Personal curriculums

Sep 17 / Stephen Lowe
RNZ had an article about people setting themselves homework as a kind of hobby. More than a hobby, more than a pastime, more like a programme of self improvement.

Not just casual browsing, more like rabbit-holing with intent. I realise I already do it. It goes like this: I get fixated on something or someone, I then want to know everything there is about it or them, I put out tentacles like an octopus, or roots like a tree. I probably buy or borrow several books, join a course, join a Facebook group, search Insta or Spotify. I invite my AI friend to write me a thousand words on it or them. For example, Bipedalism: The Science of Upright Walking - it's a course on edX.

But neurotic behaviour aside, it seems to be a movement away from formal education and towards self-directed learning.

Three distinct types

Amongst this diverse population there seem to be three distinct types. It can be useful to recognise these types, because they have different motivations and they want different outcomes.

Job-seekers are looking to get an edge. With the jobs market so highly competitive any diploma, certificate, or letter of completion could just be what swings it and gets an applicant short-listed for interview. If a candidate for an office manager role has evidence they completed a course on conflict resolution that could just be the standout difference amongst 100 CVs.

Career-minded individuals may also value the certificate slotted in amongst their other evidence, but they actually genuinely want the skills that they can apply in their role and gain the attention of senior staff. Climbing the ladder is their personal goal.

Independents are the third type. These people have a healthy disregard for what others think of them. They are doing this study in their own time, by their own means, and they are likely on a lifetime journey of continuing self-improvement. They do not necessarily distinguish between self development and professional development. They may be retired, or they may have private means and do not need to work.

Select, aim, fire

The trick for the Course Creator is how to meet the needs of all three types in one course, or how to choose which market segment to select, and how to design for that type.

One approach can be borrowed from newspaper writers. Sometimes called the inverted triangle, it's a style of writing where you give the most important and sensational part of the story first, and then you give increasing amounts of back story and detail as you go down the column; the reader will simply drop out when they've had enough. Accordions are a useful device for this approach, as in + or Learn more...

Another approach is offering a free course (written in the inverted triangle style), but charging for authentication and certification.

Your marketing team, and in many cases that may simply mean you, will appreciate selecting one of the three types and accurately targeting their specific need:

  • Job-seekers - fast track to the certificate
  • Career-developers - solid learning plus certificate
  • Independents - solid learning


Good luck, because the knowledge distribution business, while it's a goldfield, it's also a minefield.
Here is the RNZ article that sparked this post.
At The Learning Collaborative we offer a range of services. You can take up one of our Course Creator seats and do your own independent thing, with or without support from us. You can take up one of our Course Creator seats and create your own programme, courses, or course with coaching and support from us. Or you can contract us to deliver a complete end-to-end solution for you from concept, learning design and development, through into your first year of operation.