presentation training courses online

TED’s Official Public Speaking Course

Master a variety of communication skills with TED’s official public speaking course, now available on YouTube Courses. This course will teach you how to identify, develop and share your best ideas with the world.

YouTube Courses are currently only available in the United States, but YouTube is working on expanding into other regions in 2023.

The proceeds from this course support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission of creating and distributing free, high-quality animations.

Master the art of public speaking

• Craft them into compelling narratives.
• Present so that people want to listen.

Become a better communicator

• Establish a connection with your listeners.
• Give more persuasive presentations.
• Explain complex ideas.

© 2024 TED Conferences, LLC. All rights reserved. Please note that the TED Talks Usage policy does not apply to this content and is not subject to our creative commons license.

Best Presentation Skills Training

The ability to present your ideas confidently and persuasively is the single greatest skill you can learn to succeed in a globally competitive world. Here are the best Presentation Skills Training courses to you to help you achieve this.

What Makes an Effective Presentation?

Futurelearn.

On this course, you will have the opportunity to discuss the features of an effective presentation and investigate how to design and develop your own presentation. You will explore effective presentation techniques to help you evaluate and improve your presentation skills.

Course link:  Learn more

Auther: Andrew Preshous

Presenting on Video (with Online Practice)

Virtualspeech.

Learn how to deliver successful video-based presentations on Zoom, Webex and more. Then you have the unique opportunity to practice, improve and build your confidence in our virtual presentation simulator.

Auther: Dom Barnard

High Impact Presentation

Dale carnegie.

Effective communication is critical in any role. Whether you are persuading colleagues, selling to a client, or energizing a team, the power of your presentation makes the difference between success and failure. This course teaches how to properly execute your presentation and stand out from the crowd.

Auther: Multiple

Seth Godin on Presenting to Persuade

Instead of focusing on the craft of making slides, Seth Godin takes you on a journey to understand what your presentation is actually for. He'll help you see that a presentation is a unique and powerful opportunity, a chance to be heard, a moment where you have the leverage to make something happen.

Auther: Seth Godin

Presenting Made Brilliant

Rada business.

This online course is an intensive, practical course that takes the focus away from what you present and instead focuses on how you present. You are taught how to build a confident and credible presence in highly pressured environments, how to open and close presentations convincingly, and more.

Auther: Jem Stein

Professional Business Presentations

This course discusses how to effectively create presentations with quality formatting, the proper design elements and organization. The learner will identify the proper presentation format and software for their audience.

Auther: Debora Sepich

The Art of Effective Presentations

Pluralsight.

Tell a story, engage the audience, leave them inspired. This course provides a roadmap for delivering effective presentations and motivating an audience through forming your message, designing visuals and demos, preparing for the unexpected, and effective delivery strategies.

Auther: John Papa

Presenting with Confidence

Learn how to present confidently to hook your audiences, stakeholders, and colleagues, keep them engaged and leave a lasting impression. Make an impact whether online or in-person.

Auther: Gagan Singh

Design Better Presentations

Creativelive.

This class will teach you basic design principles you can apply to your presentation decks. You’ll learn how to work with type, color and image and lay out information with confidence. You’ll also Identify what type of presenter you are and design your presentation to support this.

Auther: Lara McCormick

Establishing Credibility as a Speaker

Linkedin learning.

Audiences will assess the credibility of presenters before they even begin speaking. In this course, Laura Bergells shares techniques that help speakers develop personal credibility. She shows you how to earn the attention and interest of your audience right away by using key nonverbal and emotional skills.

Auther: Laura Bergells

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Through stories, videos and case examples, this program offers an actionable, step-by-step method anyone can adopt to create and deliver inspiring in person or virtual presentations that are engaging, persuasive and memorable.

Auther: Carmine Gallo

Mastering Presentation Design

Taking the time to customize decks to match an audience's style or to fit the mood of the project will set the best possible stage for your ideas or offer. You’ll learn step-by-step how to research visual styles, source free high-quality images and fonts, create strong layouts, customize slides to sell your ideas or project, and lots more.

Auther: Lara Evens

Data Analysis and Presentation Skills: the PwC Approach

Explore how a combination of better understanding, filtering, and application of data can help you solve problems faster - leading to smarter and more effective decision-making. You'll learn how to present data to others in a way that gets them engaged in your story and motivated to act.

Auther: Alex Mannella

Communication Skills and Teamwork

Effective writing and presentation skills are essential for career success. Learn how to create and deliver high-impact communications, improve your soft skills, and effectively lead and collaborate on teams.

Auther: Jim Pautz

Designing a Presentation

In this course, designer Tony Harmer takes you through the essentials of presentation design to give you the tools you'll find most useful in thinking about, designing, and building successful presentations. Tony covers a variety of key topics, including mood boards, layout, color considerations, type, graphics and images, charts, transitions, and animations.

Auther: Tony Harmer

High-Impact Presentations (with Online Practice)

High-stakes presentations require more than just basic presentation skills. They require professional-level delivery techniques and the confidence to deliver at the highest level in any business setting. This course teaches you how to execute important presentations, which you can then practice in interactive exercises.

Auther: Julian Mayhew

Become a confident public speaker and deliver engaging presentations. Learn tools to overcome self-doubt so you can build your confidence, strategies to create your content, performance techniques to help you stay grounded and calm, and more.

Auther: Cherokee Lebon

What's your goal today?

1. hire us to train you or your team.

We've helped individuals & teams raise millions, convince CEO's to spend billions, and inpire thousands to act. To discover how we can help you create killer presentations for high-stakes meetings:

• Read our case studies and customer testimonials
• Learn about us, our unique values, beliefs and quirks
• Claim your FREE trial of our flagship course 'Decks for Decsion Makers'

2. Learn how to create a killer presentation

Download a free copy of our Accelerator Kit. All the resources we have ever made (for FREE) including our Advanced Guide to Business Presentaitons eBook and our PowerPoint Template (with over 1,000 professionally designed slides). You’ll also be subscribed to our email newsletter and notified whenever we publish new articles or have something interesting to share.

Browse our articles, containing an amazing number of useful insights, techniques and tools. The content in these articles forms the beadrock of our methodology and course.

• Advanced Guide to McKinsey Presentations

Pitch Decks & Funding Proposals

• Complete Guide to Busienss Charts
• The Best Presentation Tools
• Conquering Public Speaking Anxiety

3. Contact Us

We help businesses worldwide. So contact us. .

SlideHeroes is the web's premium online presentation training program.

Learn the  presentation skills  you need to convince the c-suite and to close the toughest deals., access online training, tools and coaching to help you blow the minds of the toughest audience. get started 100% free., expert training for high-stakes meetings that goes beyond public speaking, leveraging logical structure, story, data visualization, and the fundamentals of design., get started.

Trusted by employees of some of the world's best companies

Who we help

Individuals.

We teach professionals how to create presentations that inspire action, win at work, and advance careers.

• Instant access, available 24/7 for maximum convenience.
• Proven presentation methodology used by McKinsey, Google and top investment banks.
• Certification to share on LinkedIn.

We help teams strategically communicate with and influence the C-Suite, senior executives, and the toughest of customers.

• Online learning model takes 40-50% less employee time to learn concepts.
• Proven presentation methodology ensures consistency across team.
• Optional small group, live coaching to receive feedback on real world work.

How we are different

Virtual masterclass.

A proven development methodology focused on structure, story, substance, style and self-confidence.

Instant Access

Online video lessons available 24/7 for maximum convenience. Self-paced lessons provide complete flexibility.

Certification

Earn presentation excellence Certification. Share achievements on LinkedIn.

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Cancel anytime in your first 30 days and receive a full refund.

Bootcamps (Teams only)

Week-long intensive training program. Blended combination of on-demand Masterclass video lessons and live, group webinars.

Integrations (Teams only)

We will work with you to integrate SlideHeroes into your existing corporate learning environment.

This is one of the best online training programs available. 

In a very short time it improved my storytelling skills and presentation abilities. The material was broken down just right, so that I could learn and take action piece-by-piece. 

Over a year later I’m about to study the material again and I’m looking forward to it. 

While content is king, the production value in the training is amazing. It’s very enjoyable to watch.

Nathan Slaughter Goldman Sachs

Don't take our word for it

We have helped accelerate the careers of hundreds of professionals. See what some of our customers from across the globe have to say.

Incredible value for the content and the expertise that presents it. It’s content and development I consistently go back to before I create important presentations.

Very structured course with strong recommendations and exercises for each subject addressed. It is easy and pleasant to follow. I also would like to point out the support, it was very quick and effective to help me anytime I needed. Every dollar was well spent!

SlideHeroes is a great idea, I joined consulting to learn this skill set! The course is very helpful, with lots of supporting links to further reading, and a great option to complete the lessons while working on a real-life presentation project.

Learn more. Progress faster.

Advanced guide to mckinsey-style business presentations.

The ultimate guide to writiing clear, concise, and convincing business presentations. Our 10,000 word manifesto.

The consensus view from the world's leading venture capitalists on what you need in your funding pitch.

Presentation Teardown: BCG Presentation Review

A 'teardown' of a presentation from Bonston Consulting Group, exploring what it does well and areas where there is room for improvement.

• Microsoft PowerPoint 365

Testimonials (148 reviews)

• Microsoft Office

Premium video tutorials

Award-winning instructors

Personalized learning

Get certified

Learn at your own pace

Mobile (learn on-the-go)

Unlimited tests and quizzes

Regularly updated content

Want to create effective PowerPoint presentations but don’t know where to start? Whether you are new to PowerPoint or have some experience and want to improve your skills, this online course has something for everyone, covering beginner, intermediate and advanced lessons in PowerPoint.

In 51 engaging lessons you will learn basic techniques including how to use themes and layouts, add audio visual components to your presentations and more. You will also learn intermediate and advanced techniques such as how to add animations, print, reuse and copy slides plus more.

Whether you use PowerPoint for work or study, these tutorials will start you on your journey to becoming a PowerPoint pro!

The course is PowerPoint 2019 and Microsoft 365 compliant (previously known as Office 365). Video tutorials are recorded in Microsoft PowerPoint 365 / 2019.

For older versions of PowerPoint, visit our course for Microsoft PowerPoint versions 2010-2016 .

