Woah – let’s back the truck up!
It’s the continuous new courses, training and events within the online and social media marketplace that is very concerning to me!
Here, I will discuss an analogy of Fast Food courses, versus Fine Dining…. an analogy of all of the courses on the market.
Before I worked for my own company, Australian Online Therapy Training (AOTT), I was a trainer, assessor and academic educator of counselling, psychotherapy and community services work courses across a number of different educational institutions, over the past 14 years. I have worked in my own private practice as well, alongside work in education. On top of that, I have completed a number of difference courses myself.
So I do think I can speak with some authority to this topic!
The only reason I have discontinued working for a large institution is to focus on the AOTT business.
Here’s a big concern I have – a great many courses in the market don’t offer any grounded practice of skills, substance or quality.
So I liken this to the ‘fast food’ symbolism – where fast food has made humans ill.
It’s my belief that many of these courses aren’t very good for our minds – if they are just distracting us and not really teaching the ‘grounded skills’.
So, it’s ‘fast food’ for the mind in many of these courses, where often this learning leads to more ‘distracted minds’, rather than grounded, quality skills.
Everywhere that I go and teach people, it’s a crying shame that more people don’t come to courses like the courses that I offer – and would choose a $50 course on Udemy, Thinkific or other MOOCs, over learning quality skills in order to provide quality services to clientele.
My observations of the litany of courses out in cyberspace – is that there is a whole lot of junk, junk food and fast food courses that don’t appear to really offer much value at all.
For example, just because something is free – doesn’t mean it is any good!
Consider this – if you are learning a skill in a matter of hours that it would normally take an apprentice, or intern to learn in years, there’s something wrong with this picture.
Delaying gratification appears to be a ‘dirty word’ in training or course structures.
Reflecting on your knowledge and being aware of what you don’t yet know is essential in order to provide good quality training.
So, I’ve had many people ask me – how do I spot a good course, versus one that won’t be worth my time?
The answer to this is complicated and complex, though it’s essential to consider learning the grounded skills, along with being properly assessed, within the course, as to whether or not you do have the skills that you are being taught.
Competence and confidence are the cornerstone to ethical practice and a skilled, learned practitioner, though many believe that they have competence when they may not and often times confidence can mask a lack of competence.
In a nutshell, looking for courses or training to complete, you can’t always look at cheap courses being the answer to your learning needs. Usually, paying quality money for a service means that you will get something from it.
Finding quality courses comes down to a number of factors… it’s essential that you research a course before you complete it, as well as research the trainer or course instructors, or institution.
Reputation and testimonials are essential regarding quality, 5-star courses.
So, you’d be looking for the following, from a quality course:
- Credentials from the trainer, or course instructor – are they a trained trainer?
I hold a Certificate IV in Training & Assessment, as an example.
2. Do they hold credentials or qualifications in the work they are delivering?
As an example, I have completed work in the online education sector, working for large educational institutions and most recently, I have completed an international online therapy qualification.
3. A large amount of their own industry experience?
I have 18 years of counselling, psychotherapy and coaching experience – in the face-to-face environment, and online experience for 10 years.
4. What are the learning outcomes?
Are the learning outcomes achievable – from the amount of time the course is?
5. Lack of quality – Ask yourself – is this an actual course, or something you could find out from a brochure from the provider?
6. Are you wanting to learn in-depth skills?
A 3-hour event will not deliver in-depth skills. Quality courses comes from spending quality time on learning new skills.
7. Do you want to become a more well-rounded professional?
If you do, then spending time on short courses that are cheap may not be your answer. Quality comes with paying quality fees and quality service is then delivered.
8. Are their (the company offering the courses) offers too good to be true?
If this is the case, it probably is too good to be true! Learning about CBT in under 7 hours is not possible, as an example. So – let’s just consider what it is you want to learn and then what needs to be learned, determines the length of the course.
University courses are 3 years, or more, in length for a reason. University allows learners to ponder over course content, submit assignments and have exams in order to embed and ground their knowledge, to become a wiser, more professional and qualified professional.
Consider your top shelf, or 5-start restaurant, they hire the best staff and provide the best service as they don’t scrimp and save on quality.
When we cheapen training, it cheapens us all.
Ultimately, quality is lost in response to the speed and fast food way in which courses are currently being delivered over the internet.
If you want quality and grounded outcomes for your practice, or business, then you need to spend quality time and quality results will come from such quality training.
