Last Updated: June 11th, 2024
What is the criteria for a Course?
We’re refining the definition of a Course to enhance the experience for educators and learners. Educators who already meet this Course definition are seeing a 20% increase in conversion rate for families looking for a more structured learning experience with defined learning goals and outcomes. Our research shows that having a clearer definition for a Course – as well as for Enrichment & Clubs – will better help families find the right fit.
To meet the criteria of a Course, your class must meet the following:
- Your Course content builds
- Meets for a fixed-length of time
- Has a syllabus
- Offer at least one form of evaluation
- Fill in the learning goals field
- Can either meet live OR async (self-paced classes)
- Has more than one meeting (or more than one lesson for self-paced)
Longer Courses can use units for duplicated lessons in the syllabus. Enrichment & Clubs class descriptions should include at least four example topics or themes for clarity and clear expectations. Note that advanced concept classes may require additional details.
Keep these helpful resources handy:
Why transition to a Course?
First and foremost, this switch is optional. You are not required to switch your Enrichment & Club class that is recurring to be fixed-length to meet the Course criteria if it does not make sense for you to do so. We wanted to make a clear plan for those who wish to easily be able to switch their Enrichment & Club recurring classes to fixed-length cadence to meet the Course criteria. If your Enrichment & Club class meets most of the Course criteria already, we recommend switching, as you’ll experience these benefits:
- Use of the new syllabus feature to streamline and organize your class
- A simplified class administration and scheduling process
- Enrolled families knowing exactly what to expect
Steps to update your Recurring class to Fixed-Length:
To switch your recurring class to a fixed-length, follow the steps outlined in this guide. If you prefer a video walkthrough, you can watch a recording here.
1. Access Your Class Listings
Once logged in, go to your dashboard and select “My Classes” from the menu.
2. Choose the Class to Update
Select the recurring class you want to update and click on it to view its details.
3. Edit Class Details
Click on the “Edit” button to modify the class settings then click on “Edit Format”.
4. Update from Recurring to Fixed-length
After you click on “Edit Format” a pop-up will appear. From there you will want to change the schedule first. For schedule you will want to switch from recurring to fixed-length and set the number of lessons per week over “x” number of weeks. Click on “Save All Changes” when ready (you will make changes to the format at the end).
Once you have saved all changes made, you will be prompted to switch your recurring class to a fixed-length. Once you have reviewed what exactly is changing to your class listing, double-check all details to ensure accuracy. When ready, click on “Confirm and Switch”. Any families enrolled in existing sections of your class will be notified via email of the change. You are welcome to contact families directly if you want to personally inform them about the change. You can also encourage parents to contact support if they have questions about their updated enrollment.
5. Fill in the Syllabus for your class
The class syllabus, located in its own tab, outlines the pacing and topics covered in your class. Each lesson in the syllabus corresponds to a live meeting or a pre-recorded video for self-paced classes (each self-paced class should have a minimum of 1 video per lesson, but every post does not need a video). Units consist of lessons grouped around the same theme. You can add additional context to the lesson description next to the lesson title. While providing a syllabus is recommended for all fixed-length classes, it is required for Courses.
Click on the “Syllabus” tab on the class edit page. Review the difference between a unit and a lesson. Add the title of your lesson and a description, and/or add your units. When ready, click on “Publish Changes”.
When creating a syllabus for your class, it may include three parts: lesson titles, lesson descriptions, and units.
- Lesson titles should provide a quick and clear insight into the lesson’s topic
- Lesson descriptions allow you to expand on the topic by addressing core learnings and highlighting any unique experiences for that lesson
- Units help organize larger themes across groups of lessons and are especially useful for longer courses where some lessons might overlap
It’s not necessary to include unit or lesson numbers within the lesson title.
6. Include Learning Goals
When converting to the Course format, you will need to include the learning goals under the “Learning Goals” attribute. The goals may include curriculum objectives, standards the class will meet, skills, competencies, or techniques to master. Check out Bloom’s Taxonomy if you haven’t set learning goals before.
7. Choose at least one form of evaluation
In addition to the syllabus and learning goals, you must include at least one form of class evaluation. This can be in the form of homework, assessments, or grading.
