Congratulations!
Based on your quiz responses, it’s clear that your independent professor teaching style is the…
Student-Centered Connector
(... fostering educational collaboration and unity!)
As a Student-Centered Connector…
You create a classroom that embodies warmth and encourages collaboration… a nurturing academic environment where every student feels valued and supported.
You know the best educational experiences go beyond the one-on-one student-teacher relationship. The most memorable (and perspective-altering) academic journeys encourage a sense of student community and foster strong group connections.
And this is exactly what you create in your classroom.
You’ve got a unique and empathetic teaching style!
And it allows you to design academic atmospheres perfect for the shared learning journey… while still keeping an eye on individual needs and ensuring that every student feels included, heard and appreciated.
And adapting your approach? That’s where you truly shine! You quickly pick up on group and individual needs - smoothly shifting gears and altering course when necessary - providing your students with exactly what they need to academically succeed.
And you do it all while keeping things moving steadily ahead.
You don’t miss a beat.
As a Connector, you elevate education to exhilarating new heights! Your passion propels you toward creating your own path through the world of academia… and you inspire your students to do the same.
This is why embracing independence comes so naturally to you.
And also why the concept of self-hosting your own learning experience resonates so deeply. This concept compliments your unique approach and beautifully aligns with your dedication to creating supportive educational experiences that build student connection and achieve collective success.
I’m going to tell you more about self-hosted learning experiences (and which ones are perfect for you as a Student-Centered Connector!).
But first, let me answer the question you’re probably asking yourself right about now.
What is a self-hosted learning experience?
(... and why should I create one?)
A self-hosted learning experience is an educational setting or platform that is created and managed by an individual or an organization outside of traditional educational institutions. It involves designing and delivering learning experiences independent of a formal academic structure or university framework.
Perhaps you've had a topic on your mind where you have expertise, knowledge, and experience but it goes beyond the scope of the disciplinary courses you teach at your university.
You can take this topic and create your own self-hosted learning experience!
“Would I have to create a semester-length course?”
Not at all! It can look however you want it to look.
I've personally created self-hosted learning experiences that have taken the following forms:
a workshop
a masterclass
a course
a training
a book
a presentation
The beauty of self-hosted learning is the space it provides for continuous improvement. A space where you can sculpt your teaching persona, refine your techniques, and explore uncharted territories in academia (perfect for a student-centered professor like you!).
And the cherry on top?
Increasing your income and the meaningful impact you make on the world (because teaching is more than what you do for a living). Well worth the calculated risk!
But, of course, any calculated risk comes with potential challenges.
One challenge that a Student-Centered Connector like yourself might face is reconciling your supportive nature with individual autonomy.
Unlike teaching in the classroom, the best self-hosted learning experiences are co-created with the students inside of these experiences.
And the feedback they share with you is the key to success (yours, theirs… and that of your future students).
But you can’t sit around hoping they share their thoughts with you.
You have to ask for it.
Here’s why.
Asking for feedback is THE MOST PROFITABLE THING you can do for your self-hosted learning experience.
The important process of soliciting feedback before, during, and after your self-hosted learning experience is something I teach in my Independent Professor Workshop.
It’s a framework that I've named the NLT Co-Creation Method.
(NLT = Nudge, Learn, Teach.)
Before I share the magic of the NLT Co-Creation Method, let me make a quick point about a feedback process you're already familiar with…
End of Semester Student Evaluations
(... annnd there’s that wave of soul-crushing dread… right on cue.)
As you know, at the end of each semester, your students are asked to share feedback about their experience in your classroom. The hope is that they provide constructive feedback (unlikely!) that will help you learn and implement smart adjustments for your next semester’s classes.
This is where I see a big flaw in the logic.
The feedback that your students give you AFTER the semester is over only helps the next group of students. It doesn't help support your students who actually provided the feedback because they have now completed your class and are moving on!
