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If you spend any time in the kitchen, you’ve probably seen the brand name OXO. This manufacturer creates a variety of kitchen tools and gadgets, from peelers to pans to coffeepots, and their products can be found everywhere you buy kitchen supplies. They’re one of the most recognizable brands on the market.

Millions of people worldwide are now familiar with the concept and practice of online learning due to the onset of COVID-19. Although many students of all ages pivoted to virtual classes during the pandemic’s height, these changes didn’t always come easily. That’s because there’s a lot more to creating a community in an online space than just a Zoom link, a good internet connection, and a teacher to lead the class.

“Learning” is conventionally thought to be achieved through attending lectures, receiving and reading course materials, doing assigned homework, taking tests, and earning grades.

Crucial Topics, Snore-Worthy Training

Remember the phrase “death by PowerPoint?” When electronic slide presentations were the slick new technology, everyone wanted to throw as much information into a 60-slide deck as possible. Many trainings were heavy on data but didn’t inform or engage their audiences. 

As nonprofits scale their impact, they want to stay true to the core values that serve their learners. Online programs allow organizations to help many more people than they could physically accommodate on-site. Yet preserving the effectiveness and camaraderie of in-person offerings while increasing reach can seem like a contradiction.