Many organizations have a lot of employees who need to be quickly upskilled, but the learners cannot follow traditional learning paths such as attending regular courses. You may also have a limited budget and tight deadlines, along with learning needs that depend on the context. The solution? A structured mentoring program where a cohort of learners follows an accelerated and tailored learning path that combines external learning sources with mentor-created content.
Successful cohort-based learning requires four cornerstones: mentor(s), motivation, ongoing commitment, and a clear goal. Cohort participants must become a cohesive group that encourages and learns from one another.
- A competent and motivational mentor defines the learning path, selects content, creates the program, and leads the cohort
- Motivation takes several forms to augment the motivation coming from the mentor(s)
- Ongoing commitment requires clear goals, schedules, and continuity
- A clear goal is the key that drives cohort members to finish their mentored program successfully
In this session, we will study two successful examples of cohort-based learning programs that demonstrate the importance of the four cornerstones.
In this session, you will learn:
- How mentors become the foundational element of a successful cohort-based program
- To identify and apply key learning motivators in a cohort
- How to increase the impact of cohort-based learning by focusing on the program goal and final assignments