January 5, 2025 • 24 mins
What happens when AI starts generating content faster than you can? The landscape of digital education is rapidly shifting, and the challenge of future-proofing your courses has never been more critical.
Join us at Teaching Mastery Academy as we explore strategies to maintain your unique voice and human connection in a world where technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace. While AI can be a powerful tool for brainstorming and content creation, it cannot replace the empathy, adaptability, and personal touch that great educators bring to the table. Listen as we unpack four actionable strategies to ensure your courses remain impactful and relevant, harnessing the power of human qualities to guide students through genuine transformation.
In this transformative episode, we also uncover the irreplaceable magic of personal stories and human connection in digital course creation. From my own journey of helping educators to mentoring entrepreneurs, I share insights on aligning your work with your passions and the profound effect it can have on your teaching.
Discover five practical steps to incorporate connection, empathy, storytelling, and personalization into your courses.
We believe that understanding and supporting your audience's goals can set your course apart from the rest. By embracing these human elements, you can create courses that are not only educational but also unforgettable, leading students through personal and profound transformations.
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Did you know: while many other programs focus solely on marketing, sales, or content creation, Teaching Mastery Academy (TMA) equips course creators with the foundational skills to teach effectively, ensuring their courses deliver real transformation and stand out in an overcrowded market, meaning they can charge more premium prices and scale to incredible heights. To join the Teaching Mastery Academy waitlist, click here.
Think of your course (or your course idea,) like a luxury car. People won’t pay top dollar unless it’s high quality, delivers an incredible experience, and meets their needs perfectly. Teaching Mastery Academy teaches course creators like you how to ‘build’ that luxury-level course—one that students trust, complete, and rave about, justifying premium pricing every time. Ready to take your expertise and ensure your digital course stands out from the crowd? Premium courses (and premium returns) start with the core teaching fundamentals that all the best course creators instinctively do, but now I'm showing you how! Join the VIP waitlist for Teaching Mastery Academy now! Click here to learn more.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, my brilliant course creators and
entrepreneurial trailblazers,welcome back to Teaching Mastery
Academy.
This is the podcast that equipsyou with the strategies and the
insights to make your coursesunforgettable and unstoppable.
I am so excited about today'sepisode because we are looking
(00:22):
at a topic that is more relevantthan ever, and it's only going
to get more and more and moreimportant as the next few months
carry on, and the topic thatwe're looking at today is how to
future-proof your courses in aworld dominated by AI and free
information.
Now, the reason why I wanted tobring this up today is because
(00:46):
it's the start of 2025 and Iwanted to paint a picture of the
reality that we're living inright now.
Currently, we've got AIartificial intelligence which
can spit out answers, it canwrite essays for us and it can
even generate entire courses inminutes.
Free content is just a clickaway for anyone with an internet
(01:08):
connection, and this is aproblem for course creators,
because, as information becomesmore and more accessible and
available and watered down, whatis going to set you apart?
Did you know that I didn't evenstumble across ChatGPT until it
would have been last year?
(01:29):
I think it would have beenaround about June last year, and
it was only because at the time, I was developing a digital
product around floor plans,because my husband had an
architectural design office aspart of his company and we
wanted to be able to offer thedesigns that we were creating
(01:50):
because they were beautifuldesigns.
We had 3D videos that you couldwalk through with your 3D
goggles on and renders and allsorts and the product that we
were offering clients.
They really loved and we wethought how can we bring this to
a wider market, because thearchitectural design market was
(02:10):
quite high priced.
How do you bring that to thewider market so that everybody
can have a chance to have anarchitecturally designed home?
Anyway, I digress.
So I was creating this onlinebrand for him and I was working
with some professionals who werehelping me create this digital
brand and they mentioned to meabout ChatGPT and they said did
(02:32):
you know that it can writeemails in seconds, it can write
whole website landing pages inminutes and it does all these
sort of wonderful things.
And I was really turned off bythe idea because I thought, if I
rely on something like this,then all of my creative license
and my voice, my unique voice,disappears and it all becomes
(02:53):
very automated and almost likerobot-like, and I actually sat
on that for a few weeks before Ieven bothered to look at
CheckGPT, before I even Googledit.
I was very resistant to theidea of it, and now, since then,
I have come around to this ideaand I can see the benefits and
the negatives of AI andsomething like chat, gpt, and I
(03:17):
think, as course creators, wehave to be.
