The Future of Online Education: Navigating Shifts and Embracing AI in 2025

In this inaugural episode of the rebranded 'Create Your Community' podcast, host Vix Meldrew discusses significant shifts in the online education industry over the past five years, influenced heavily by the pandemic and the rise of AI. She examines trends from the boom in cohort-based programs during the pandemic to the increasing preference for self-paced courses post-pandemic, and how these preferences are changing again with advancements in AI. Vix highlights how AI tools like ChatGPT are reshaping online education by providing easily accessible information, leading to a decline in the need for traditional self-paced courses. She emphasizes the necessity for community-based, experiential, and mentorship-focused offerings to stay relevant and effective in the evolving landscape. The episode also introduces her program 'Sales Spice,' designed to help coaches and creators pivot and thrive with one-to-many offers that integrate human touch and community engagement.

00:00 Introduction to the New Podcast Name

01:06 Reflecting on the Pandemic Boom

01:54 Shift Towards Self-Paced Learning

02:47 Challenges with Self-Paced Courses

03:41 Pivoting Business Strategies

07:50 The Rise of AI in Online Education

09:41 Future of Online Education: Community-Based Offers

16:15 Adapting Curriculum Design

18:21 Conclusion and Future Plans