Teaching Mastery Academy for Digital Course Creators

Unleash the Power of Human Connection: Future-Proof Your Courses in an AI-Driven World

• Francesca Hudson: Teaching Mastery Academy • Season 1 • Episode 15

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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.

What's your back story? Share it here!  (By answering this survey, you agree to share your responses with us. Your data will be handled securely and used to tailor our offerings to better serve you. Participation is optional, and you can read our Privacy Policy for more information.)

 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.

Speaker 1:

Hello, my brilliant course creators and entrepreneurial trailblazers, welcome back to Teaching Mastery Academy. This is the podcast that equips you with the strategies and the insights to make your courses unforgettable and unstoppable. I am so excited about today's episode because we are looking at a topic that is more relevant than ever, and it's only going to get more and more and more important as the next few months carry on, and the topic that we're looking at today is how to future-proof your courses in a world dominated by AI and free information. Now, the reason why I wanted to bring this up today is because it's the start of 2025 and I wanted to paint a picture of the reality that we're living in right now. Currently, we've got AI artificial intelligence which can spit out answers, it can write essays for us and it can even generate entire courses in minutes. Free content is just a click away for anyone with an internet connection, and this is a problem for course creators, because, as information becomes more and more accessible and available and watered down, what is going to set you apart? Did you know that I didn't even stumble across ChatGPT until it would have been last year? I think it would have been around 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 as part of his company and we wanted to be able to offer the designs that we were creating because they were beautiful designs. We had 3D videos that you could walk through with your 3D goggles on and renders and all sorts and the product that we were offering clients. They really loved and we we thought how can we bring this to a wider market, because the architectural design market was quite high priced. How do you bring that to the wider market so that everybody can have a chance to have an architecturally designed home? Anyway, I digress.

Speaker 1:

So I was creating this online brand for him and I was working with some professionals who were helping me create this digital brand and they mentioned to me about ChatGPT and they said did you know that it can write emails in seconds, it can write whole website landing pages in minutes and it does all these sort of wonderful things. And I was really turned off by the 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 very automated and almost like robot-like, and I actually sat on that for a few weeks before I even bothered to look at CheckGPT, before I even Googled it. I was very resistant to the idea of it, and now, since then, I have come around to this idea and I can see the benefits and the negatives of AI and something like chat, gpt, and I think, as course creators, we have to be. It's a double-edged sword for us. We've got to be wary of it in one hand and prepare for it and counteract it on the other hand, because what we have to give is so much more valuable than what an AI algorithm can come up with, and the reason why is because it's our unique voice and we have the nuances that AI can't replicate. Ai can't understand emotion, and so that's what we are going to explore in today's episode is how do we counteract AI and prepare for it, and I have got four very strong, very key ways that the human interaction and the human connection with our students will always supersede AI. So the future is bright.

Speaker 1:

If you're a course grader, do not panic, do not fear. I've got you today. I've got your back and I'm going 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 business by leaning into what makes you uniquely human. Okay, all right, let's start with the elephant in the room AI. 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 your next project Done.

Speaker 1:

But here's the thing AI is not a teacher, it's a tool, and tools can only go so far. Let me give you a scenario. A learner signs up for a generic AI generated course. The content is polished, sure, but it's cold, it's transactional. There's no spark, there's no connection, there's no sense that this course was designed with them in mind, the learner in mind. And when that student hits a roadblock, no AI can step in with the kind of empathy and tailored guidance that makes a real difference. To truly understand why AI falls short as a teacher, we need to look at the very nature of learning.

Speaker 1:

Now, learning isn't just about absorbing information. If that were the case, we could all read Wikipedia and call it a day. Real learning is about transformation. It's about taking information and 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 just facts. It requires context nuance I love that word facts. It requires context, nuance I love that word nuance and a connection to the learner's personal experiences and their goals. So think about this. Ai can explain a concept, but it can't sense confusion on your face or hear the uncertainty in your voice. It can't rephrase its explanation in real time to match your level of understanding and it certainly can't say I get it.

Speaker 1:

This part is tough. Let's try a different approach. That's what great teachers do. They adapt, they empathize and they guide their students through the messy, non-linear process of learning, which is what we teach in Teaching Mastery Academy. We teach you as course creators, as coaches, as mentors, as teachers, how to start using those nuances of being able to read the room, read your online course, read your students, see what their completion rates are like, what's going right, what's going wrong. These are all nuances that we teach inside Teaching Mastery Academy as an example, and this is something that AI can't do replicate.

Speaker 1:

Another limitation of AI is its lack of originality when it comes to engagement. Sure, it can present facts in a clear and concise way, but can it tell a story that makes those facts come alive? Can it share a personal anecdote that inspires you to keep going when the going gets tough? No, ai lacks that human touch that makes learning feel like a shared journey rather than a solo slog through information. And let's talk about motivation. Let's not leave motivation out of things.