It's a double-edged sword forus.
We've got to be wary of it inone hand and prepare for it and
counteract it on the other hand,because what we have to give is
so much more valuable than whatan AI algorithm can come up
with, and the reason why isbecause it's our unique voice
and we have the nuances that AIcan't replicate.
(03:40):
Ai can't understand emotion,and so that's what we are going
to explore in today's episode ishow do we counteract AI and
prepare for it, and I have gotfour very strong, very key ways
that the human interaction andthe human connection with our
students will always supersedeAI.
(04:01):
So the future is bright.
If you're a course grader, donot panic, do not fear.
I've got you today.
I've got your back and I'mgoing to help you prepare and be
ready for it.
So grab your favorite beverage,settle in and let's explore how
to future-proof your businessby leaning into what makes you
uniquely human.
Okay, all right, let's startwith the elephant in the room AI
(04:25):
.
Now don't get me wrong.
I love AI for what it can do.
It's a powerful tool.
Need help brainstorming ideas?
Ai's got you.
Want a quick outline for yournext project Done.
But here's the thing AI is not ateacher, it's a tool, and tools
can only go so far.
Let me give you a scenario.
(04:46):
A learner signs up for ageneric AI generated course.
The content is polished, sure,but it's cold, it's
transactional.
There's no spark, there's noconnection, there's no sense
that this course was designedwith them in mind, the learner
in mind.
And when that student hits aroadblock, no AI can step in
(05:07):
with the kind of empathy andtailored guidance that makes a
real difference.
To truly understand why AIfalls short as a teacher, we
need to look at the very natureof learning.
Now, learning isn't just aboutabsorbing information.
If that were the case, we couldall read Wikipedia and call it
a day.
Real learning is abouttransformation.
(05:29):
It's about taking informationand it's about applying it in a
way that changes how you think,how you act or how you feel, and
that requires more than justfacts.
It requires context nuance Ilove that word facts.
It requires context, nuance Ilove that word nuance and a
connection to the learner'spersonal experiences and their
(05:50):
goals.
So think about this.
Ai can explain a concept, butit can't sense confusion on your
face or hear the uncertainty inyour voice.
It can't rephrase itsexplanation in real time to
match your level ofunderstanding and it certainly
can't say I get it.
This part is tough.
Let's try a different approach.
(06:11):
That's what great teachers do.
They adapt, they empathize andthey guide their students
through the messy, non-linearprocess of learning, which is
what we teach in TeachingMastery Academy.
We teach you as course creators, as coaches, as mentors, as
teachers, how to start usingthose nuances of being able to
(06:33):
read the room, read your onlinecourse, read your students, see
what their completion rates arelike, what's going right, what's
going wrong.
These are all nuances that weteach inside Teaching Mastery
Academy as an example, and thisis something that AI can't do
replicate.
Another limitation of AI is itslack of originality when it
(06:54):
comes to engagement.
Sure, it can present facts in aclear and concise way, but can
it tell a story that makes thosefacts come alive?
Can it share a personalanecdote that inspires you to
keep going when the going getstough?
No, ai lacks that human touchthat makes learning feel like a
shared journey rather than asolo slog through information.
(07:16):
And let's talk about motivation.
Let's not leave motivation outof things.
One of the biggest challenges inonline learning is keeping
students engaged.
Without a sense of connectionto the instructor, to the
material and to a community ofpeers, it's easy for students to
lose interest.
Ai can't build thoseconnections.
It can't create a sense ofbelonging or inspire you to
(07:39):
persevere when you're ready togive up.
Now don't get me wrong.
Ai has its place.
It's great for automatingrepetitive tasks or analysing
data or providing quick answersto straightforward questions,
but when it comes to the deeper,more human aspects of teaching
and learning, it simply can'tcompete.
(08:00):
And that's not just my opinion.
Research shows that studentslearn best when they feel
emotionally engaged andsupported by a real person.
That's why even the mostadvanced AI will never replace
the role of a skilled teacher.
So where does this leave you asa course creator?
Well, it leaves you with anincredible opportunity.
(08:21):
While others are scrambling toautomate every aspect of their
business.
You can double down on whatmakes you uniquely valuable your
humanity.
By focusing on connection,empathy and personalized
transformation, you can createcourses that not only stand out,
but also deliver the kind ofresults that AI generated
(08:43):
content can only dream of.