The NLT Co-Creation Method flips the script. With this framework, you solicit feedback before you spend a lot of your time and effort creating a self-hosted learning experience… that no one is interested in. 😅
Then, when you teach your content for the first time, you KNOW it's content that your potential students and clients are interested in (because they’ve already told you what they want)!
And while you’re teaching your self-hosted learning experience for the first time (and every time after), you ask for feedback DURING THE EXPERIENCE.
This is key! 🔑
And it’s what allows you to go back (activating your decisiveness and top-notch goal-setting abilities) and update your learning experience for the next group of students or clients you teach.
It’s what allows you to make the experience even better. Even more valuable. And even more aligned with what your ideal students and clients want.
This benefits your future students… and IT BENEFITS YOUR CURRENT STUDENTS because you can smoothly shift course along the way!
Pro Tip: Give your current students access to all of the updates that you make inside of your self-hosted learning experience!
This is one of the biggest advantages that self-hosted teaching has over university teaching - your current students benefit from their own feedback and can continue learning from you long after the initial experience has ended.
Talk about increasing your impact!
So now that you know...
→ What a self-hosted learning experience is
→ How these experiences make you and your students more successful
→ Why soliciting feedback before, during, and after a learning experience is key to increasing your meaningful impact
… let’s dive into which self-hosted learning experiences are perfect for you as a Student-Centered Connector!
Bring community and connection to your best-fit self-hosted learning experiences.
(... two options perfect for your independent professor teaching style!)
Your ideal self-hosted learning experience is one that taps into your strengths as a Student-Centered Connector… ensuring a creation process that feels fresh, innovative and aligns with your passion (even with your hectic academic schedule!).
Embrace your supportive nature, empathetic approach and knack for building community. You're a connection-building innovator!
There are two types of learning experiences that fit you best:
1. Email Courses
2. One-on-One Coaching
Aspiring academic entrepreneurs tend to believe that a valuable learning experience must be a weeks-long lecture-style video experience - like it is for an online class at a university.
But that’s not the case!
Not even close.
You can teach a favorite topic or provide a transformation in 1-3 hours… and utilizing multiple types of mediums and formats (lecture-style has its place… but it’s not your only option!).
An Email Course delivers educational content through a series of scheduled emails… each containing lessons, resources or activities. This allows students to learn at their own pace (typically over a defined time period).
My first email course was a five-day finance training that helped grad students strategically set up a budget to manage their grad school stipends.
As a Student-Centered Connector, you prioritize student access to supportive and inclusive environments. And an Email Course will allow you to provide a structured yet flexible learning experience (perfectly aligned with your teaching approach!) that allows students to engage when convenient and easily manage their individual schedules and preferences.
The asynchronous nature of an Email Course (who doesn't love a self-paced learning environment?) enables students to absorb information gradually and thoughtfully reflect on the content. You can even take things a step further by personalizing the emails, addressing student-specific needs and offering support that fosters community and connection.
Option #1
Email Courses
Option #2
One-on-One Coaching
One-on-One Coaching involves personalized sessions between the instructor (that’s you!) and individual students. These one-on-one sessions allow you to address specific needs while providing expert guidance, support and mentorship custom-tailored to your student's goals.
I offer one-on-one coaching to professors who are interested in building a business (based on their knowledge and expertise) that remains reliably profitable… even during those busiest semesters. It’s what I call a “semester-proof” business.
Your strength lies in building connections and providing personalized support. One-on-One Coaching will allow you to showcase your teaching style as you establish and nurture meaningful student relationships.
And because you have a knack for identifying individual student needs, you’ll love that this format will help you to quickly understand exactly what will help your student succeed… and then provide tailored support and guidance that will bring personal growth and success.
You’ll foster trust with your students and facilitate their progress by directly addressing their unique challenges and goals. And your empathetic nature will shine through!
So who is the academic entrepreneur behind this quiz?
(a.k.a. Your Guide to a Well-Rounded Academic Life!)
