So I began to do my research. I downloaded many web design packages. I evaluated each one, asking myself what was their track record. What did they have to show for their money? Obviously, a good web designer wouldn’t just throw up a website. They would also spend time giving me advice, pointing out potential problems, giving me tips on how to create my web design, etc.
Unfortunately, when I was trying to figure out what is outstanding coursework, it seemed like the only thing I was getting was advice. I would see courses listed on various websites that claimed they taught “the best” course in web design or something like that. It was almost as if the designers themselves were saying, “my course is better than yours.” But I wanted to know why that was so. Why weren’t these web design professionals putting in the same amount of effort into their work that I was doing?
After doing a little more research, I realized that there were actually five different components that make up what is outstanding coursework. It wasn’t so much the quality of the work as it was the amount of effort that went into it. The five components of what is outstanding coursework, according to those who have gone through the training, include: Quality Content, Research, Learning, Collaboration, and Results. You may have already figured out what the first two items are. The rest are all related, and each one contributes to the quality of the final product.
Let’s start with the quality content. If the publisher is saying, “our course is so great, we can offer it for free,” you might want to think again before you take their word for it. Most likely, these courses would consist of poorly constructed text and poor formatting. They wouldn’t offer any real value to the person taking them, and it would certainly be worth your while to invest in something else.
Next, let’s talk about research. If the publisher is saying, “we did all of the research for our course, and it’s completely unique,” then you might want to take a second look at the content. A lot of what is outstanding coursework is nothing more than rehashing the information that most people already know. You wouldn’t think that it would be helpful to teach yourself about genital herpes, but these courses do a whole lot of that.
Finally, let’s talk about collaboration and results. If the publisher says, “our course is going to change your career,” you can be pretty sure that there isn’t going to be anything behind the curtain that will make things different. Most people learn what is outstanding coursework through self-study, which often means spending hundreds of hours doing the research. If they’re talking about implementing some sort of secret method that only a handful of people know, it’s probably too good to be true.
The bottom line is, if you’re asking what is outstanding coursework? Then you should be looking for value. Look for something that is designed to help you grow as an individual. It should be designed by someone who knows their stuff, has done their research, and is willing to let you learn at your own pace. You need someone who has taken the time to get to know you as a person and as an artist and has put together an easy to read set of materials that will take you from the basics to the advanced.