So what exactly are these humanskills that's going to set you
apart?
Let's break them down.
Firstly, there's connection.
Think about the last timesomeone truly understood where
you were coming from.
How did that make you feel?
When your students feel seenand heard, they're more likely
(09:05):
to engage, to trust you and staycommitted to their journey.
Connection is the foundation ofall great teaching.
Next, there's empathy.
Your students aren't just facesbehind a screen.
They're real people with fears,dreams, challenges.
When you design your coursewith empathy in mind, you're
(09:26):
creating a space where yourstudents feel safe to learn, to
experiment and grow.
That's something that AI willnever be able to replicate.
And then there's storytelling.
Stories are how we make senseof the world.
They inspire us, they teach usand they connect us.
When you weave storytellinginto your course, you make your
(09:49):
content memorable and relatable.
And here's the kicker no AI cantell your story.
Your story is unique.
It's yours and yours alone.
No one else knows your storyexcept you.
And finally, there'spersonalized transformation.
This is the holy grail.
(10:10):
I love this one.
Ai can provide informationright, but only you can guide
your students through atransformation that feels so
deeply personal and meaningful.
Your ability to adapt yourteaching to your students'
unique needs is what will keepthem coming back to you instead
of turning to a facelessalgorithm.
(10:32):
So let's look deeper intoconnection, because it's truly
the bedrock of future-proofingyour course.
Remember, connection, that'sthe very first human skill we
talked about, which is what'sgoing to set you apart from the
AI world.
So when students feel connectedto you, they're more engaged,
they're more likely to completeyour course and, most
(10:55):
importantly, recommend it toothers.
You want to get those referrals, those recommendations.
So connection starts with beingauthentically.
You Show your personality,share your quirks, let your
students see the person behindthe expertise.
Have courage to show the realyou.
But connection isn't just aboutyou.
It's also about creating acommunity.
(11:17):
When your students are going tofeel connected not just to you
but to each other, you'vecreated something AI can never
touch a sense of belonging,whether it's a Facebook group, a
live Q&A session or a space forpeer feedback in your course.
Fostering community in yourcourse adds immense value.
(11:41):
Now think about empathy.
Designing your course withempathy means understanding your
students pain points, theirgoals and what might be holding
them back.
This isn't something you guessat.
It's something you uncover bylistening to your audience,
asking them questions andgenuinely caring about their
success.
And empathy can be hard forsome people, I know, but it
(12:05):
starts by stepping into yourstudents' shoes.
Imagine the day-to-daychallenges.
Are they juggling a full-timejob, are they raising kids, or
are they navigating a major lifetransition?
These are the realities thatwill shape how your students
learn and how they're going tointeract with your course.
When you acknowledge thesefactors, you show your students
(12:27):
that you can understand theworld, and that alone can make
them feel supported.
For example, if you're teachinga course on starting a business,
it's not enough just to providea list of steps.
You need to address the fearsyour students might have.
What if I fail?
What if I'm not cut out forthis?
What if I can't afford to takea risk?
(12:49):
When you acknowledge thosefears and offer actionable
reassurance, you're doingsomething that AI can't.
You're creating a humanconnection that makes your
students feel seen.
But empathy isn't just aboutaddressing fears.
It's also about celebratingwins, both big and small.
Did a student complete theirfirst module?
(13:10):
Celebrate it.
Did they tackle a challengingconcept?
Acknowledge their effort.
These moments of recognitionbuild confidence and trust,
which are critical for fosteringlong-term engagement.
Finally, empathy requiresadaptability.
No two students are the sameand their learning journeys will
reflect that.
(13:30):
Some of your students mightneed extra guidance, while
others might prefer to exploreindependently.
But when you design your coursewith flexibility in mind in
other words, offering multipleformats, optional resources or
opportunities for personalizedfeedback you show your students
that their unique needs reallymatter to you.
(13:52):
And when you lead with empathy,your course becomes so much
more than just a transfer ofknowledge.
It becomes a transformativeexperience that empowers your
students to achieve their goalswhile feeling supported every
single step of the way.
Storytelling is another one ofyour secret weapons.
It's what turns dry informationinto a captivating experience.
(14:16):
But here's the thingstorytelling isn't just about
entertainment.
It's about making your contentrelatable and memorable.
Let's say you're teaching acourse on public speaking.
