It’s been almost one month since I started the HBX CORe program with the April cohort and I’ve been reaping the benefits comparing it to off-line courses.
Student Dashboard
Let me start off by saying how amazing the HBX CORe platform is: it’s remarkable. I’ve taken online courses on Canvas & Blackboard and faced my share of technical glitches and hurdles. However, the CORe learning management system is nothing compared to those two –it is seamless, clean and extremely user-friendly enhancing the overall user experience.I have to say, having such an awesome dashboard has helped me navigate through the three courses faster. I actually look forward to logging in and clicking everything (yes, every time!). I do have one bone to pick though –I wish this was an iOS-friendly dashboard so I could access content while traveling via my cellular data plan.
Peer Help
There is this neat feature within HBX CORe called “Peer Help” which encourages students to ask questions, doubts and clarifications. One downside of this is when I’m in an offline classroom – I just turn to my neighbor and get an immediate response. If I’m not satisfied with it, I can stay after class and ask the professor or raise my hand during class.
In HBX CORe, there is a one-on-one messaging feature however it requires waiting for a reply and checking back every few hours to see if there is a reply. To mimic the off-line peer help experience, I wish there was an instant chat feature where students can ping other online students.
Real-Life Scenarios
Another really great thing about the way the three courses have been developed is the fact that they bring the outside in. And by that I mean –they use real-life scenarios from nearby Boston businesses to teach and apply concepts – everything from yoga studios to grocery stores. It’s like a case study except I get to see and hear owners of businesses actually discuss problems versus reading about it in 20 pages.
Pretty cool, right?
What’s even cooler is that after one concept, the case doesn’t change! Instead, it builds off our previous learnings and continues to tie everything together. This creates a smooth and logical curriculum for each of the three courses –one where everything is woven together cohesively versus having students shift gears every class. I have a better understanding of the concepts taught because I can put a face to the problem and see an application of a solution.
Don’t be surprised if you read a blog post about me visiting these local businesses and going on a foreign chocolate shopping spree!
