completed every assignment with us, and Course Director Will Mannon wrote alongside us during daily “writing gyms”.
Takeaway: Everything is relative to who’s involved. So whether you’re a step (or a mile) ahead, you can boost momentum 100x by leaning into challenges alongside your students.
9. POP Teaching Style
Teaching online is harder than teaching in person because people have far more distractions.
WOP example: Perell’s POP teaching style is an art form in how to command a virtual classroom. POP is a term he coined to make writing compelling by shooting for a hat trick of personal, observational, and playful elements. And his teaching style POPs just as much.
Takeaway: Consider how your own personal stories, real time observations, and funny anecdotes can be layered together to make your teaching POP.
10. Built for enduring understanding
The best courses create durable foundations that students can return to again and again.
WOP example: WOP alumni not only maintain indefinite access to the course content and interactive platform, but they also benefit from peer-driven writing groups and additional expert sessions led by Perell on things like how to find a job by leveraging your writing.
Takeaway: A well designed course prioritizes off-boarding just as much as on-boarding. Off-boarding is the “what now?” as students leave your course eager to put everything they’ve learned into practice. So at minimum, make sure you reinforce what you’ve done and ensure materials are accessible for reference.
We’re experiencing a renaissance in online learning and the variety of cohort-based courses launching is as vibrant as the Renaissance itself. Though it seems every course is being marketed as “transformational”, which begs the question, how will you define a transformational learning experience?
Based on my experience with WOP, I’d say it’s when people are moved to tears at graduation.