Once enrolled, our friendly support team and tutors are here to help with any course related inquiries.

Accreditations and approvals

Deborah Ashby

Course introduction 1 lesson free lesson, hello and welcome to powerpoint.

In this lesson, we will be introduced to the instructor who will share the course outline, communicate the scope, any assumptions/pre-requisites and give a high-level overview of what to expect.

Modern Slide Layouts 2 lessons

The golden rules of good slide design.

In this lesson, we will discuss modern slide layouts and show examples of engaging, slick presentations. We will run-through presentation tips, things to consider when designing slide-decks and also things to avoid. This lesson will contain lots of examples of good and bad presentations.

Resources and Inspiration

In this lesson, we'll look at a number of free resources for high-quality images, icons and videos for use in presentations. We'll also discuss where to go for inspiration when it comes to slide layouts, use of color, iconography, and images.

Essential PowerPoint Skills 8 lessons Free Lesson

Launching powerpoint and the start screen.

We'll examine the different ways to launch PowerPoint and run through the functionality available on the Start Screen.

Get To Know the PowerPoint Interface

Get familiar with the different areas that make up the PowerPoint Interface. This includes the ribbon structure, groups, commands, dialog launchers, scroll bars and the status bar. This lesson is also designed to familiarize you with important PowerPoint terminology.

The Quick Access Toolbar (QAT)

We introduce the Quick Access Toolbar which allows users to execute frequently used commands with one-click. We also learn how to add commands to the Quick Access Toolbar using two different methods.

Contextual Menus and Ribbons

We will learn about the mini-toolbar for quick formatting and explore the options available in the right-click contextual menus. We'll also cover the concept of contextual ribbons that only appear when needed.

Accessing Help and Search Features

In this lesson, we will learn how to access help on demand whilst working in PowerPoint using the F1 key and the search bar. We will also learn how to turn the Help ribbon on through PowerPoint options to access training, community forums and blogs.

Creating and Saving a New Presentation

Let's create our first new presentation using a blank template. We'll learn how to save presentations locally and to the cloud, and understand how this determines how the presentation is saved going forward.

Diving In to PowerPoint Templates

Let's explore the pre-designed templates available in PowerPoint. We will learn how to search for templates, browse categories, pin favourites, load them, make changes and save them for reuse.

Working with Slide Layouts

In this lesson, we will learn all about the different slide layouts available in PowerPoint. We'll learn how to create new slides and apply different layouts to each, paying attention to text placeholders and content icons.

Let's Get Started - Slide Workshop! 27 lessons Free Lesson

"title slide" - start with a bang - part 1.

We will create an eye-catching title slide using the title slide layout. Then, we'll create a title slide manually from a blank slide using text boxes and basic shapes.

"Title Slide" - Start with a Bang! - Part 2

Selecting and aligning objects on a slide.

In this important lesson, we will learn how to select objects and use alignment tools, distribution tools, grouping, gridlines and guides to position multiple objects on the slide. A must for a professional looking presentation!

"About Us" - Using Images, Icons and Text - Part 1

We will create an 'About Us' slide and learn how to insert pictures, icons and text. We will also learn the basics of moving and resizing objects and some simple but effective formatting techniques.

"About Us" - Inserting Images, Icons and Text - Part 2

"divider slide" - shapes, fills and format shapes - part 1.

We will create a divider slide to separate different topics in a presentation. We will also learn how to download, save and use high-quality large images as the slide background and use the merge and union facility to merge a picture across multiple shapes.

"Divider Slide" - Working with shapes, merge and union and icons - Part 2

We will finish creating a divider slide to separate different topics in a presentation. We will also learn how to add quote text, a slide number and apply font formatting properties. 

Managing Slides

A simple lesson where we will learn how to duplicate and modify slides, replace images and change the z-order of objects on a slide. We will also learn how to re-organize and arrange slides using the thumbnail view and slide sorter view.

Dividing up a Presentation with Sections

We will learn how to divide up a presentation into manageable chunks to assist with editing, navigation and organization.

"Meet the Team" - Crop and Fill

An introduction to a very useful pairing - crop and fill. We will create a 'Meet the Team' slide and fill shapes with pictures that fit perfectly without distortion.

"Our Services" - Shapes, Pictures and Animation - Part 1

In this lesson, we will start to build an 'Our Services' slide. In part 2 of this lesson, we will build the background using shapes, images and crop and fill, and then apply animation to this slide. 

"Our Services" - Animated Bullets - Part 2

In part 2 of this lesson, we will learn how to add bulleted lists and apply animation. 

Slide Transitions

Transitions explained! We will learn the importance of smooth transitions between slides, how to apply transitions to one or more slides, the different types of transition and how to manage and remove transitions.

"Our History" - Creating a Timeline - Part 1

We will learn about a number of techniques to create an engaging timeline slide using SmartArt, fill colors and the eyedropper utility. 

"Our History" - Creating a timeline - Part 2

We will finish creating an engaging timeline using shapes, shape effects, icons and formatted text. 

"Our Process" - Creating a Process Flow Chart - Part 1

We will create a cross-functional process flowchart using flowchart shapes. This includes: inserting and formatting tables, connecting shapes with lines and connectors, resizing objects and adding text. 

"Our Process" - Creating a process flow chart - Part 2

We will create a cross-functional process flowchart using flowchart shapes. This includes, formatting shapes with shape effects, connecting shapes with lines and connectors, resizing objects and adding text.

"Our Products" - More Shapes, Pictures, and Text - Part 1

In part 1 of this lesson, we will build an 'Our Products' home page using shapes, pictures, text and formatting options. 

"Our Products" - Working with Hyperlinks - Part 2

In part 2 of this lesson, we will build 4 more slides and learn how to hyperlink to them from the home page. 

"Company Statistics" - Creating Graphs and Charts

We will learn how to create a column, sunburst and map chart to tell the story of their data visually. Create charts on-the-fly or use data already stored in an Excel worksheet.

Formatting Charts and Graphs - Part 1

We explore the extensive formatting options available on the Chart Options contextual ribbon. Change the color scheme, switch the data around, add data labels, axis labels, chart titles and a legend.

Formatting Charts and Graphs - Part 2

Explore the extensive formatting options available on the Chart Options contextual ribbon. Change the color scheme, switch the data around, add data labels, axis labels, chart titles and a legend.

"Contact Us" - Rotating Shapes - Part 1

In Part 1 of this lesson, we will begin to put together a Contact Us slide. We will use shapes and learn how to rotate shapes but keep the image horizontal. 

"Contact Us" - Hyperlinks - Part 2

In Part 2 of this lesson, we will complete the 'Contact Us' slide. We will insert social media icons, contact information and hyperlinks to emails and external websites.  

"Closing Slide" - Using Video in Slides

We will see where to go for free motion videos to use in presentations. Create a closing slide using a motion background, shapes, transparencies and use the contextual ribbon to control playback.

Adding Animation Effects - Part 1

In part 1 of this lesson, we will get the opportunity to reorganize slides, add new sections and then apply animation effects to slides 1 and 2. 

Adding Animation Effects - Part 2

In part 2 of this lesson, we will continue to apply different entrance, emphasis and animation effects as well as modify the effect options. 

Working with Touch 2 lessons

Draw with touch.

This lesson is aimed at touch device users. We will learn how to switch between mouse and touch mode and start to explore the commands available on the Draw ribbon to annotate presentations.

Ink to Text, Shape and Math

We will learn how to turn handwritten notes, shapes and mathematical equations into typed text.

Preparing a Presentation for Delivery 4 lessons

Checking spelling and grammar.

We will learn how to customize our proofing tools in PowerPoint Options and then run a spelling and grammar check prior to sharing the presentation with others.

Adding Comments and Notes

We will learn how to add comments to a PowerPoint presentation and how to delete, respond to and manage comments in a presentation that has been sent to them. We will also learn how to add speaker notes to slides and view the notes whilst presenting.

Slide Show Settings

We will tour the different options available to setup a slide show. This includes learning about how to make a presentation run automatically by rehearsing timings.

Rehearse Timings and Custom Slide Shows

We will look at how to create a slide show using timings and a custom slide show. 

Delivering a Presentation 1 lesson

Presenter tools and features.

In this lesson, we will run a slide show and explore the in-presentation features such as blacking out the screen, using annotations, turning on subtitles and switching pointer options.

The Info Tab 2 lessons

Adding and removing document properties.

We will look at how to add document properties (metadata) to assist with searching for presentations. We will also see how to remove all metadata from a presentation prior to sending the document to external clients/customers.

Protecting a Presentation

We will look at how to protect a presentation from editing or limit who can access a presentation by setting read-only access, encrypting with a password and marking as final.

Printing, Exporting and Sharing 3 lessons

Exporting a presentation to other file formats.

We will learn how to export a presentation to another file format such as a PDF, video, animated gif, and more.

Printing a Presentation

We explore the different Print Options available: how to select a printer, print to PDF, set printer properties and define what you want to print and the layout.

Sharing a Presentation

In this final lesson, we will learn how to share a copy or a link to a presentation with others and control if colleagues can edit or simply view it.

Course Close 1 lesson

Thank you and goodbye.

The instructor will close out the course by saying goodbye, recapping some of the skills learnt to remind student of how far they've come.

Download syllabus

Certificates

You can earn 2 certificates with this course

Certificate of Training

Rewarded upon successful completion of your training course.

Certificate of Achievement

Rewarded upon successful completion of your training course and test.

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See what our customers are saying...

“Excellent, very user friendly course. Really enjoyed the fact that a ppt was fully built over the course of the lessons. A very clever way of incorporating the teaching of each skill.”         Stacey McNutt

“I was pleased by how much I learned about great design details and formatting for power point!”         Pauline Copello

“Well designed course that teaches all the basics.”         Sandra Schorde

“Very detailed, great course!”         Rafael Ruiz

“Very Good Course”         RANI SARKAR

“Excellent instructor. ”         Betty Anne Manning

“Absolutely loved this course. So easy to follow. Great pace and amazing presenter. Learnt a lot. Have recommended to several work mates.”         Salina

“This is a brilliant course and Deb Ashby is a wonderful teacher. The whole process of producing an appealing presentation was made easy through a step-by-step guide. Thank you, Deb! ”         Veronica

“It was very eye opening, it showed me that there is alot more that can be done with Power Point. And imagine that's only the beginning.”         Jovel Durham

“this course was so well put together,specific and interesting .”         Silvia Blue

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Impactful Presentations

Why do presentations often fail to have the impact we desire? One reason is that information alone will never move people. In this course, you’ll go beyond presenting just the facts and figures to craft compelling presentations that will motivate others, inspire action, and enable buy-in. By surfacing what matters to your audience, you’ll learn to create presentations that are both meaningful and memorable. Gain the confidence and skills it takes to shift the way people think, feel, and behave.