8. Change from Enrichment & Club to Course
Lastly, you will need to go back to the “Edit” tab, and then click on “Edit Format” and a pop-up will appear.
From there you will want to change the the class format from Enrichment & Club to a Course. Double check the other settings and when ready, click on “Save All Changes”.
Once you have successfully added a syllabus, added learning goals and class evaluation information, you now have a Course. Congratulations! Read more here on how to add posts and assignments to your class.
We’ve added some common questions to this guide for your reference. We will continue to update this FAQ with any new questions that come up, so be sure to keep this guide handy!
FAQ:
Q: When I look at the classroom for sections of my fixed-length class that I switched from recurring, I see some of the lessons show up with “No meeting scheduled.”
A: If you see this notice, please delete and recreate any meetings that pertain to lessons that are displaying as “No meeting scheduled”.
Q: How do payments work for weekly payers when I skip/reschedule meetings for a given week? Do I need to refund them for that week?
A: No. Weekly payments for Courses are a payment plan to help families pay in full across multiple weeks instead of all at once.
Think of weekly payments for Courses as a weekly payment plan. Unlike recurring Enrichment & Clubs where the weekly payment is “pay as you go,” families who select weekly payments in a Course are held to paying the full amount regardless of when the meetings occur.
For example, if you have a 40 week class, that costs $800 total, they’ll be charged $20 per week for every week starting from the first week the section starts. If you have to reschedule a week, they will still be charged for the full amount for the week with the understanding that they will not pay for the rescheduled class later.
Q: If I switch my Enrichment & Club class to a Course, will I lose all of my reviews and classroom data?
A: All class reviews, enrollment data, classroom posts will remain with the class once you switch!
Q: If I switch from an Enrichment & Club class to a Course and want to revert back to the previous class format can I?
A: Yes. You can always switch back to an Enrichment & Club, however, you cannot switch back from fixed length to recurring.
Q: What happens to learners already enrolled in my ongoing recurring class?
A: Learners already enrolled will continue to pay the same weekly price they were paying when the class was recurring. This will continue until the original end date of the section at the time the class changed from recurring to fixed length. If you add more meetings to the section after this change, the end date will be extended, but these already enrolled learners will NOT be charged for the additional weeks. This is similar to what happens in a fixed-length class where learners are not charged for added meetings if they enrolled before the changes.
Q: Wouldn’t it be better if I made one of each – a recurring Enrichment & Club class and a Course? Why convert? What data/information is available to show the benefits of converting to a Course?
A: If your class content is adaptable across different formats, offering multiple versions can be a great strategy. When converting a class, your reviews and enrollments stay linked to that specific class. You always have the option to create a new version of the class if you prefer.
However, ensuring that your classes meet the defined format criteria can lead to higher conversion rates. Our research with families indicated a need for clear class format definitions to help them find the right fit. We conducted several experiments and user studies, which revealed the following:
Clearly distinguishing between “Courses” and “Enrichment & Club” classes positively impacts user engagement. For instance, when users applied the “Course” or “Enrichment & Club” filters during searches, and the results matched our definitions, there was a 20% increase in conversion rates. More people enrolled in classes when they were correctly categorized and filtered.
In summary, by accurately labeling and filtering classes as either “Courses” or “Enrichment & Clubs,” users are better able to find and enroll in the classes that interest them.
Q: Is Outschool getting rid of the recurring option?
A: No. Classes may be recurring and continue to meet each week under the Enrichment & Club class format.
Q: What if I want to keep my Enrichment & Club that is recurring? I prefer not to switch my recurring class to a fixed-length class.
A: No worries. If you think your class would work better as an Enrichment & Club experience, you’re welcome to keep it that way. We’ve made it easy for you to switch formats if you decide to align your class with the Course criteria. This flexibility ensures that your classes are presented in the most appealing way to families, making them easier to find in search results and potentially boosting enrollment.
Q: If I switch my class from recurring to fixed-length to be considered a Course, will enrolled families be notified?
A: Yes! Enrolled families will receive an email notifying them of the change. Here is an example:
Transitioning to a Course can significantly enhance your teaching experience and provide a better structure for your learners. We encourage you to make this update as soon as possible to take full advantage of these benefits. If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to our support team at support@outschool.com.
