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STP 95 | How to Structure Online Courses That Keep Learners Engaged with Rebecca Cuevas

Season #3

How to Structure Online Courses That Keep Learners Engaged

Guest: Rebecca Cuevas, Author of Course Design Formula: How to Teach Anything to Anyone Online
Host: James Marland

Episode Summary:
In this episode of Scaling Therapy Practice, Rebecca Cuevas shares her expert advice on designing online courses that captivate learners and deliver transformational results. Rebecca discusses common pitfalls, offers actionable strategies, and explains why starting with a clear transformation goal is essential.

Key Highlights

00:00 Introduction to Scaling Therapy Practice
06:45 Starting with Transformation in Mind

  • "How are people going to be different and better as a result of my course?"

09:29 Why Content Shouldn’t Dictate Structure

  • "Your expertise is a treasure chest of gems, but you need a crown to hold them."

14:11 The Power of Role Models in Learning

  • "People need to see inspiring examples of others who’ve succeeded. It normalizes the process."

17:34 Overcoming Resistance to Change

  • "Therapists have an unfair advantage—they’re trained to help people overcome resistance."

21:14 Avoiding Content Overload

  • "Don’t serve learners a whole cow when they just want a steak dinner."

23:01 Designing for Engagement

  • Rebecca introduces "minimum viable learning design," which simplifies course creation while ensuring effective learning.

27:39 Cutting Content the Right Way

  • "It’s not about cutting; it’s about selecting only what leads directly to the transformation."

30:29 Tools for Course Creation

  • Rebecca shares why she prefers Thinkific for hosting online courses: "It works like Lego pieces—you can create and reuse small elements."

33:12 Final Thoughts: Done is Better Than Perfect

  • "There’s no such thing as perfect—and there’s no such thing as done. Just get out there and do it."

Key Quotes from Rebecca Cuevas

  • "Your course isn’t about you—it’s about the learner and their transformation."
  • "When you focus on transformation, the structure of your course becomes clear."
  • "If you’re thinking about watching thousands of hours of your old videos to create a course, don’t. Start fresh with a design plan."

Resources Mentioned