Note: While this course is not focused on the visual design of presentations, it does cover a few quick tips to get you started.

Course Outcomes

• Deliver presentations that spark a shift in beliefs, behaviors, and mindsets.
• Sequence and convey your information in a way that will create a meaningful journey for your audience.
• Open hearts and minds by developing a trusted relationship with your audience.
• Apply techniques to help people pay attention and remember the information you share.
• Practice with unique presentation methods in order to create an engaging experience for your audience.

Part of Certificate Programs

• Communicating for Impact Certificate
• Collaborative Leadership Certificate

Skills You’ll Gain

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Go Deeper with Certificate Programs

Impactful Presentations is part of two certificate programs:

What You'll Learn

Week 1: introduction - move your audience, 2 video lessons.

• Messages That Spark Change—It’s not what you say, but how you say it
• Mentor Moment—Try something new

1 Assignment

Choose Your Presentation—Choose the 10-15 minute presentation you’ll be workshopping throughout the course. Use an existing presentation or choose from one of our sample presentation prompts. Identify your audience, your starting assumptions for what you must do or include in this presentation, and the skills you most want to grow.

Note: For course assignments, you’ll need access to either Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint. There will be multiple opportunities to get feedback on your drafts along the way, though you are not required to give your presentation live to the class.

Week 2: Plan the Journey

4 video lessons.

• What’s the Point?—Identify the goal of your presentation
• It’s Not About You—Empathize with your audience
• Shape Your Story—Build emotional appeal and interest
• Mentor Moment—Start with emotion

Crafting Story Arcs—Identify the beats, or key moments, of your presentation. Build four potential sequences to determine the strongest organization of your content. Use your learnings from this exercise to iterate your Big Idea and the shift you want the audience to make.

Week 3: Become the Guide

3 video lessons.

• Create a Connection—Bridge the divide between you and the audience
• Establish Your Credibility—Inspire trust and belief
• Keep It Human—Present as your authentic self

Design for Connection, Credibility, and Authenticity—Select different methods for building a connection, establishing credibility, and presenting authentically, and brainstorm how you might bring them to life. Think through the details of implementing these methods by experimenting.

Week 4: Make it Memorable

• Best Intentions; Bad Presentations—Avoid common presentation mistakes
• Make Patterns—Encourage understanding and retention
• Break Patterns—Shake things up to capture their attention
• Mentor Moment—Find the medium that fits your message

2 Assignments

Create Pattern Breaks—Brainstorm ways to break patterns using physical space, the senses, and audience interactivity. Build experiments to further explore your ideas.

Build a Storyboard—Use the feedback and insights from the first three assignments to create a storyboard for your presentation. Identify opportunities to engage, or re-engage, the audience, and consider the holistic journey through your content. Start a visual mood board to guide design decisions.

Week 5: Conclusion - Look Ahead

• Bringing It All Together—A Presentation Case Study
• Mentor Moment—Encouragement to explore
• The End Is The Beginning—Evolve your story and yourself

Presentation Finale—Design a meaningful ending and evolve the structure and flow of your presentation using insights from the feedback you’ve received. Craft a full second draft, diving more deeply into visual decisions and scripting key moments. Reflect on your experience over these five weeks to understand the skills and techniques you’ve gained and areas to continue growing.

Meet Your Instructors

Former Director of Health & Well-Being at IDEO

Ann is a design researcher with roots in anthropology and journalism. Prior to IDEO, she made documentaries for public television. Filmmaking taught her how to visually tell stories as well as how to find, edit, and shape them. At IDEO, she does the same thing, taking the raw materials—interviews, data, observations—and crafting them into stories that inspire.

Ann is a design researcher with roots in anthropology and journalism. Her portfolio spans the design of HIV prevention products, digital tools to help kids build emotional strength, and the re-design of the US digital immigration experience. Prior to IDEO, she worked for over a decade as a filmmaker and journalist; her latest documentary, “Lovesick,” is about matchmaking for HIV+ singles in India. Filmmaking taught her how to visually tell stories as well as how to find, edit, and shape them. At IDEO, she does the same thing, taking the raw materials—interviews, data, observations—and crafting them into stories that inspire.

From 2016 to 2017, she served as the Chief Design Officer for U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Ann holds a joint degree in Anthropology and the Study of Religion from Harvard College. She’s a board member of Noora Health and the Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship, and a past fellow of the Sundance Institute. Ann is an avid traveler, with the Okavango Delta and Tibet among her favorite spots, and an obsessive photographer.

Alex Gallafent

Senior design director at ideo.

Alex is a designer, theater artist, and journalist. Throughout his career, Alex has been figuring out the things audiences need and how best to bring them to life. He’s presented stories on theater stages in London and New York, in broadcast journalism for the BBC, and across the world with IDEO.

Alex currently leads the New York wing of IDEO’s Design for Food studio. He’s worked with major clients in hospitality, media, government, financial services, and beyond. He’s also taught design thinking, storytelling, and research at New York University, The School of Visual Arts, and The New School. A former correspondent for US public radio and the BBC World Service, he’s a past Fellow at the International Reporting Project at Johns Hopkins. Alex studied philosophy at Oxford University and trained in classical acting at LAMDA. He’s performed Shakespeare in Tokyo and written music for plays in London’s West End. In New York, Alex performs improv, plays drums for the city's only improvised rock'n'roll storytelling band, and hosts as many dinner parties as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do ideo u cohort courses work does my time zone matter.

We offer three types of courses: self-paced courses, cohort courses, and certificate programs. Cohort courses run on a set calendar, with fixed start and end dates. Course learning is self-paced within those dates and requires approximately 4-5 hours per week over 5 weeks. Courses consist of videos, activities, assignments, access to course teaching teams, and feedback from a global community of learners. There are also optional 1-hour video Community Conversations, held weekly by the teaching team. 

All of our cohort courses are fully online, so you can take them from any time zone, anywhere in the world. With our cohort course experience , while you'll be learning alongside other learners, you'll still have the flexibility to work at the pace that fits your own schedule. There aren’t mandatory live components, so you don't have to worry about having to log in at a specific time. At the same time, you'll have access to a teaching team, which is composed of experts in the field who are there to provide you feedback, and there are also plenty of options to connect with your fellow learners.

What is the role of the instructor and teaching team? Will learners be able to get feedback?

Course instructors have a strong presence in the courses through the course videos, but they're not actively providing feedback or holding direct conversations with our learners. We have a teaching team to ensure that you have the feedback, guidance, and support you need to learn successfully in your course. Our teaching team members are design practitioners that have experience applying course methods and mindsets in a wide variety of contexts around the world.

Our teaching team consists of teaching leads and teaching assistants, who are experts in their fields. Many of them have been with IDEO U for many years, and we have selected those who have direct experience with applying the course methods and mindsets in all sorts of contexts around the world. They all go through multiple training sessions by our instructional designers on not only on the subject matter, but also on how to create safe and collaborative learning experiences and environments.

What are Community Conversations, and how are they related to the course material?

Community Conversations are one-hour live video conversations hosted by the teaching team on Zoom. These happen once per week, with each one having two to three time options to accommodate different time zones. Each week focuses on the lesson that you’ve just gone through, so the output and the content depend on the specific lessons. You'll have the opportunity if you work together with your peers on the tools and mindsets from the course, reflect on what you’ve learned, and also address any challenges that you might be going through.

What will I have access to during and after my course?

All course materials, including videos, activities, and assignments will be available while you are enrolled in a course. During the 5 weeks of the course, you will have full access to our learning platform and can refer back to it any time. You will only have access to the course materials while you are enrolled. 

Assignments must be submitted during the 5-week course duration in order for you to receive a certificate of completion.

Can I take the course with my team?

Absolutely! We have had many teams go through our courses together. For those taking our courses as a team, we provide a number of additional benefits:

1. A Team Learning Guide, developed to provide your team with resources to facilitate offline discussions that complement the in-course experience.

2. A Manage Learners function, which provides visibility into your team's progress within the course.

3. The ability to create a private Learning Circle, which is a closed space for discussion on the learning platform specifically for your team.

For more information, visit our Team Learning page.

Do you offer discounts?

We offer a discount when you enroll in multiple courses at the same time through some of our certificate programs, including Foundations in Design Thinking , Business Innovation , Human-Centered Strategy , and Communicating for Impact . 

You can also enter your email address at the bottom of this page in order to receive updates on future offers or possible discounts. 

Will I get a certificate after completing a course?

After completing a cohort course, you will be able to add it to your “licenses and certifications” on LinkedIn.

We also have certificate programs that consist of multiple courses. After completing a certificate, you will receive a certificate of completion via email as a downloadable PDF within 1-2 weeks of completing the final required course. Certificates are configured for uploading and sharing on LinkedIn.

How do I purchase a cohort course?

You can purchase a course on our website using a credit card, PayPal, or Shop Pay. For US customers, we also offer installment plans at checkout if you use the Shop Pay method of payment.

We typically are not able to accommodate bank transfer or invoicing. However, if your order includes 10 seats or more, please contact [email protected] and our team will be happy to review your request. 

Collaborate with a Global Community

Work with expert coaches.

Our teaching team has extensive applied industry knowledge. They'll help deepen your understanding and application of the course content by facilitating written discussions, live video moments, and assignment feedback.

Expand Your Network

Join virtual live discussion groups for deeper conversation, reflection, and connection led by teaching team members and available multiple times a week across time zones.

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Gain tips, techniques, and a downloadable feedback guide; and share and receive feedback on assignments from peers.

What Others Are Saying

“I've been delivering presentations my whole career, this course is game-changing for everything I knew. This course made me realize there are more creative ways to deliver a message.”

“I had an aha moment when I realized that you need to focus on the shift you want your audience to make versus the content you want to say.”