Speaker 1:

One of the biggest challenges in online learning is keeping students engaged. Without a sense of connection to the instructor, to the material and to a community of peers, it's easy for students to lose interest. Ai can't build those connections. It can't create a sense of belonging or inspire you to persevere when you're ready to give up. Now don't get me wrong. Ai has its place. It's great for automating repetitive tasks or analysing data or providing quick answers to straightforward questions, but when it comes to the deeper, more human aspects of teaching and learning, it simply can't compete. And that's not just my opinion. Research shows that students learn best when they feel emotionally engaged and supported by a real person. That's why even the most advanced AI will never replace the role of a skilled teacher.

Speaker 1:

So where does this leave you as a course creator? Well, it leaves you with an incredible opportunity. While others are scrambling to automate every aspect of their business. You can double down on what makes you uniquely valuable your humanity. By focusing on connection, empathy and personalized transformation, you can create courses that not only stand out, but also deliver the kind of results that AI generated content can only dream of. So what exactly are these human skills that's going to set you apart?

Speaker 1:

Let's break them down. Firstly, there's connection. Think about the last time someone truly understood where you were coming from. How did that make you feel? When your students feel seen and heard, they're more likely to engage, to trust you and stay committed to their journey. Connection is the foundation of all great teaching. Next, there's empathy. Your students aren't just faces behind a screen. They're real people with fears, dreams, challenges. When you design your course with empathy in mind, you're creating a space where your students feel safe to learn, to experiment and grow. That's something that AI will never be able to replicate.

Speaker 1:

And then there's storytelling. Stories are how we make sense of the world. They inspire us, they teach us and they connect us. When you weave storytelling into your course, you make your content memorable and relatable. And here's the kicker no AI can tell your story. Your story is unique. It's yours and yours alone. No one else knows your story except you. And finally, there's personalized transformation. This is the holy grail. I love this one. Ai can provide information right, but only you can guide your students through a transformation that feels so deeply personal and meaningful. Your ability to adapt your teaching to your students' unique needs is what will keep them coming back to you instead of turning to a faceless algorithm.

Speaker 1:

So let's look deeper into connection, because it's truly the bedrock of future-proofing your course. Remember, connection, that's the very first human skill we talked about, which is what's going to set you apart from the AI world. So when students feel connected to you, they're more engaged, they're more likely to complete your course and, most importantly, recommend it to others. You want to get those referrals, those recommendations. So connection starts with being authentically. You Show your personality, share your quirks, let your students see the person behind the expertise. Have courage to show the real you. But connection isn't just about you. It's also about creating a community. When your students are going to feel connected not just to you but to each other, you've created something AI can never touch a sense of belonging, whether it's a Facebook group, a live Q&A session or a space for peer feedback in your course. Fostering community in your course adds immense value.

Speaker 1:

Now think about empathy. Designing your course with empathy means understanding your students pain points, their goals and what might be holding them back. This isn't something you guess at. It's something you uncover by listening to your audience, asking them questions and genuinely caring about their success. And empathy can be hard for some people, I know, but it starts by stepping into your students' shoes. Imagine the day-to-day challenges. Are they juggling a full-time job, are they raising kids, or are they navigating a major life transition? These are the realities that will shape how your students learn and how they're going to interact with your course. When you acknowledge these factors, you show your students that you can understand the world, and that alone can make them feel supported.

Speaker 1:

For example, if you're teaching a course on starting a business, it's not enough just to provide a list of steps. You need to address the fears your students might have. What if I fail? What if I'm not cut out for this? What if I can't afford to take a risk? When you acknowledge those fears and offer actionable reassurance, you're doing something that AI can't. You're creating a human connection that makes your students feel seen.

Speaker 1:

But empathy isn't just about addressing fears. It's also about celebrating wins, both big and small. Did a student complete their first module? Celebrate it. Did they tackle a challenging concept? Acknowledge their effort. These moments of recognition build confidence and trust, which are critical for fostering long-term engagement. Finally, empathy requires adaptability. No two students are the same and their learning journeys will reflect that. Some of your students might need extra guidance, while others might prefer to explore independently. But when you design your course with flexibility in mind in other words, offering multiple formats, optional resources or opportunities for personalized feedback you show your students that their unique needs really matter to you. And when you lead with empathy, your course becomes so much more than just a transfer of knowledge. It becomes a transformative experience that empowers your students to achieve their goals while feeling supported every single step of the way.