Instead of just listing tips,share a story about the time you
bombed your first presentationand what you learned from it.
That vulnerability makes yourelatable.
It shows your students thatyou've been where they are and
(14:38):
that success is possible forthem, too.
Your stories are unique to you.
No AI can replicate them, andthat's why they're so powerful.
My own story, of coursecreation happened 10 years ago,
and it's taken me 10 years tofigure a lot of things out about
the digital online arena.
I started with creatingresources for teachers educators
(14:59):
around the world and I havecompletely pivoted almost 360 to
now be supporting and mentoringand teaching entrepreneurs.
I've gone from educators toparents to now entrepreneurs.
The evolution of my digitaljourney online has been a huge
one, and it's taken 10 years tofigure some things out, to work
(15:21):
out what niche really alignswith my passions and my
interests, and so you need tolook at your own story, and what
is it about your story thatmakes you unique, that makes you
stand out?
Finally, let's talk aboutpersonalized transformation, and
this is where you truly setyourself apart.
Ai can give general advice, butit can't adapt to the
(15:42):
individual needs of yourstudents.
Only you can.
Personalized transformationstarts with understanding your
students' goals.
What do they want to achieve bythe end of your course?
Once you know that you cantailor your content, your
examples and even your feedbackto help them reach those goals,
and don't forget aboutcelebrating new wins, no matter
how small.
(16:03):
When your students feelsupported and acknowledged,
they're more likely to stickwith your course and achieve the
transformation that they signedup for.
Alright, so we've talked aboutwhy these human skills are
essential.
Now let's get practical.
How can you incorporateconnection, empathy,
storytelling and personalizedtransformation into your course?
There are five steps to thinkabout.
(16:24):
Step one is start with youraudience.
Survey them, talk to them, findout what they need and design
your course around that.
In Teaching Mastery Academies,we have heaps of tools to
support our students, to showthem how to create surveys, how
to talk to their own audiencesto really start to understand
what they need.
Teachers have to be greatlisteners and we have to be able
(16:47):
to read the room, and in anonline arena, it's not
necessarily that easy to readthe room, but we do have tools
to our advantage that we can useto do that.
So step two is to use stories inevery module.
Share your own experiences, butalso invite your students to
share theirs.
Once again, in Teaching MasteryAcademy, we go through
(17:08):
techniques and formats that youcan use to be able to invite
your students to share theirstories to be able to start to
build that sense of community.
But in the meantime, start withyour own, and I would love to
hear your story.
If you're listening to thispodcast and you'd like to share
your background and where you'vecome with your own digital
course creation, I'll link anopportunity for you to do so in
(17:28):
the show notes, because, ascourse creators, it's a very
lonely world out there.
We live in our office or athome with our laptops and we
don't really go into anoffice-based space with a lot of
other people around us to sortof have those chats around the
drinking fountain and that kindof thing, and so being able to
feel like you're connected insome shape or form goes a long
(17:50):
way to building trust with yourstudents and with your future
students.
So think about ways that youcan invite students into your
world to share their stories andvice versa, and never
underestimate the power ofstorytelling.
The third step is to buildcommunity.
So, whether it's through livesessions or an online group,
give your students a space toconnect, and I know that
(18:13):
sometimes it's not easy whenyou're just starting out and you
don't have many students tobuild that community.
But I think that if you keepencouraging people to sign up,
to provide those opportunitiesfor people to share their
stories and to connect in someshape or form, then you can
slowly build a community fromthere.
Step four is to offerpersonalized feedback.
(18:35):
Even if it's just a quickcomment on an assignment, that
personal touch makes a bigdifference.
Now I know that a lot of youwill have evergreen courses
running or courses where you'renot able to take students
through it.
Live In Teaching MasteryAcademy we have a whole module
on personalized feedback, on howto create connection, even for
evergreen courses.
(18:55):
So there's ways around it thatyou can.
You can offer and give thatsense of personalization to your
students, but in some shape orform, do try and give some type
of feedback to your students.
And then step five is tocontinuously improve.
You want to be asking forfeedback from your community and
from your students and then useit to refine your course.
(19:17):
Show your students that youcare about their experience.
Their experience should be atthe very heart of everything
that you do in your coursecreation.
They are the center of youruniverse.
Without your students you wouldhave nothing.
They are so important and sotheir needs and their feedback
is absolute gold.