“Wonderful course on key elements that anyone should use to have a more memorable presentation prepared!”

“Having spent my career presenting to varied audiences, there is no doubt that most presentations are too data-heavy and the audience is lost early on. There is no one better than IDEO colleagues Ann and Alex to provide novel and impactful skills to those who present for a living….or for anyone who just wants to get better at presentation. Not only will you learn great new skills, but you will have fun doing so!”

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• Powerpoint free courses

Free Powerpoint Courses

Learn new tools and techniques to create stunning PowerPoint presentations through Great Learning's free PowerPoint courses. Learn basics to advanced concepts and gain recognition for your abilities with free PowerPoint certificates of course completion. These online PowerPoint courses will equip you with all the necessary skills to create high-quality presentations and slides. With comprehensive, hands-on training, you will develop and hone your skills in Powerpoint, from creating spectacular slides and smooth transitions to more advanced features and functions. Improve your PowerPoint presentation skills through these free courses and earn free certificates.

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PowerPoint for Beginners

Microsoft powerpoint tutorial, chatgpt for microsoft powerpoint, google bard for microsoft powerpoint.

Education is one of the easy keys to be industry fit. But picking up the domain that suits you best from the pool of options? That’s a bit confusing. Great Learning offers you a plethora of choices in the fields of your interests. You can walk through the courses, understand what pleases your specifications and choose the best that suits you. Each of these courses will help you be ready by offering you the best of content. You will gain degree and PG certificates from recognized universities on successful completion of the registered course. We wish you happy learning!

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PowerPoint - An Essential Software Program

PowerPoint has become an essential skill to have in the modern workplace. It is a powerful tool used in many different industries to create presentations, campaigns, and multimedia experiences that are both visually appealing and interactive. With the evolution of technology, PowerPoint has become an increasingly important tool for professionals.

You can learn this in-demand software program through Great Learning's free PowerPoint courses and gain renowned skills. Here's an overview of why learning to use this popular software program is essential in today's business world.

Professionals of all stripes need to know how to use PowerPoint. Employers are looking for job candidates who can create professional presentations to showcase their ideas and expertise. Students will benefit from understanding the basics of PowerPoint, as they may need to create presentations for class projects and assignments. Entrepreneurs need to know the basics of creating visually appealing presentations to showcase their products and services. In short, anyone working in the corporate world needs to know how to use PowerPoint to communicate their message effectively.

Great presentations can capture an audience and help engage them more effectively in the messages you're trying to convey. PowerPoint is a very effective way to present complex information, turning it into digestible pieces of information that the audience can understand. PowerPoint also allows users to add visuals, animations, and other multimedia elements to make the presentation look more professional and engaging.

PowerPoint is a fast and simple way to create visually appealing presentations. You can use the various features of the program to create your own custom slides or use the various templates available to help streamline the process. You can even upload images, audio, and video clips and add animation and other visuals to make your presentation truly unique.

In addition to creating professional presentations for the workplace, PowerPoint is also used for more creative projects. Musicians, filmmakers, and other professionals are using this powerful program to create multimedia experiences that help tell stories in a visually captivating way.  

PowerPoint is a valuable tool for anyone looking to communicate their message. It's an effective way to create visually appealing and engaging presentations and is key to success in many industries. No matter the field, learning how to use PowerPoint is an important skill in the modern business world.

Benefits of Learning PowerPoint

PowerPoint is an essential business tool for creating and delivering presentations. But the use of this software extends beyond the work environment. Learning PowerPoint can offer personal and professional benefits that can help you achieve success in your professional and personal life. 

1. Improved Visual Representation of Ideas

PowerPoint allows users to create visuals that effectively convey their ideas or thoughts. These visuals can be used to enhance presentations, speeches, and reports. You can use PowerPoint to create a variety of visuals, such as tables, graphics, and visuals to help communicate your message effectively.

2. Streamlined Professional Communication

PowerPoint enables users to communicate more effectively with their work colleagues or supervisors. You can use PowerPoint to create a presentation quickly and efficiently. You can add graphics, images, and videos to your presentation to help illustrate your points. In addition, PowerPoint can also be used to create professional-looking documents.

3. Enhanced Job Performance

Knowing how to use PowerPoint can help make you an asset to your company. You can use this powerful tool to create attractive and engaging presentations to share with your organization's clients and other key stakeholders. With the help of PowerPoint, you can present your ideas cohesively and get your point across more effectively. This can help you stand out from your colleagues and get ahead in your profession.

4. Easier Data Analysis PowerPoint also offers the ability to analyze data quickly. You can use the graphing and charting functions to create visuals that can help you to understand the data better. This visualization of the data can make it easier for you to make sense of it and draw meaningful conclusions.

Learning the basics of PowerPoint is a great way to improve your professional and personal life. Whether you need to create an engaging presentation for a client or analyze data to make an important decision, PowerPoint can help you do it quickly and effectively. Learn this impressive software program from scratch through Great Learning's free PowerPoint courses that cover basic to advanced concepts. Want to upskill in your software skills? Great Learning's Best Software Engineering Courses are the right option for you to get familiar with in-demand industry skills and earn a certificate of course completion that aid in securing better job opportunities.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Great Learning offers free PowerPoint courses, which address basic to advanced concepts. Enroll in the course that suits your career goals through the pool of courses and earn free PowerPoint certificates of course completion.  

With the support of online learning platforms, it is now possible to learn concepts on your own. Great Learning Academy is a platform that provides free PowerPoint courses where learners can learn at their own pace.    

These free PowerPoint courses offered by Great Learning Academy contain self-paced videos allowing learners to learn necessary PowerPoint skills at their convenience.  

Yes. You will have lifelong access to these free PowerPoint courses Great Learning Academy offers.  

You can enroll in Great Learning's Full Stack Development Course by IIT Roorkee, which will help you gain advanced software skills in demand in industries. Complete the course to earn a certificate of course completion.

Yes, it is worth learning PowerPoint. It is a highly versatile and valuable tool that can create compelling presentations while allowing you to easily share online and collaborate with others. Learning PowerPoint can also increase your productivity and make it easier to communicate ideas visually.  

PowerPoint is a popular presentation software because it is easy to use and can be quickly adapted to meet the needs of almost any presentation. It also has a wide range of features, including various transitions and animations, which allow for more engaging and visually appealing presentations. Additionally, PowerPoint's ability to embed video and audio clips help to keep audiences engaged. Many people are accustomed to PowerPoint's user interface, making it easier to learn and use.  

You will be awarded free PowerPoint certificates after completion of your enrolled PowerPoint free courses.  

Through these free PowerPoint courses, you will gain essential PowerPoint features and techniques that help make your presentation more engaging.  

These PowerPoint courses are provided by Great Learning Academy for free, allowing any learner to learn PowerPoint and gain crucial skills for free.

Learners, from freshers to working professionals who wish to gain essential PowerPoint skills, can enroll in these free PowerPoint courses and earn certificates of course completion.  

Choose the free PowerPoint courses you are looking for and click on the "Enroll Now" button to start your PowerPoint learning journey.

Great Learning Academy is the farsighted initiative by Great Learning, the leading e-Learning platform, to offer free industry-relevant courses. Free PowerPoint courses contain courses ranging from beginner-level to advanced-level to help learners choose the best fit for them.  

There are several jobs that require you to learn PowerPoint, including:

• Sales Representative
• Graphic Designer
• Project Manager
• Education Coordinator
• Multimedia Designer 
• Content Manager  

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DETROIT, JUNE 20-21 PUBLIC SPEAKING CLASS IS ALMOST FULL! RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW

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Fearless Presentations ® Online Course

Don’t have time to attend a public speaking training course or leadership training course? No problem. The online version of the Fearless Presentations ® public speaking course can be very helpful. Gain access to a series of online sessions that will walk you step-by-step through a process that makes designing and delivering presentations with self-confidence much easier! The sessions are modular so that you can view them separately, stop at any point, and pick right back up at a later time.

Here’s What You Get in the Online Course

Part 1: look and feel poised and confident when you speak.

1A – Ten (10) Ways to Reduce Public Speaking Fear

10 simple tips that will help you go from shaky and timid to poised and confident. Did you know that many of the things that we do to reduce our nervousness actually CAUSES nervousness? These tips will show you a different way.

1B – The Speech Before the Speech

How to introduce yourself and build your credibility with your audience. Let’s face it. Most audience members don’t want to be in a meeting. This introduction actually makes your audience WANT to listen to your presentation.

1C – The Magic Elixir to Reducing Public Speaking Jitters

What is the absolute, #1, easiest way to reduce nervousness and captivate every audience? Every professional speaker knows it. You will too. This secret will fundamentally change the way that you deliver your presentations.

Part 2: How to Design a Persuasive Speech in 15 Minutes or Less!

2A – Create Your Audience Focused Presentation Outline

Most people make the mistake of starting by creating a slideshow. Instead, we show you how to create a solid presentation outline that your audience will love. You will also see how to deliver your entire speech without having to memorize ANYTHING!

2B – Insert Examples to Prove Each Point

The final stage in creating your presentation outline is to insert captivating examples and stories to make dull and technical information more interesting and understandable. (At this point, your presentations will be head and shoulders above other speakers, and we are just getting started!)

Part 3: Deliver Powerful, Content Filled Speeches that Wow! Your Audiences

3A – Add Enthusiasm and Energy to Any Presentation

Five (5) ways to add enthusiasm to event the most boring of speeches. Energy and enthusiasm is the most sought-after skill in any presentation, and this process helps you jazz up any speech. The real secret, though, is that there are no boring topics… only boring speakers. You don’t have to be one of them!

3B – Ten Ways to Add Impact and Content to Your Presentation

Okay, now that you have a fantastic speech outline, let’s insert validity and proof that will Wow! your audience. In this session, we give lots of tips about how to add in analogies, quotes, humor, anecdotes, audience participation, and more to make your presentation come alive.

3C – Impromptu Speaking and Dealing with Questions from the Audience

Learn how to speak with confidence when someone calls on you out of the blue. This is where the pressure builds (for most people,) but you will be cool and calm under pressure! We also cover how to deal with tough questions from the audience.

Part 4: Visual Aids and Putting Your Final Presentation Together.

