As I start my coaching certification journey with a school that works through a big online community and teleclasses, I couldn't help but contemplate on the huge transformation that we are experiencing in the past years from in-class experiences toward online involvement. As fancy as it sounds, online education raises a lot of concerns and questions. Can it bring a real value to my professional development? Can I actually learn the necessary skills and theory? Can I survive in an online environment? Is it recognized? Will I miss the personal contact with people? Can I build relationships?
Choosing an online certification is a huge step for me. My personal experience with online classes from my last graduate program was a disaster. Generally speaking, people were posting what they were required to post, and were participating at the absolute minimum required level in online discussions. And that was it. Meaningful conversations, engaging discussions and valuable feedback were not the premise on which the subject was developed. Most of the people logged to write the required number of posts and threads, sadly - even the instructors. Often times the posts were done literally in the last minute of the deadline, so there was no time to respond or start a conversation. Educational tragedy! This was my first and last online class.
Yet, there is something about the online world. Where do I mostly connect with my friends and family? Online. Where do I do most of my shopping? Online. Where do I do my research? Online. Where do I read news and articles? Online. Actually where do I spend most of my time? Well, online. As the web has conquered our private lives, isn't the online education and practice the next logical step? I believe it is.
I've decided to go with a virtual school to challenge myself and to delve deep into the myriad opportunities of the professional web world. What attracted me to my school is that by entering it you become a member of a long-lasting community of fellow coaches. Unlike the more traditional coaching programs in which you attend a certain number of seminars and then go through the certification process, ICA opens a door to a huge community of excited and devoted coaches. The forums provide a unique opportunity to start or join a conversation on different topics ranging from marketing a coaching practice to discussing a professional challenge. In the ICA community you can look for peer coaching or for clients; you can ask for help; you can share your wins; and most importantly you can build long-lasting friendships. If you want to learn more about the International Coach Academy click here.
In this virtual learning environment I plan to enhance my coaching skills, competences and knowledge, and go through the whole ICF certification process. However, I consider this program to be just the beginning of an exciting lifelong online coaching journey. I want to become competent and confident to work with my clients online. Moreover, I want to continue my on-going professional growth with online communities where I can build relationships with other coaches, discuss case studies and novelties, participate in conversations, and challenge myself to further self-development. The truth about online learning is: It gives you as much as you can get from it!
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