(19:37):
So, my friends, the world ofcourse creation is changing, but
the core of what makes a greatteacher has it, and if you have
a digital course, if you arecoaching a group of people, if
you are putting together a videoseries on something that you
want to teach others, then youare a teacher.
Every digital course creatorout there is a teacher of some
(20:00):
shape or form.
In order to be a great teacher,you need to think about how you
can beat the AI algorithm.
Ai can do a lot, but it can'treplace you.
It can't replicate your empathy, your stories or your ability
to connect with your students ona human level.
So, as you create or refineyour courses, lean into what
(20:22):
makes you uniquely.
You Build that connection,teach with empathy, share your
stories and, most importantly,focus on guiding your students
through a transformation thatfeels personal and profound.
So thank you for tuning in totoday's episode of Teaching
Mastery Academy.
If you found this episodevaluable, I would love it if you
(20:43):
could share it with your fellowcourse creators and leave a
review.
Let's spread the word thathuman connection is the future
of learning.
Until next time, keep teachingboldly and living fully.
Bye for now.
Hello, my brilliant course creators and
entrepreneurial trailblazers,welcome back to Teaching Mastery
Academy.
This is the podcast that equipsyou with the strategies and the
insights to make your coursesunforgettable and unstoppable.
I am so excited about today'sepisode because we are looking
(00:22):
at a topic that is more relevantthan ever, and it's only going
to get more and more and moreimportant as the next few months
carry on, and the topic thatwe're looking at today is how to
future-proof your courses in aworld dominated by AI and free
information.
Now, the reason why I wanted tobring this up today is because
(00:46):
it's the start of 2025 and Iwanted to paint a picture of the
reality that we're living inright now.
Currently, we've got AIartificial intelligence which
can spit out answers, it canwrite essays for us and it can
even generate entire courses inminutes.
Free content is just a clickaway for anyone with an internet
(01:08):
connection, and this is aproblem for course creators,
because, as information becomesmore and more accessible and
available and watered down, whatis going to set you apart?
Did you know that I didn't evenstumble across ChatGPT until it
would have been last year?
(01:29):
I think it would have beenaround about June last year, and
it was only because at the time, I was developing a digital
product around floor plans,because my husband had an
architectural design office aspart of his company and we
wanted to be able to offer thedesigns that we were creating
(01:50):
because they were beautifuldesigns.
We had 3D videos that you couldwalk through with your 3D
goggles on and renders and allsorts and the product that we
were offering clients.
They really loved and we wethought how can we bring this to
a wider market, because thearchitectural design market was
(02:10):
quite high priced.
How do you bring that to thewider market so that everybody
can have a chance to have anarchitecturally designed home?
Anyway, I digress.
So I was creating this onlinebrand for him and I was working
with some professionals who werehelping me create this digital
brand and they mentioned to meabout ChatGPT and they said did
(02:32):
you know that it can writeemails in seconds, it can write
whole website landing pages inminutes and it does all these
sort of wonderful things.
And I was really turned off bythe idea because I thought, if I
rely on something like this,then all of my creative license
and my voice, my unique voice,disappears and it all becomes
(02:53):
very automated and almost likerobot-like, and I actually sat
on that for a few weeks before Ieven bothered to look at
CheckGPT, before I even Googledit.
I was very resistant to theidea of it, and now, since then,
I have come around to this ideaand I can see the benefits and
the negatives of AI andsomething like chat, gpt, and I
(03:17):
think, as course creators, wehave to be.
It's a double-edged sword forus.
We've got to be wary of it inone hand and prepare for it and
counteract it on the other hand,because what we have to give is
so much more valuable than whatan AI algorithm can come up
with, and the reason why isbecause it's our unique voice
and we have the nuances that AIcan't replicate.
(03:40):
Ai can't understand emotion,and so that's what we are going
to explore in today's episode ishow do we counteract AI and
prepare for it, and I have gotfour very strong, very key ways
that the human interaction andthe human connection with our
students will always supersedeAI.
(04:01):
So the future is bright.
If you're a course grader, donot panic, do not fear.
I've got you today.
I've got your back and I'mgoing to help you prepare and be
ready for it.
So grab your favorite beverage,settle in and let's explore how
to future-proof your businessby leaning into what makes you
uniquely human.
Okay, all right, let's startwith the elephant in the room AI
(04:25):
.
Now don't get me wrong.
I love AI for what it can do.
It's a powerful tool.
