Key Outcomes: A Guide for Instructors

As an online course instructor, your goal is to equip your students with the skills and knowledge they need to achieve their desired outcomes.

Key outcomes are the skills and concepts that students will learn as a result of taking your course, and they are derived from the high-level promise that your course makes to participants.

The Recipe for Well Communicated Key Outcomes

1. To communicate your key outcomes effectively, it's important to keep them action-oriented and aligned with Bloom's Taxonomy.
2. Your key outcomes should directly link to course deliverables, and they should be realistic and concrete, allowing participants to achieve the desired outcome within the time frame of the course.
3. A great way to frame key outcomes is to use a template like this: "How to [action word] so you can [achieve outcome]. You'll leave with [an output/takeaway]."

Examples of Key Outcomes

1. "Learn how to develop a content marketing strategy that drives traffic, leads and sales. You'll leave with a content marketing plan you can implement right away."
2. "Discover the secrets to successful public speaking. You'll leave with the confidence and skills to give impactful presentations."
3. "Master the art of data analysis. You'll leave with the ability to analyze and interpret data, and make informed decisions based on data-driven insights."

Refining Your Key Outcome Copy

1. Avoid being too vague and broad. Instead of "Become a better sales leader", focus on a specific outcome like "Get access to over 15 years of B2B sales templates and case studies and learn how to crack enterprise sales deals twice as fast."
2. Ensure your key outcomes have a clear outcome. Instead of "Learn the basics of AGI technologies", focus on a specific outcome like "Deconstruct what Large Language Models are and how they are being applied in natural language tasks. Learn their business value, and how they can be deployed in your organization with minimal overhead."
3. Don't overpromise. Instead of "Learn investment techniques that will guarantee you a 100% return rate", offer a realistic outcome like "Master fundamental investment frameworks that will help you make better decisions with more data when investing your wealth in the stock market."

Additionally, online cohort-based courses (CBCs) offer other benefits that instructors should highlight along with the key outcomes. These include:

1. Live community and peer support, as well as feedback and networking opportunities.
2. Active learning through direct interactions with instructors and other students.
3. Accountability by taking the course live and progressing together in a cohort setting.

In conclusion, effectively communicating your key outcomes is essential for attracting students and ensuring the success of your online course. By following the recipe for well communicated key outcomes, and highlighting the benefits of online CBCs, you'll be able to differentiate your course and create a compelling value proposition for your students.

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