4A – PowerPoint and Visual Aids

Once you design a great presentation, the visual aids are pretty easy. In this session, we cover best practices to help you make your visual aids a way to explain your content more thoroughly. You can easily avoid the Death by PowerPoint with these tips!

4B – Putting Your Final Presentation Together Using the Online Public Speaking Course.

Once you have completed all of the activities in the online course, you will receive a clean and easy to follow outline of your presentation. You should be able to deliver the entire speech without having to rely on any notes. The great news is that you get a LIFETIME ACCESS to all of the sessions. So, you can come back over and over and use the course to design presentations as often as you need!

Access the Entire Online Public Speaking Class for Just $395 for a lifetime access.

Get the entire public speaking online course for only $395. you get access to all 10 sessions, over four hours of video, and activities that help you design great presentations and store your work., ** special bonus ** your membership also gives you access to all of our individual public speaking mini-courses at no extra charge we add new sessions every week.

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5 Best Digital Marketing Courses That Are Worth Taking in 2024

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Digital marketing is key for businesses that wish to increase brand awareness and draw attention to brands over long periods of time. When effectively done, digital marketing helps “funnel” potential buyers to a purchase. Training to be a digital marketer involves exploring the tools used to analyze customer data, interpreting trending topics with SEO and discovering the strategy behind driving sales.

Interested in a career in digital marketing? There are a variety of ways to enter into digital marketing as a career. For example, search engine optimization is a key part of digital marketing and may lead to a viable career path.

I chose the following digital marketing courses because of their positive reviews from the digital marketing community, their thoroughness and their approachability.

• Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate via Coursera: Coursera
• HubSpot Academy’s Digital Marketing Course: HubSpot Academy
• Moz Academy SEO Starter Pack: Moz Academy
• Semrush Academy’s Digital Advertising 101: Semrush Academy
• Coursera’s Digital Marketing Specialization: Coursera

Best digital marketing courses: Comparison table

Google digital marketing & e-commerce professional certificate via coursera.

Google’s digital marketing introduction from Coursera is suitable for beginners, and you’ll emerge from the course with a professional certificate. This course is backed by Google and is completely online. It covers a wide variety of topics, from search engine marketing and converting likes to sales on social media to marketing campaigns and setting up an e-commerce store.

This certification includes multiple courses, which should, together, take about six months to complete at 10 hours per week.

A Coursera subscription costs $59 per month, so the cost will depend on how quickly you complete the course. A six-month learning journey would cost $354.

HubSpot Academy’s Digital Marketing Course

HubSpot sells marketing and sales software and also offers free courses for learning digital marketing. This course covers email, SEO, social media, content creation and scheduling, and website advertising. It is particularly suitable for small business owners who have a business plan but are unfamiliar with digital marketing practices. It is taught primarily through video, with a transcript available.

The HubSpot Academy Digital Marketing Course is free. As with most online course materials, it requires an email address to log in.

Moz Academy SEO Starter Pack

When it comes to SEO, Moz Academy is a good place to start for step-by-step instructions on how to use the right tools for the trade. It provides how-tos for SERP listings and evaluating keywords; in addition, it gives contexts such as how and why pages show up in search results and the history of search algorithms. The third module, Local SEO Fundamentals, focuses on SEO strategies for local businesses.

Moz Academy generally has a good reputation among the digital marketing community in terms of a starting place for beginners. Note, there’s no guarantee the “recent trends in SEO” section will still be recent by the time you reach it since search engines are changing so rapidly.

The complete SEO Starter Pack costs $149.

Semrush Academy’s Digital Advertising 101

Business owners or marketers looking to approach their work from a strategic angle or wanting to focus on advertising may find value in this Semrush Academy course. Along with the basics of how digital advertising works, this course covers measuring how well your campaigns are doing and building solid strategies around your most successful projects. It teaches you an overview of competitor research and how to craft an overall digital advertising strategy.

Semrush Academy’s Digital Advertising 101 is free.

Coursera’s Digital Marketing Specialization

The Digital Marketing Specialization available on Coursera is taught by faculty members at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This is a relatively in-depth course, covering the theory and practice of digital marketing, but it may repeat some of the same content on other courses listed here, so choose which one will be the best format for you.

Coursera is generally considered reliable, though some of the same information in this course can be found for free. On the other hand, this specialization is good for people who want a guided path through the practical uses of digital marketing tools. It ends with a hands-on project that involves executing a digital marketing campaign.

A subscription to Coursera costs $59 per month, with a 7-day free trial, so the cost will depend on how long it takes you to complete the course. A four-month learning journey would cost $236.

Are digital marketing courses worth it?

Whether an online digital marketing class is worth the time, effort and money for you depends on your learning style and career goals. Digital marketing courses often provide a “one size fits all” overview instead of focusing on a specific job title or audience. It may be wise to look for free tutorials on YouTube before signing up for a paid class.

Digital marketing changes very quickly — just look at Google’s AI Overviews . Be sure any course you choose is up-to-date or that you can supplement it with contemporary content. Whether you have a professional certification may not matter to employers as much as whether you can show proven results.

Is digital marketing high paying?

As of May 2024, the average salary for a digital marketer in the U.S. was $64,898, according to Indeed. The higher end of the salary range could reach up to $113,442.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found the annual mean wage of Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists in May 2023 to be $83,190.

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Monetize Your Expertise — The Ultimate Guide to Creating and Selling Online Courses and eBooks Unlock the secrets to transforming your knowledge into income with this comprehensive guide on creating and selling online courses and eBooks.

By Jonathan Herrick Edited by Chelsea Brown May 31, 2024

Key Takeaways

• The increasing popularity of flexible, accessible and cost-effective education has fueled exponential growth in online courses, making it a lucrative market for entrepreneurs.
• Low startup costs and high profit margins make creating and selling digital products an attractive venture, with added benefits of personal and professional growth.
• This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to create and market online courses and eBooks, covering aspects like identifying your niche, planning and creating content, selecting the right platforms and employing effective marketing strategies to reach and engage a global audience.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

From online courses to eBooks, digital products have become a popular and lucrative avenue for entrepreneurs seeking to share their expertise and generate income. The growing trend of online learning and digital reading has revolutionized how knowledge is disseminated and consumed, creating a vibrant ecosystem where anyone with valuable insights can reach a global audience.

With relatively low startup costs and the potential for high profit margins, creating and selling digital products like online courses and eBooks can be a highly rewarding venture. Online courses have seen exponential growth, fueled by the increasing demand for flexible, accessible and cost-effective education.

For entrepreneurs, leveraging digital products is not just about income generation. It's about personal growth, professional development and creating a lasting impact. By sharing knowledge and insights through online courses and eBooks, entrepreneurs can position themselves as thought leaders in their industries, attract a dedicated following and open up new avenues for growth and collaboration.

If you're interested in spreading your knowledge and entrepreneurial expertise, follow this guide to create your own digital products to sell online.

Related: 7 Tips for Making 7 Figures Selling Online Courses

How to monetize your expertise — step-by-step guide

Turn what you know into serious dough.

1. Identify your niche and expertise

Begin by assessing your skills and knowledge areas. Reflect on your professional background, personal interests and any specialized training or education you possess. Consider what topics you are passionate about and can speak on with authority. Create a list of subjects where you have substantial knowledge and experience, as these will form the foundation of your digital products.

Once you've identified potential topics, conduct market research to uncover the demand for your chosen niche . Start by seeing what courses and eBooks are already available in your area of expertise. Pay attention to the popularity of these offerings, looking at factors such as the number of enrollments, reviews and ratings.

You can use keyword research tools to analyze search volumes and trends related to your topics. This will tell you what people are searching for and how saturated the market is. By understanding what people are looking for and where there are gaps in the market, you can tailor your content to meet specific demands.

2. Create online courses

Creating a successful online course involves several key steps, from planning the structure and content to choosing the right format and selecting the best tools and platforms for hosting your course.

Plan the course structure and content

Define your learning objectives : Start by clearly defining what you want people to achieve by the end of the course. These objectives will guide the course content and structure.

Outline your course : Create a detailed outline that breaks down the course into lessons and subtopics. This will help you organize your content logically and ensure comprehensive coverage of the subject.

Create content : Make sure you create content that is not only informative but also engaging. To illustrate your points and make the material relatable, use tactics like storytelling and elements like real-world examples and case studies.

Choose the right format

How you format your course plays a crucial role in how effectively the material is delivered and absorbed by students. Consider the following formats:

Video : We all know how engaging video content can be. Use high-quality recordings, clear visuals and a personable teaching style to keep registrants engaged.

Text-based content : Complement your videos with written content such as PDFs, articles and transcripts. This provides additional reference material and caters to different learning preferences.

Interactive elements : Incorporate interactive elements like discussion forums and live Q&A sessions.

Tools and platforms to create and host courses

Here are some popular tools and platforms to choose from when you're ready to publish your course:

Teachable : With Teachable, you can create and market your online courses. Its simple interface, customizable templates and robust marketing tools make publishing your courses a breeze.

Udemy : Udemy is a well-known marketplace for online courses. It provides access to a large audience, course creation tools and promotional support, making it a great option for reaching a broad student base.

Podia : Podia is another versatile platform that supports online courses, digital downloads, memberships and webinars. It's known for its simplicity and user-friendly design.

Related: 3 Steps to Writing and Promoting an eBook

3. Write and publish eBooks

Creating and selling eBooks is another powerful way to share your knowledge and generate income.

Plan and outline your eBook

Choose a compelling topic and title : Craft a compelling title that grabs attention and clearly conveys the value of the eBook. A strong title can significantly impact your eBook's visibility and sales.

Create a detailed outline : Start with a high-level outline that includes the main sections or chapters of your eBook. Break down each section into subtopics and key points.

Research and content creation

Research : Gather information from credible sources to support your content. Ensure your content is not only accurate but current and backed up to build credibility and trust with your readers.

Write engaging and valuable content : Start writing based on your outline, ensuring each section is comprehensive and clear. Actionable insights are key, so make sure your eBook is infused with them and offers practical advice.

Design and formatting tips

Focus on readability and visual appeal : To make your eBook easy to read, use a clean, professional layout with plenty of white space. Break up long paragraphs, and use headings and bullet points to enhance readability.

