Everything I write below about pedagogy is anecdotal, and I don’t have much experience outside of being a student.
As a former teacher I complete agree with your approach. One critical component of teaching is determining your students’ next inferential step. Which is easier in a “one to one” setting, and almost impossible in a “one to many” setting.
Various online lessons are an exercise in frustration because always someone complains they are too easy (that they cover only the “obvious” and “well-known” facts), and someone else complains they are too difficult (that they use terms they didn’t explain, and go through complex ideas too fast).
Traditional school solves this by making everyone progress along the same path, and the same speed. I guess we all know how frustrating this is for smart people who have a potential to do much faster. On the other hand, LW audience will consist of smart people, but there will be wild differences in background knowledge.
So the approach “this is the outline, read these things in this order, and discuss with me when you complete something or you get stuck” is a good solution that allows you to provide material for many people at the same time, and yet address everyone individually.
Some online courses have separate Q&A threads for each lesson, where students can talk to each other, but only about the specific lesson.
As a former teacher I complete agree with your approach. One critical component of teaching is determining your students’ next inferential step. Which is easier in a “one to one” setting, and almost impossible in a “one to many” setting.
Various online lessons are an exercise in frustration because always someone complains they are too easy (that they cover only the “obvious” and “well-known” facts), and someone else complains they are too difficult (that they use terms they didn’t explain, and go through complex ideas too fast).
Traditional school solves this by making everyone progress along the same path, and the same speed. I guess we all know how frustrating this is for smart people who have a potential to do much faster. On the other hand, LW audience will consist of smart people, but there will be wild differences in background knowledge.
So the approach “this is the outline, read these things in this order, and discuss with me when you complete something or you get stuck” is a good solution that allows you to provide material for many people at the same time, and yet address everyone individually.
Some online courses have separate Q&A threads for each lesson, where students can talk to each other, but only about the specific lesson.