Need help brainstorming ideas?
Ai's got you.
Want a quick outline for yournext project Done.
But here's the thing AI is not ateacher, it's a tool, and tools
can only go so far.
Let me give you a scenario.
(04:46):
A learner signs up for ageneric AI generated course.
The content is polished, sure,but it's cold, it's
transactional.
There's no spark, there's noconnection, there's no sense
that this course was designedwith them in mind, the learner
in mind.
And when that student hits aroadblock, no AI can step in
(05:07):
with the kind of empathy andtailored guidance that makes a
real difference.
To truly understand why AIfalls short as a teacher, we
need to look at the very natureof learning.
Now, learning isn't just aboutabsorbing information.
If that were the case, we couldall read Wikipedia and call it
a day.
Real learning is abouttransformation.
(05:29):
It's about taking informationand it's about applying it in a
way that changes how you think,how you act or how you feel, and
that requires more than justfacts.
It requires context nuance Ilove that word facts.
It requires context, nuance Ilove that word nuance and a
connection to the learner'spersonal experiences and their
(05:50):
goals.
So think about this.
Ai can explain a concept, butit can't sense confusion on your
face or hear the uncertainty inyour voice.
It can't rephrase itsexplanation in real time to
match your level ofunderstanding and it certainly
can't say I get it.
This part is tough.
Let's try a different approach.
(06:11):
That's what great teachers do.
They adapt, they empathize andthey guide their students
through the messy, non-linearprocess of learning, which is
what we teach in TeachingMastery Academy.
We teach you as course creators, as coaches, as mentors, as
teachers, how to start usingthose nuances of being able to
(06:33):
read the room, read your onlinecourse, read your students, see
what their completion rates arelike, what's going right, what's
going wrong.
These are all nuances that weteach inside Teaching Mastery
Academy as an example, and thisis something that AI can't do
replicate.
Another limitation of AI is itslack of originality when it
(06:54):
comes to engagement.
Sure, it can present facts in aclear and concise way, but can
it tell a story that makes thosefacts come alive?
Can it share a personalanecdote that inspires you to
keep going when the going getstough?
No, ai lacks that human touchthat makes learning feel like a
shared journey rather than asolo slog through information.
(07:16):
And let's talk about motivation.
Let's not leave motivation outof things.
One of the biggest challenges inonline learning is keeping
students engaged.
Without a sense of connectionto the instructor, to the
material and to a community ofpeers, it's easy for students to
lose interest.
Ai can't build thoseconnections.
It can't create a sense ofbelonging or inspire you to
(07:39):
persevere when you're ready togive up.
Now don't get me wrong.
Ai has its place.
It's great for automatingrepetitive tasks or analysing
data or providing quick answersto straightforward questions,
but when it comes to the deeper,more human aspects of teaching
and learning, it simply can'tcompete.
(08:00):
And that's not just my opinion.
Research shows that studentslearn best when they feel
emotionally engaged andsupported by a real person.
That's why even the mostadvanced AI will never replace
the role of a skilled teacher.
So where does this leave you asa course creator?
Well, it leaves you with anincredible opportunity.
(08:21):
While others are scrambling toautomate every aspect of their
business.
You can double down on whatmakes you uniquely valuable your
humanity.
By focusing on connection,empathy and personalized
transformation, you can createcourses that not only stand out,
but also deliver the kind ofresults that AI generated
(08:43):
content can only dream of.
So what exactly are these humanskills that's going to set you
apart?
Let's break them down.
Firstly, there's connection.
Think about the last timesomeone truly understood where
you were coming from.
How did that make you feel?
When your students feel seenand heard, they're more likely
(09:05):
to engage, to trust you and staycommitted to their journey.
Connection is the foundation ofall great teaching.
Next, there's empathy.
Your students aren't just facesbehind a screen.
They're real people with fears,dreams, challenges.
When you design your coursewith empathy in mind, you're
(09:26):
creating a space where yourstudents feel safe to learn, to
experiment and grow.
That's something that AI willnever be able to replicate.
And then there's storytelling.
Stories are how we make senseof the world.
They inspire us, they teach usand they connect us.
When you weave storytellinginto your course, you make your
(09:49):
content memorable and relatable.
And here's the kicker no AI cantell your story.
Your story is unique.
It's yours and yours alone.
No one else knows your storyexcept you.
And finally, there'spersonalized transformation.