Incorporate visual elements : Add images, charts, graphs and infographics that complement your text and provide visual interest. Visual elements can help explain complex ideas and make your content more engaging.

Cover design, layout and visual appeal

Design an eye-catching cover : The cover of your eBook is the first thing potential readers will see, so make it visually appealing. If possible, hire a professional designer or use design tools to create a high-quality cover.

Create a professional layout : Format your eBook consistently throughout, using the same fonts, margins and spacing. Ensure that chapters and sections are clearly defined.

Platforms for publishing and distribution

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) : Amazon KDP is a popular platform for self-publishing eBooks . It offers a wide reach, easy-to-use tools and various promotional options. You can publish your eBook as a Kindle book and make it available on the Amazon marketplace.

Apple Books : Apple Books is another major platform for eBook distribution. It allows you to reach millions of readers with iOS devices. The platform supports rich media and interactive features, which can enhance your eBook's appeal.

Kobo Writing Life : Kobo Writing Life allows you to publish and distribute your eBook to a global audience. The platform offers flexible pricing, promotional opportunities and access to detailed sales analytics.

4. Market your digital products

Successfully marketing your online courses and eBooks is essential for sales and gaining a wider reach.

Social media engagement

Consistently post updates about your digital products, including behind-the-scenes looks at the creation process, snippets of content and customer testimonials. Use a mix of posts, stories and live videos to keep your audience engaged.

Content marketing

Create high-quality content , including blog posts, articles, videos and podcasts. This content should provide valuable information and insights, showcasing your niche.

Optimize your content for SEO to drive organic traffic to your website. Use keywords related to your digital products and niche, and include internal and external links to boost your search engine rankings.

Email marketing

Use email marketing platforms like Benchmark Email to manage your list, send targeted campaigns and regularly send newsletters with updates, tips and exclusive offers related to your digital products.

Influencer marketing

Partner with influencers in your niche who have a strong following and credibility. This allows you to tap into their audience and expand your reach. Join forces by collaborating on guest blog posts, joint webinars or social media shout-outs.

Provide influencers with free access to your digital products so they can review and endorse them authentically. Their endorsement can significantly boost your product's visibility and credibility.

Paid advertising

Use paid advertising to target specific demographics, interests and behaviors relevant to your niche. Create engaging ad creatives that highlight the benefits of your digital products and include a clear call to action.

Utilize Google Ads to reach people who are actively searching for topics related to your digital products. Use keyword research to identify high-intent search terms and create targeted ad campaigns.

Related: 4 Tips for Creating a Digital Product That Can Make You a Tidy Profit

Creating and selling digital products like online courses and eBooks offers entrepreneurs an incredible opportunity to monetize their expertise , reach a global audience and establish themselves as thought leaders in their field. Embrace the potential of digital products, and start sharing your insights with the world — your entrepreneurial success is just a course or eBook away.

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Online marketing for beginners: 10 paid and free courses to start with

In today’s digital marketplace, personalization is king. Hubspot’s The State of Marketing 2024 report underscores this, revealing that 75% of marketers credit personalized experiences with boosting sales and customer loyalty. This strategic focus is reshaping companies’ online narratives, directly influencing a return on investment (ROI) and growth trajectories.

The digital realm demands a deep understanding of consumer behavior, market trends, and keeping up with technological trends and advancements. For those carving out a career in digital or online marketing, you’re in an era where science meets creativity. 

UNC Kenan-Flagler’s top-ranked online MBA

Dr. Jonah Berger, a Wharton School professor at the University of Pennsylvania and bestselling author of books like Magic Words and The Catalyst , views the right digital marketing course as a critical piece in the puzzle of success.

“If you already have your product, a class can teach you how to get it to the right customers,” he asserts. Berger emphasizes the versatility of digital marketing education, noting that it can guide entrepreneurs in everything from product design to startup selection.

He advises prospective students to first identify their needs and desired outcomes before choosing a course. “The more that courses help you address a particular tactical need you have, the better off you’re going to be,” he explains. He encourages focusing on “modern marketing” trends such as customer centricity, highlighting the shift towards prioritizing the customer’s perspective over the product or service.

For Berger, truly successful digital marketing lies in “the marriage of data science and behavioral science.” He stresses the importance of understanding customer decision-making while leveraging data for deeper insights. This approach is paramount in a landscape dominated by search engines, social media, and omni-channel marketing strategies.

For those interested in working in the online marketing industry, taking a course can be an effective way to build a solid foundation. Fortune compiled a list of both free and paid online marketing courses you can take on your home computer to help you add the skill to your digital toolbox. 

5 free online marketing courses

Enrolling in a free course can give you the necessary skills to get started without breaking the bank. These five free online courses teach digital marketing at an introductory level. Each varies on program length but offers generalized coursework. The list is in alphabetical order.

1. CareerFoundry: Digital Marketing Program

This one is for people who don’t have a lot of time but still want to dip their toes in the digital marketing waters. To figure out if digital marketing is right for you, CareerFoundry can send you a free five-day short course to your email inbox. Each lesson takes around 15 minutes, offering barebones instruction to the world of digital marketing and making a career change. It’s worth noting that the content you receive is the beginning lessons of a much more robust, four to seven-month long, $6,900 immersive, should you want to opt for the paid version. 

2. Google: Fundamentals of Digital Marketing

This 40-hour course, offered by one of the most popular search engine companies, teaches digital marketing at an entry-level . The 24-module class, accredited by the Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe and The Open University, contains hands-on exercises.

Tutorials include topics like making it easy to find a business on the internet and reaching customers through email and video. After passing each tutorial, the course offers one final assessment, and after taking and passing that, you will receive a sharable award to add to your LinkedIn profile.

3. Meta: Blueprint

Facebook’s parent company, Meta, offers 36 free courses in its Blueprint program . The program aims to give learners fast, self-guided digital marketing walkthroughs and training on sites like Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Topics range from bringing your business online and establishing marketing goals to attracting an audience and making creative Instagram Stories. 

4. Simplilearn: Digital Marketing Strategy

This free course by Simplilearn consists of seven main modules, each containing a self-paced string of video lessons. It aims to provide learners with an introduction to the digital marketing landscape. 

In two hours, you will learn about customer segmentation and persona, plus you’ll learn how to conduct market research and create a marketing calendar. After each chapter, there is a knowledge check, and after completing the class, you will receive a certificate of completion. According to the site, more than 25,000 people have enrolled in this course.

5. Udemy: Marketing on Instagram 

This introductory course from Three Sixty Academy , offered on the Udemy platform, teaches learners the fundamentals of Instagram marketing and how to increase your follower base and maximize ROI. The course consists of nine tutorials over the course of 40 minutes. According to the site, more than 30,000 students have enrolled in this course. 

5 paid online marketing courses

Taking paid courses can be an effective way to learn marketing concepts and practical applications. By paying for a course, you can access comprehensive content and detailed explanations in a structured learning environment. This can help you gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter and improve your skills. Courses are listed in alphabetical order.

1. Coursera: Introduction to Digital Marketing

Coursera has a beginner-level course that lasts for around nine hours and is taught by Steve Fritzenkotter, a continuing education instructor from the University of California, Irvine. The course covers everything from search engine marketing and two-way communication with customers to storytelling and reputation management. 

According to the site, it’s free to start, but after a seven-day trial period, you’ll be required to pay $49 monthly. The subscription gives you access to all of the lectures, assignments, knowledge checks, discussion forums, and even a certification of completion. Lastly, the course has more than 10,500 enrollees. 

2. eCornell: Assessing Opportunities in Paid Digital Media

eCornell’s online paid media course covers the basics of search engine marketing, email marketing, and video marketing through a paid lens. The course tackles topics like social media and mobile ads and will guide you through the process of drafting a paid media marketing plan. 

This two-week, fully online, instructor-led course is targeted towards marketing managers who want to understand the role digital marketing plays in an organization. The course is priced at $1,199 and is part of eCornell’s Digital Marketing program, which is priced at $3,699 and includes four courses. After completing the entire program, you will have earned a certificate.

3. Harvard Business School: Digital Marketing Strategy

Harvard Business School Online’s digital marketing course is seven weeks long, self-paced, and contains six modules. The key concepts taught are the evolution of marketing, different approaches to budget allocation, and customer engagement techniques like storytelling and personalization. 

The featured exercises include building a practice budget, calculating a customer’s lifetime value, and advising a real-life company on its marketing plan. The course costs $1,750, and the application is free, but you must be at least 18 years old to apply. 

4. LinkedIn Learning: Advance as a Digital Marketing Specialist

LinkedIn Learning’s digital marketing career path is a comprehensive program with nine courses. Each one is more than ten hours long and is designed to teach learners how to create effective customer touchpoints, develop content strategies, and gain expertise in SEO and analytics. Upon completing the program, students receive a certificate that can be added to their LinkedIn profile.

The lectures are delivered by industry experts Brad Batesole, who teaches part-time at California State University Northridge, and Marta Dapena-Baron, a former marketing lecturer at the University of Michigan and Cornell University.

To access this course path, users must subscribe to the service. The subscription costs $379.88 per seat per year, with a two-seat minimum requirement for teams.

5. Udemy: The Complete Digital Marketing Course—12 Courses in 1 

This $199.99 course offered by Udemy teaches students how to master digital marketing strategy and the fundamentals of social media, SEO, YouTube, email, X (formerly Twitter), Quora, and Facebook marketing. Taught in 17 languages over 22.5 hours of videos and articles, it also teaches you copywriting, making a website, and performing market research. 

According to the site, the course comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and it caters to three target audiences: individuals who wish to enhance their skills for job opportunities, website owners looking to boost their traffic and sales, and pre-launch business owners who are unsure where to begin.

Things to consider before enrolling in an online marketing course

If there’s one takeaway from this article, it’s that there are a lot of options in terms of the kinds of courses you can take. An overwhelming number of options can lead to analysis paralysis, so it’s important to remember that while some courses might sound great, they might not give you the exact results you’re looking for. 

