1. C1 (Exercise): before you begin exploring the topics in a lesson, we begin each lesson with a short exercise designed to draw connections from your previous experiences to the concepts you are about to learn.
  2. C2 (Video): each lesson provides a short video(s) that serve as your traditional lecture, but with a twist.  In our Online Academy, we have NO videos over fifteen minutes in length.  In today’s busy, interconnected world full of distractions, there is just no way anyone can stay focused for more than fifteen minutes in front of a computer, so we work with human nature rather than against it.
  3. C3 (Apply Your Learning): immediately after watching the video, we follow-up the lecture portion of a lesson with a short activity.  This activity ensures what we were trying to communicate to you was heard and offers you a brief moment to put the concepts into practice in order to increase retention and comprehension.
  4. C4 (Conclusion): after completing a video, we suggest you take a break and come back to the lesson a few days later.  In the meantime, reflect on what is new for you, how you might have applied a new concept from the lesson or what feedback you received when you shared a topic with them.  The conclusion is your chance to express what the new information means to you and your organization.
  5. C5 (Resources): for those who are inspired to go deeper on a topic or have a specific business need to learn more, this section connects you resources we have found useful.  Our curated list of resources offer you links to books, blogs and\or videos that you might not be aware of, but will give you a deeper appreciation of the topic.
  6. C6 (Challenge): finally, for those who are ready to stretch themselves, we offer a challenge.  A challenge is a specific, step-by-step activity you can do with your teams that explores the key elements from the lesson using a helpful technique.

Lastly, we need to give credit where credit is due with respect to the C6 approach and a hearty “thank you” to Karen Greaves and Sam Laing at Growing Agile.  They graciously pioneered this learning approach and shared with us their powerful AL framework.  Without Sam’s and Karen’s inspiration, our Online Academy would be very, very different.