This is the holy grail.
(10:10):
I love this one.
Ai can provide informationright, but only you can guide
your students through atransformation that feels so
deeply personal and meaningful.
Your ability to adapt yourteaching to your students'
unique needs is what will keepthem coming back to you instead
of turning to a facelessalgorithm.
(10:32):
So let's look deeper intoconnection, because it's truly
the bedrock of future-proofingyour course.
Remember, connection, that'sthe very first human skill we
talked about, which is what'sgoing to set you apart from the
AI world.
So when students feel connectedto you, they're more engaged,
they're more likely to completeyour course and, most
(10:55):
importantly, recommend it toothers.
You want to get those referrals, those recommendations.
So connection starts with beingauthentically.
You Show your personality,share your quirks, let your
students see the person behindthe expertise.
Have courage to show the realyou.
But connection isn't just aboutyou.
It's also about creating acommunity.
(11:17):
When your students are going tofeel connected not just to you
but to each other, you'vecreated something AI can never
touch a sense of belonging,whether it's a Facebook group, a
live Q&A session or a space forpeer feedback in your course.
Fostering community in yourcourse adds immense value.
(11:41):
Now think about empathy.
Designing your course withempathy means understanding your
students pain points, theirgoals and what might be holding
them back.
This isn't something you guessat.
It's something you uncover bylistening to your audience,
asking them questions andgenuinely caring about their
success.
And empathy can be hard forsome people, I know, but it
(12:05):
starts by stepping into yourstudents' shoes.
Imagine the day-to-daychallenges.
Are they juggling a full-timejob, are they raising kids, or
are they navigating a major lifetransition?
These are the realities thatwill shape how your students
learn and how they're going tointeract with your course.
When you acknowledge thesefactors, you show your students
(12:27):
that you can understand theworld, and that alone can make
them feel supported.
For example, if you're teachinga course on starting a business,
it's not enough just to providea list of steps.
You need to address the fearsyour students might have.
What if I fail?
What if I'm not cut out forthis?
What if I can't afford to takea risk?
(12:49):
When you acknowledge thosefears and offer actionable
reassurance, you're doingsomething that AI can't.
You're creating a humanconnection that makes your
students feel seen.
But empathy isn't just aboutaddressing fears.
It's also about celebratingwins, both big and small.
Did a student complete theirfirst module?
(13:10):
Celebrate it.
Did they tackle a challengingconcept?
Acknowledge their effort.
These moments of recognitionbuild confidence and trust,
which are critical for fosteringlong-term engagement.
Finally, empathy requiresadaptability.
No two students are the sameand their learning journeys will
reflect that.
(13:30):
Some of your students mightneed extra guidance, while
others might prefer to exploreindependently.
But when you design your coursewith flexibility in mind in
other words, offering multipleformats, optional resources or
opportunities for personalizedfeedback you show your students
that their unique needs reallymatter to you.
(13:52):
And when you lead with empathy,your course becomes so much
more than just a transfer ofknowledge.
It becomes a transformativeexperience that empowers your
students to achieve their goalswhile feeling supported every
single step of the way.
Storytelling is another one ofyour secret weapons.
It's what turns dry informationinto a captivating experience.
(14:16):
But here's the thingstorytelling isn't just about
entertainment.
It's about making your contentrelatable and memorable.
Let's say you're teaching acourse on public speaking.
Instead of just listing tips,share a story about the time you
bombed your first presentationand what you learned from it.
That vulnerability makes yourelatable.
It shows your students thatyou've been where they are and
(14:38):
that success is possible forthem, too.
Your stories are unique to you.
No AI can replicate them, andthat's why they're so powerful.
My own story, of coursecreation happened 10 years ago,
and it's taken me 10 years tofigure a lot of things out about
the digital online arena.
I started with creatingresources for teachers educators
(14:59):
around the world and I havecompletely pivoted almost 360 to
now be supporting and mentoringand teaching entrepreneurs.
I've gone from educators toparents to now entrepreneurs.
The evolution of my digitaljourney online has been a huge
one, and it's taken 10 years tofigure some things out, to work
(15:21):
out what niche really alignswith my passions and my
interests, and so you need tolook at your own story, and what
is it about your story thatmakes you unique, that makes you
stand out?
Finally, let's talk aboutpersonalized transformation, and
this is where you truly setyourself apart.