Before spending your hard-earned cash or wasting your time with any marketing course, consider these factors:

• Hands-on practice : According to a report by the U.S. Department of Education ,  the term “hands-on approach” refers to guided instruction through experience. “It’s one thing to hear somebody say something. It can be quite another to make sure you can apply that thing,” Berger says. “It’s important to learn from others, but you need to make sure you can apply those learnings as well.” 
• Reviews : Berger says that word of mouth is another powerful tool in determining what you should spend your money and time on. “When I am making a tough decision, I turn to others—either looking at reviews online or talking with people offline—to understand what other people think and help make better decisions.” Sites like Udemy and Simplilearn provide ratings on the front pages of courses. 

So, what is the best online marketing course to take?

The best online marketing course is the one that best suits your needs. While you can scroll through thousands of TikTok and YouTube videos to pick up key information, a structured course can give you the backbone you need to improve your digital marketing skills. 

Whether you want to learn for free or for money, there’s an option for everyone. But if you’re still on the fence about taking an online marketing course, hear Berger’s advice: 

“Marketing touches almost everything we do—we all have a customer. Brand managers sell products, B2B companies sell services, leaders sell ideas, doctors convince patients to take medicine, lawyers try to convince their clients to take action, and employees try to convince their bosses.”

He explains that whether we interface with our customers, spouses, or children, we aim to understand them and meet them where they are. “It’s about understanding who you’re interacting with and delivering them value.” If that sounds interesting to you, then digital marketing could be a good career path. 

Fortune outlined the path you need to take to become a digital marketer , and we also compiled a list of 16 entrepreneurial classes you can take online now .

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Why you should assume that your audience doesn’t care

Grounding us and making us think hard about what if we don’t do that presentation – Kris Flegg helps us think about our work

Your audience needs to be as interested in what you present as you are. It’s your job to make them. That’s the challenge you’re up against.

In most presentations, failure isn’t as dramatic as a ceiling falling down, a room full of heckling and boos or the audience walking out in protest. A presentation’s main failure is usually more subtle. Your idea goes nowhere, connections aren’t made or problems remain unsolved even after the audience has heard your solution. It’s silent, passive resistance to what you present and an unmoved audience.

Be honest and ask yourself: what happens if I fail to appear?

If you’re considering your audience’s needs, being their humble servant, beginning with the end in mind, following a structure and being authentically you, then you’ve already built a strong foundation for breaking through this resistance and making an impact.

Here’s another principle that will greatly assist. Start with the assumption no one really cares about what you’re planning to present, and that your job is to make them care. When you work with a certain subject matter every day, you can quickly lose objectivity when communicating.

Getting in the way of your presentation

When you lack objectivity about your topic, it presents two clear barriers when presenting:

• You can easily assume everyone has at least an equal understanding of your subject matter.
• Your day-to-day familiarity with your subject matter might mean you’re missing the wonder of it, that is, the magic it takes to bring the audience into your world.

The starting point in embracing this is to ask yourself what the difference is between your presentation taking place and not taking place. Unless you’re revealing how to survive a shark attack or you have cracked the code to cure illnesses, it’s unlikely the audience will be on the edge of their seats or glued to the screen waiting with bated breath.

Be honest and ask yourself: what happens if I fail to appear? What happens if the internet cuts out completely, and my Zoom presentation doesn’t happen? Ask yourself this question from the audience’s perspective. Will your failure to reach the audience have a dramatic impact on their lives? Take your time here. Think with your head and examine with your heart. Dig deep and find those reasons. If you’ve spent time on this and still can’t justify things, then throw everything out the window, reset and find a new lens.

The lens of realism

Assuming apathy is a healthy dose of self-imposed realism that forces you to focus on creating value and fair exchange with your audience. Once you’ve adopted this principle and are clear on the fact that what’s important to you may not be as important to everyone else, you’re in a good place.

Your task as a presenter is to move people from where they are to a future state. That’s not going to happen by luck or good fortune; it’s up to you and you should feel energised to do it.

Most presentations are time-fillers that will never make a difference or impact. To be a better presenter, you need to appreciate this and use your focus to make sure what you do has some sort of meaning. If you don’t care, or don’t appreciate this, the change you want won’t happen. The wall of passive resistance will win. Your job is to be a persuasive presenter. It’s not up to your audience to pretend to care. It’s up to you to persuade them.

Kris Flegg is the founder and director of Presentation Design Co. and author of The Presentation Playbook

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• Open access
• Published: 21 May 2024

Effectively teaching cultural competence in a pre-professional healthcare curriculum

• Karen R. Bottenfield 1 ,
• Maura A. Kelley 2 ,
• Shelby Ferebee 3 ,
• Andrew N. Best 1 ,
• David Flynn 2 &
• Theresa A. Davies 1 , 2  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  553 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

262 Accesses

Metrics details

There has been research documenting the rising numbers of racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States. With this rise, there is increasing concern over the health disparities that often affect these populations. Attention has turned to how clinicians can improve health outcomes and how the need exists to educate healthcare professionals on the practice of cultural competence. Here we present one successful approach for teaching cultural competence in the healthcare curriculum with the development of an educational session on cultural competence consisting of case-based, role-play exercises, class group discussions, online discussion boards, and a lecture PowerPoint presentation.

Cultural competence sessions were delivered in a pre-dental master’s program to 178 students between 2017 and 2020. From 2017 to 2019, the sessions were implemented as in-person, case-based, role-play exercises. In 2020, due to in-person limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, students were asked to read the role-play cases and provide a reflection response using the online Blackboard Learn discussion board platform. Evaluation of each session was performed using post-session survey data.

Self-reported results from 2017 to 2020 revealed that the role-play exercises improved participant’s understanding of components of cultural competence such as communication in patient encounters (95%), building rapport with patients (94%), improving patient interview skills (95%), and recognition of students own cultural biases when working with patients (93%).

Conclusions

Students were able to expand their cultural awareness and humility after completion of both iterations of the course session from 2017 to 2019 and 2020. This session can be an effective method for training healthcare professionals on cultural competence.

Peer Review reports

It is projected that by the year 2050, racial and ethnic minority groups will make up over 50% of the United States population [ 1 ]. With a more multicultural society, growing concern has emerged over how to address the health disparities that effect these populations and the ways in which healthcare professionals can increase positive health outcomes. Continuing evidence suggests that many patients from racial and ethnic minority groups are not satisfied with the current state of healthcare which has been attributed to implicit bias on the part of physicians and current challenges faced by practitioners who feel underprepared to address these issues due to differences in language, financial status, and healthcare practice [ 2 , 3 , 4 ].

To contend with health disparities and the challenges faced by practitioners working with a more diverse population, healthcare educators have begun to emphasize the importance of educating healthcare workforce on the practice of cultural competence and developing a skilled-based set of behaviors, attitudes and policies that effectively provides care in the wake of cross-cultural situations and differences [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. There are several curricular mandates from both medical and dental accreditation bodies to address this issue [ 7 , 8 , 9 ], and large amounts of resources, ideas, and frameworks that exist for implementing and training future and current healthcare providers on the inadequacies of the healthcare system and cultural competence [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. These current institutional guidelines for accreditation and the numerous amounts of resources for training cultural competence, continue to evolve with work documenting the need for blended curriculum that is continuous throughout student education, starting early as we have done here with pre-dental students, including in-person didactic or online sessions, a service learning component, community engagement and a reflective component [ 4 , 5 , 13 , 14 ].

This study investigates teaching cultural competence in a healthcare curriculum. We hypothesized that early educational exposure to cultural competence through role playing case studies, can serve as an effective mechanism for training early pre-doctoral students the practice of cultural competence. Utilizing student self-reported survey data conducted in a predental master’s curriculum, in which two iterations of role-playing case studies were used to teach components of cultural competence, this study aims to evaluate and support research that suggests role-playing case studies as effective means for educating future clinical professionals on the practice of cultural competence.

This study was determined to be exempt by the Institutional Review Board of Boston University Medical Campus, Protocol # H-37,232. Informed consent was received from all subjects.

Data collection

The role-playing, case-based simulated patient encounter exercises were developed and administered at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine to predental students in the Master of Science in Oral Health Sciences Program (see Table  1 ). From 2017 to 2020, we administered patient encounter cases [see Additional File 1 ] to students ( n  = 178) in the program as a portion of a case-based, role-playing exercise to teach the importance of cultural competence and cultural awareness during patient encounters. During years 2017–2019, real actors portrayed the patient and physician. In 2020, the session was conducted online via a discussion board through a Blackboard Course Site. The original case was published as part of a master’s students thesis work in 2021 [ 15 ].

Description of patient encounter cases 1 and 2

Patient Encounter Case 1 [see Additional file 1 ] is composed of two subsections, scenario 1 A and scenario 1B, and is centered around a patient/physician interaction in which a patient who is pregnant presents with pain upon urination. The physician in 1 A is short and terse with the patient, immediately looking at a urine sample, prescribing medication for a urinary tract infection, and telling the patient to return for a follow-up in 2 weeks. In scenario 1B, a similar situation ensues; however, in this scenario the physician takes more time with the patient providing similar care as the physician in 1 A, but asking for more information about the patients personal and medical history. At the conclusion of the scenario, the patient is offered resources for an obstetrician and a dentist based on the information that is provided about the patient’s background. The patient is then sent on their way and asked to follow-up in 2 weeks. The patient does not return.

Patient Encounter Case 2 [see Additional file 1 ] follows a similar format to the Patient Encounter Case 1. In scenario 2 A, the same patient from Case 1 returns with tooth pain after giving birth. The physician in 2 A, like 1 A, is short with the patient and quickly refers the patient to a dentist. In 2B, the physician again takes more time with the patient to receive background information on the patient, make a connection, and provides an antibiotic and dental referral.

Each Patient Encounter Case explored topics such as the importance of building a trusting physician/patient relationship, the importance of asking a patient for patient history, making a connection, and the importance of a physician taking all facets of a patient’s circumstances into consideration [ 15 ].

Session outline

The sessions conducted between 2017 and 2019 were composed of three parts: (1) enactment of an abridged patient encounter facilitated by session administrators, (2) group discussion and reflection during which time students were asked to critically reflect and discuss the theme and key take-aways from the role play exercise, and (3) a PowerPoint presentation emphasizing take-away points from the role-play exercise. At the conclusion of the cultural competence training sessions, students participated in a post-session Qualtrics generated survey administered electronically to assess each student’s feelings about the session [see Additional file 3 ].

