Cohort-based Learning

Also known as: cohort-based course, CBC

A cohort-based course delivers content on a synchronous schedule to a defined group of learners who progress together, with live sessions, peer accountability, and instructor feedback — in contrast to self-paced courses.

Cohort-based learning trades the unlimited flexibility of self-paced courses for stronger completion outcomes and peer effects. Completion rates for cohort courses typically range from 60% to 90%, vs single-digit completion for free self-paced MOOCs.

Universities typically run a hybrid: degree programmes are cohort-based by semester, while supplementary skill tracks and certifications run self-paced.

Related terms

Adaptive Learning

Adaptive learning is an instructional approach in which content, pacing, and assessment difficulty adjust to each learner's observed performance — typically through Bayesian or item-response-theory models running over learner interaction data.

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