Ai can give general advice, butit can't adapt to the
(15:42):
individual needs of yourstudents.
Only you can.
Personalized transformationstarts with understanding your
students' goals.
What do they want to achieve bythe end of your course?
Once you know that you cantailor your content, your
examples and even your feedbackto help them reach those goals,
and don't forget aboutcelebrating new wins, no matter
how small.
(16:03):
When your students feelsupported and acknowledged,
they're more likely to stickwith your course and achieve the
transformation that they signedup for.
Alright, so we've talked aboutwhy these human skills are
essential.
Now let's get practical.
How can you incorporateconnection, empathy,
storytelling and personalizedtransformation into your course?
There are five steps to thinkabout.
(16:24):
Step one is start with youraudience.
Survey them, talk to them, findout what they need and design
your course around that.
In Teaching Mastery Academies,we have heaps of tools to
support our students, to showthem how to create surveys, how
to talk to their own audiencesto really start to understand
what they need.
Teachers have to be greatlisteners and we have to be able
(16:47):
to read the room, and in anonline arena, it's not
necessarily that easy to readthe room, but we do have tools
to our advantage that we can useto do that.
So step two is to use stories inevery module.
Share your own experiences, butalso invite your students to
share theirs.
Once again, in Teaching MasteryAcademy, we go through
(17:08):
techniques and formats that youcan use to be able to invite
your students to share theirstories to be able to start to
build that sense of community.
But in the meantime, start withyour own, and I would love to
hear your story.
If you're listening to thispodcast and you'd like to share
your background and where you'vecome with your own digital
course creation, I'll link anopportunity for you to do so in
(17:28):
the show notes, because, ascourse creators, it's a very
lonely world out there.
We live in our office or athome with our laptops and we
don't really go into anoffice-based space with a lot of
other people around us to sortof have those chats around the
drinking fountain and that kindof thing, and so being able to
feel like you're connected insome shape or form goes a long
(17:50):
way to building trust with yourstudents and with your future
students.
So think about ways that youcan invite students into your
world to share their stories andvice versa, and never
underestimate the power ofstorytelling.
The third step is to buildcommunity.
So, whether it's through livesessions or an online group,
give your students a space toconnect, and I know that
(18:13):
sometimes it's not easy whenyou're just starting out and you
don't have many students tobuild that community.
But I think that if you keepencouraging people to sign up,
to provide those opportunitiesfor people to share their
stories and to connect in someshape or form, then you can
slowly build a community fromthere.
Step four is to offerpersonalized feedback.
(18:35):
Even if it's just a quickcomment on an assignment, that
personal touch makes a bigdifference.
Now I know that a lot of youwill have evergreen courses
running or courses where you'renot able to take students
through it.
Live In Teaching MasteryAcademy we have a whole module
on personalized feedback, on howto create connection, even for
evergreen courses.
(18:55):
So there's ways around it thatyou can.
You can offer and give thatsense of personalization to your
students, but in some shape orform, do try and give some type
of feedback to your students.
And then step five is tocontinuously improve.
You want to be asking forfeedback from your community and
from your students and then useit to refine your course.
(19:17):
Show your students that youcare about their experience.
Their experience should be atthe very heart of everything
that you do in your coursecreation.
They are the center of youruniverse.
Without your students you wouldhave nothing.
They are so important and sotheir needs and their feedback
is absolute gold.
(19:37):
So, my friends, the world ofcourse creation is changing, but
the core of what makes a greatteacher has it, and if you have
a digital course, if you arecoaching a group of people, if
you are putting together a videoseries on something that you
want to teach others, then youare a teacher.
Every digital course creatorout there is a teacher of some
(20:00):
shape or form.
In order to be a great teacher,you need to think about how you
can beat the AI algorithm.
Ai can do a lot, but it can'treplace you.
It can't replicate your empathy, your stories or your ability
to connect with your students ona human level.
So, as you create or refineyour courses, lean into what
(20:22):
makes you uniquely.
You Build that connection,teach with empathy, share your
stories and, most importantly,focus on guiding your students
through a transformation thatfeels personal and profound.
So thank you for tuning in totoday's episode of Teaching
Mastery Academy.
If you found this episodevaluable, I would love it if you
(20:43):
could share it with your fellowcourse creators and leave a
review.
Let's spread the word thathuman connection is the future
of learning.
Until next time, keep teachingboldly and living fully.
Bye for now.
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