Hi, I’m Dr. Toyin Alli, Math Ph.D., Senior Lecturer, and Independent Professor.
The independent online education industry is growing and innovating at a rate beyond what is happening in colleges and universities, and it’s wild to me that academics and professors are NOT at the forefront of this movement.
As lifelong learners, academics are uniquely suited to share our expertise, education, and experience beyond the scope of our university courses.
I created my first self-hosted learning experience in 2017, and I haven’t looked back. These learning experiences have built my personal brand, supported my academic goals, and brought me financial freedom!
I truly believe that it’s possible to be successful in academia and live a fulfilled life at the same time (I’m doing it!).
Because of my personal brand built by teaching self-hosted online courses:
→ I was promoted to Senior Lecturer a year early
→ I won two teaching awards
→ I surpassed $100,000 in course sales per year
How? I’ve created an education business that I run alongside my academic career. I spend about 5 hours/week operating this self-hosted learning experience business (which is exactly how I like it).
And I help other academics do the same.
Upon reflecting on the work that I’ve done with academics who are interested in expanding their impact beyond their university, I’ve noticed that they all have one thing in common.
They all want to share their knowledge on their own platform outside of the university structure.
And through their work with me, they have all created self-hosted learning experiences.
Here are several topics that past clients have created self-hosted learning experiences around:
helping healthcare professionals complete doctoral programs quickly so they can get back to their careers
helping junior faculty get past their third-year review so that they are on track for tenure
helping leaders write memoirs to share their life lessons
helping Ph.D. students navigate paying their quarterly or annual taxes when they receive fellowship stipends
helping law students pass the bar exam
Traditional academia (the institution) hasn’t changed, but academics (the people) have.
As educators and researchers, we have a wealth of knowledge and expertise that often goes untapped within the confines of our university classrooms. We tend to teach the same topics semester after semester - year after year.
Teaching from our expertise, experience, and knowledge as independent professors is an opportunity for us to create something outside of our university, either for profit or to freely share our expertise with others.
By designing these experiences, we gain full control over the content, structure, and delivery methods - ensuring that our knowledge reaches a wider audience in a meaningful way.
Did you know that the independent online education industry brought in over $12 billion in 2022 alone?
Yup!
Now, I help professors gain access to this industry by creating their own teaching experiences independent of their university contracts.
You can have a successful academic career AND live a fulfilling life.
I 100% believe it - because I live it!
And I want the same for you.
Your Next Steps
Check your email. I’ve sent a link to these results for you to review at any time.
You’ll also receive a weekly newsletter from me called The Independent Professor Weekly Series. In the newsletter, I share more details about 10+ different types of self-hosted learning experiences that I recommend for professors who are ready to expand their impact and increase their income.
Ready to jumpstart your independent professor journey?
The Independent Professor Workshop is your comprehensive guide to choosing, designing and launching your first self-hosted learning experience.
The Workshop is an audio experience that you can easily consume on-the-go while it walks you through all the steps (we’re talking from choosing your experience to launching it… no leaving you hanging part-way through!). And when it’s all said and done, you’ll have a perfect-fit self-hosted learning experience that your ideal students are excited to PAY for.
It offers 10 different types of self-hosted learning experiences that are perfect for professors like you to create! Each experience description provides a detailed roadmap that will guide you through the creation process with step-by-step instructions, recommended tools and realistic timelines.
The Independent Professor Workshop includes the necessary resources and strategies to initiate and manage your self-hosted learning experience so you can start expanding your impact and building your own thriving digital education business!
Loving your quiz results?
Click the button below to share your thoughts and receive a coupon to save $50 on the Independent Professor Workshop!
I’m so excited to see the impact you create with your self-hosted learning experience!
I’d love to see what kind of self-hosted learning experience you create and cheer you on! Feel free to tag me or follow me on LinkedIn and learn about building a semester-proof business on my YouTube channel.