Role-play enactment

Facilitators dressed-up in clothing to mimic both the physician and patient for all case scenarios in Patient Encounter Case 1 and Case 2. At the conclusion of the role play portion of each of the cases, the facilitators paused to lead students in a real-time class group discussion. After Case 1, students were asked questions such as: What did you think ? Were the patient’s needs met? Did you expect the patient to return? Following Case 2, similar questions were asked by the facilitators, including: What did you think ? Were the patient’s needs met? Did you expect the patient to accept help?

At the conclusion of this portion of the session, the facilitators led a larger general discussion about both cases and how they related to one another. Finally, the course session concluded with a PowerPoint presentation that reinforced the take-home points from the session [see Additional file 2 ] [ 15 ].

Change in session modality due to COVID-19 pandemic

In Fall 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the course modality moved to an online platform and consisted of three parts on a Blackboard Discussion Board (Blackboard, Inc.). Students were required to: (1) read each of the Patient Encounter Cases and add a brief reflection comparing the scenarios, (2) then comment on at least two peer’s posts in the discussion forum and (3) attend class to hear a PowerPoint presentation by a course session facilitator on the key take-aways from each scenario [ 15 ].

Student surveys

At the conclusion of the cultural competence training sessions, students participated in a post-session Qualtrics ( https://www.qualtrics.com ) generated survey administered electronically to assess each student’s feelings about the sessions [see Additional file 3 ]. The format of the survey included 5 questions with the following Likert scale response options: strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree. These post-session surveys were not required but rather optional [ 15 ].

A total of 178 students completed the cultural competence sessions between 2017 and 2020. Of these participants, 112 voluntarily completed a post-session survey on the effectiveness of the course in teaching cultural competence and cultural awareness during patient encounters. Between 2017 and 2019, 99 students completed post-session surveys following sessions with role play exercises. In 2020, 13 students completed post-session surveys following discussion board sessions.

Role-play exercises enhanced cultural competence

In responding to post-session survey questions following cultural competence sessions that included role-play exercises (2017–2019), 71% of students surveyed strongly agreed and 24% agreed that the role-play exercises helped them to identify the importance of communication in patient encounters. In asking participants if the role-play exercises made them more aware of different strategies to improve their patient interview skills, 72% strongly agreed and 23% agreed. Also, 68% of the students strongly agreed and 26% agreed that the exercises helped them to better identify the importance of building rapport and trust during patient encounters. When asked if the exercises helped the students to better understand their own bias and/or cultural awareness when working with patients, the results of the survey showed that 62% of students strongly agreed and 31% agreed with this statement. In addition, most students found the role-play exercises to be enjoyable (72% strongly agreed and 22% agreed). See results shown in Fig.  1 .

Cultural Competence Session Survey Data from the Year 2017–2019. Survey data from students at Boston University’s Oral Health Sciences Program for the years 2017–2019. Data is presented as percent of respondents ( n  = 99)

Discussion boards and reflections enhanced cultural competence

Cultural competence sessions held during 2020 did not include role-play exercises due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead, students participated in discussion boards and reflections on Blackboard. In response to the post-session survey question asking if the discussion board exercises were helpful in identifying the importance of communication during patient encounters, 67% of students strongly agreed and 25% agreed with this statement. Also, 75% of students strongly agreed and 17% agreed that the discussion board exercises helped them identify the importance of building rapport and trust during patient contact. When asked if the exercises helped the students to better understand their own bias and/or cultural awareness when working with patients, the results of the survey showed that 67% of students strongly agreed and 25% agreed with this statement. In addition, most students found the discussion board exercises to be enjoyable (67% strongly agreed and 22% agreed). See results shown in Fig.  2 .

Cultural competence session survey data from the Year 2020. Survey data from students at Boston University’s Oral Health Sciences Program for the year 2020. Data is presented as percent of respondents ( n  = 13)

Student responses to the reflection portion of the online cultural competency sessions were recorded and categorized. Five themes were selected and 441 reflection responses were coded using NVivo (Version 12). The results showed that 29% of reflections demonstrated student’s ability to understand a holistic approach to clinical care, 24.3% understood the importance of collecting a patient history, 6.8% recognized the socioeconomic factors during a patient encounter, 27.9% reflected on the importance of the patient clinical relationship, and 12% on the effects on improving health outcomes (Table  1 ). Representative student responses to these themes are shown in Table  1 .

There exists a need to develop novel and effective means for teaching and training the next generation of healthcare professionals the practice of cultural competence. Thus, two iterations of a course session using case-based patient centered encounters were developed to teach these skills to pre-professional dentals students. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated that participation in the course, subsequent group discussion sessions, and take-away PowerPoint sessions significantly improved the participant’s understanding of the importance of communication skills and understanding of socioeconomic, environmental, and cultural disparities that can affect a patient’s health outcome.

According to results from the course session implemented in-person from 2017 to 2019, the role-playing exercise significantly improved participants understanding of important components that can be used to improve health outcomes that may be affected due to health disparities. Students were strongly able to identify the importance of communication in patient encounters, to understand strategies such as communication and compassionate care in patient encounters, identify the importance of building a patient-physician relationship with patients, and were able to recognize their own cultural biases. Similarly, in 2020, even with a change in course modality to on-line learning due to COVID-19, students were able to understand the same key take-aways from the course session as demonstrated by reflections using the discussion board regarding the need for a holistic approach to care, importance of the patient clinician relationship, and importance of taking a patient history. Despite promising implications of both iterations of the session, students completing the session online did not find the same success in “understanding my own bias/and or cultural awareness when working with patients.” This decrease may be attributed to change in course modality and the strengths of the role-play enactment of the patient encounter. It is important to recognize that additional learning components, including video recordings of the role-play enactment, may be necessary if the discussion board is used as the primary learning method in the future.

In contrast to previous studies that attempted to determine the effectiveness of cultural competence training methods, this session had many unique characteristics. The simulated role-playing exercise enabled student participants to see first-hand an interactive patient scenario that could be used as an example for when students begin working with patients or communicating with patients who are culturally diverse. Additionally, the nature of the cases created for the course session which were divided into a part A in which the patient physician was more straightforward when diagnosing and treating the patient and a part B with a more comprehensive and nurturing approach to care, allowed the students to compare the scenarios and make their own assumptions and comments on the effectiveness of each portion of the case. Another strength of this training, was the faculty with cultural competence training were uniquely involved in case creation and facilitation of the course session. According to previous studies with similar aims, it was noted that direct observation and feedback from a faculty member who had cultural competence training and direct contact with patients can provide students with a more memorable and useful experience when educating students [ 12 ]. The facilitators of this session were able to emphasize from their own personal experiences how to work with culturally diverse populations.

An important aspect of the 2020 iteration of the course session in which a discussion board format was used, was that it allowed students who may feel uncomfortable with sharing their thoughts on a case and their own biases, the opportunity to share in a space that may feel safer than in person [ 4 ]. Previous studies have mentioned challenges with online discussion boards [ 4 ] but here we had robust participation, albeit required. Students often contributed more than the required number of comments and they were often lengthy and engaging when responding to peers. Finally, in contrast to previous studies, this course session took place in a pre-professional master’s program, the M.S. in Oral Health Sciences Program at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. This program, in which students are given the opportunity to enhance their credentials for professional school, provided students with early exposure to cultural competence training. Students that completed this session in their early pre-professional curriculum should be better prepared than peers who did not receive any cultural competence training until they entered their designated professional school. This session is part of an Evidence Based Dentistry course, which incorporates a larger component of personal reflection that serves to engage students in critical thinking as they begin to develop the skills to be future clinicians. Students that understand different cultures, society and themselves through self-assessments will grow and be best suited in time to treat future patients [ 4 , 16 , 17 ].

One limitation of the present study was the number of survey participants that competed the post-session surveys, as survey completion was not required. Thus, the number of student participants declined over the years, reaching its lowest number of participants in 2020 when the discussion board course session was implemented, and students may have been over surveyed due to the pandemic. Another limitation to this study, was the lack of both a pre and post survey that could be used to determine how student’s understanding of cultural competence had evolved from their entry into the course to the conclusion of the course as well as individual bias and self-reporting measures.

In the future, the course should implement both a role-playing format and subsequent discussion board reflections within the same course session. Studies have shown that alternatives ways of drawing students to reflect whether role play, personal narratives, etc. can be extremely advantageous in developing personal reflection and awareness building competency [ 4 , 16 , 17 , 18 ]. It is noted that role-playing exercises that allow students to provide feedback with student colleagues can provide students with more insight into their own behaviors. It has also been shown in previous studies that student writing and reflection activities can also facilitate student’s reflections on their own beliefs and biases [ 4 , 11 ]. Reflective writing skills are an important and effective means for students to continue to gauge their cultural competence throughout the remainder of their academic training and as future clinicians [ 4 , 17 , 19 ]. Further, students may experience emotional responses through the process of reflective writing as they recognize personal bias or stereotypes, creating a profound and impactful response resulting in enhanced understanding of cultural differences and beliefs [ 4 ]. By combining both learning techniques, students would be able to understand their own bias and their classmates and create a dialogue that could be more beneficial than just one learning method alone. Furthermore, by implementing the discussion board into the role-playing session, as stated previously, students that are more cautious about sharing their point of view or about their own implicit bias in a traditional classroom setting would be able to express their opinions and facilitate a more comprehensive discussion more thoroughly.

Here we show an effective means to utilize role-play of a multi-scenario case-based patient encounter to teach pre-professional healthcare student’s components of cultural competence, emphasizing the importance of provider-patient interactions, holistic patient care, and patient history and socioeconomic factors in provider care. This study contributes to the larger body of work that seeks to address this important aspect of education as it relates to enhancing patient health care outcomes.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge Boston University’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine’s Graduate Medical Science students and study participants.

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Contributions

TAD designed the original study concept, taught the classes (roleplay), conducted the surveys, and collected data; MAK designed the original case and PowerPoint, and performed roleplay; DBF and SF evaluated data and drafted original figures; ANB assisted in drafting the manuscript; KRB finalized figures and the manuscript.

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Bottenfield, K.R., Kelley, M.A., Ferebee, S. et al. Effectively teaching cultural competence in a pre-professional healthcare curriculum. BMC Med Educ 24 , 553 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05507-x

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Received : 27 October 2023

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05507-x

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