Speaker 1:

Storytelling is another one of your secret weapons. It's what turns dry information into a captivating experience. But here's the thing storytelling isn't just about entertainment. It's about making your content relatable and memorable. Let's say you're teaching a course on public speaking. Instead of just listing tips, share a story about the time you bombed your first presentation and what you learned from it. That vulnerability makes you relatable. It shows your students that you've been where they are and that success is possible for them, too.

Speaker 1:

Your stories are unique to you. No AI can replicate them, and that's why they're so powerful. My own story, of course creation happened 10 years ago, and it's taken me 10 years to figure a lot of things out about the digital online arena. I started with creating resources for teachers educators around the world and I have completely pivoted almost 360 to now be supporting and mentoring and teaching entrepreneurs. I've gone from educators to parents to now entrepreneurs. The evolution of my digital journey online has been a huge one, and it's taken 10 years to figure some things out, to work out what niche really aligns with my passions and my interests, and so you need to look at your own story, and what is it about your story that makes you unique, that makes you stand out?

Speaker 1:

Finally, let's talk about personalized transformation, and this is where you truly set yourself apart. Ai can give general advice, but it can't adapt to the individual needs of your students. Only you can. Personalized transformation starts with understanding your students' goals. What do they want to achieve by the end of your course? Once you know that you can tailor your content, your examples and even your feedback to help them reach those goals, and don't forget about celebrating new wins, no matter how small. When your students feel supported and acknowledged, they're more likely to stick with your course and achieve the transformation that they signed up for. Alright, so we've talked about why these human skills are essential.

Speaker 1:

Now let's get practical. How can you incorporate connection, empathy, storytelling and personalized transformation into your course? There are five steps to think about. Step one is start with your audience. Survey them, talk to them, find out what they need and design your course around that. In Teaching Mastery Academies, we have heaps of tools to support our students, to show them how to create surveys, how to talk to their own audiences to really start to understand what they need. Teachers have to be great listeners and we have to be able to read the room, and in an online arena, it's not necessarily that easy to read the room, but we do have tools to our advantage that we can use to do that.

Speaker 1:

So step two is to use stories in every module. Share your own experiences, but also invite your students to share theirs. Once again, in Teaching Mastery Academy, we go through techniques and formats that you can use to be able to invite your students to share their stories to be able to start to build that sense of community. But in the meantime, start with your own, and I would love to hear your story. If you're listening to this podcast and you'd like to share your background and where you've come with your own digital course creation, I'll link an opportunity for you to do so in the show notes, because, as course creators, it's a very lonely world out there. We live in our office or at home with our laptops and we don't really go into an office-based space with a lot of other people around us to sort of have those chats around the drinking fountain and that kind of thing, and so being able to feel like you're connected in some shape or form goes a long way to building trust with your students and with your future students. So think about ways that you can invite students into your world to share their stories and vice versa, and never underestimate the power of storytelling.

Speaker 1:

The third step is to build community. So, whether it's through live sessions or an online group, give your students a space to connect, and I know that sometimes it's not easy when you're just starting out and you don't have many students to build that community. But I think that if you keep encouraging people to sign up, to provide those opportunities for people to share their stories and to connect in some shape or form, then you can slowly build a community from there. Step four is to offer personalized feedback. Even if it's just a quick comment on an assignment, that personal touch makes a big difference. Now I know that a lot of you will have evergreen courses running or courses where you're not able to take students through it. Live In Teaching Mastery Academy we have a whole module on personalized feedback, on how to create connection, even for evergreen courses. So there's ways around it that you can. You can offer and give that sense of personalization to your students, but in some shape or form, do try and give some type of feedback to your students.

Speaker 1:

And then step five is to continuously improve. You want to be asking for feedback from your community and from your students and then use it to refine your course. Show your students that you care about their experience. Their experience should be at the very heart of everything that you do in your course creation. They are the center of your universe. Without your students you would have nothing. They are so important and so their needs and their feedback is absolute gold. So, my friends, the world of course creation is changing, but the core of what makes a great teacher has it, and if you have a digital course, if you are coaching a group of people, if you are putting together a video series on something that you want to teach others, then you are a teacher. Every digital course creator out there is a teacher of some shape or form.

Speaker 1:

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't replace you. It can't replicate your empathy, your stories or your ability to connect with your students on a human level. So, as you create or refine your courses, lean into what makes you uniquely. You Build that connection, teach with empathy, share your stories and, most importantly, focus on guiding your students through a transformation that feels personal and profound. So thank you for tuning in to today's episode of Teaching Mastery Academy. If you found this episode valuable, I would love it if you could share it with your fellow course creators and leave a review. Let's spread the word that human connection is the future of learning. Until next time, keep teaching boldly and living fully. Bye for now.

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Francesca Hudson

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