MasterClass is one of the best online learning platforms that are available in the e-learning market. Founded in 2014, MasterClass has a unique concept that blends celebrity experts with a great variety of online courses.
This makes MasterClass learning fun and entertaining. In this article, we answer the question “What is the concept of MasterClass?” and take a closer look at what makes MasterClass classes different from many other online learning spaces.
The Concept Of MasterClass
Unlike other e-learning platforms, MasterClass has developed a unique concept that is made up of a variety of successful elements. Here are all the ingredients of the MasterClass concept.
MasterClass Courses Are Taught By Celebrities
The main selling proposition is that MasterClass instructors are all celebrities and respected experts in their field.
From Tony Hawk for skateboarding to Gordon Ramsay’s cooking lessons, MasterClass offers a platform where you can learn something new with your favorite celebrity.
Thanks to the wide variety of MasterClass courses, you can find chefs, writers, athletes, musicians, and many other celebrities on MasterClass. Students can join their favorite experts on a learning journey.
As MasterClass teachers often use their own teaching style, it is much more appealing and fun to learn. Plus, if you are a big fan of a celebrity who presents here, then the MasterClass subscription fee can be much cheaper than going to see them live. (Learn about MasterClass cost and discounts ‘here‘)
A Blend Of Education And Entertainment
With celebrities as teachers, MasterClass doesn’t just offer educational classes but they blend education with an element of entertainment. Education can often be boring, especially when you are just watching a pre-recorded video without teacher and student interaction.
While MasterClass courses are also pre-recorded lesson videos with additional workbook material, students can watch their favorite celebrity.
Although some people find that this makes MasterClass learning more entertaining rather than a proper learning experience, the MasterClass concept is based on a mix of educational material and entertainment.
Instructor Locations
Another big factor that contributes to the success of MasterClass is the location where the videos are recorded. While most online lesson videos are recorded in an office or a plain room with a neutral background, MasterClass videos are often filmed in the instructor’s home.
This gives students a little glimpse into how their favorite celebrity lives and works. But the setting isn’t just a nice thing to look at.
The right MasterClass places in the pre-recorded MasterClass video can also set your learning mood and you feel a lot more inspired and motivated to pick up information.
Good Variety Of Courses
MasterClass has grown a great variety of courses over the years. You can find anything from music, home, arts, food, and writing to sports, technology, science, and business.
Some of the MasterClass online courses are so specific that you cannot find them anywhere else, especially not with a famous teacher. This means that if you are looking for a unique learning experience, then MasterClass is an entertaining choice.
High-Quality Videos
Another part that makes MasterClass courses so successful is the fantastic quality of their videos. As all MasterClass videos are filmed with a professional team, this shows in their excellent video quality.
In comparison, other online education platforms only provide instructions to their teachers who need to record their videos themselves. This leads to a large variation in video quality and often also to videos that are simply badly made and edited.
On the other hand, the pre-recorded lesson videos on MasterClass are filmed and edited by expert videographers who know exactly what a great video looks like.
A Big Course Budget
While MasterClass does not publish any financial figures, they typically pay celebrities a large sum of money (click ‘here‘ to learn how much MasterClass pays their celebrity instructors) to create a course with them. Plus, MasterClass celebrity instructors also receive a percentage of the revenue that is generated by each course.
In addition, MasterClass is likely spending a significant amount of money on video creation, copywriting and other essential services to create their new classes (see also ‘How Does Masterclass Make Money? [+ Is The Company Fine]‘).
Short Learning Videos
Each MasterClass course has a specific structure that follows a basic lesson plan. Students can preview the lesson plan on the course page. Each course is divided into individual video lessons. The number of video lessons can vary depending on the type of course.
However, each video lesson is up to 15 minutes long. This means students don’t have to spend a long time watching a video. Plus, you can also break up your learning time much easier and master new skills. You can choose to take one lesson a day or watch the lesson videos all in one go.
This allows you to learn as flexibly as you like. You can even replay individual lessons at a later date or read the video captions as a lesson summary.
Occasional Instructor Live Streams
MasterClass also hosts instructors on live streams now and then. This gives students a chance to watch more of their favorite celebrities. If you want to learn even more, then you can access these live streams to learn more about your teacher and their own learning journey.
Learning From Home
One of the biggest advantages of online learning is that you can learn something new from the comfort of your home. You don’t need to spend time and money traveling which makes learning with a platform such as MasterClass extremely convenient.
In addition, you can also learn more flexibly. As the videos are pre-recorded, you can pause them whenever you want.
Downloadable Workbook
Similar to other online learning spaces, MasterClass provides additional material with video lessons. However, MasterClass’ downloadable workbook is beautifully designed and has unlimited access. It matches the instructor’s teaching style and his/her topic of expertise.
But the handbook doesn’t just look nice, it also contains a large amount of useful information beyond the summaries for the video lessons.
The MasterClass concept understands that a beautifully designed workbook is much more engaging than a plain PowerPoint PDF.
Hands-On Sessions Available
MasterClass used to offer access to a learning community forum but it closed this feature and combined it under “MasterClass Sessions”. Sessions is MasterClass’ hands-on format which allows students to work together on a structured lesson plan.
Each MasterClass session is designed so students can finish it within a month. You can also access all materials at any time as long as you have a valid MasterClass subscription. Sessions are intended to be much more interactive rather than just watching a pre-recorded video.
It includes hands-on activities and interactive assignments. One of the biggest benefits of Sessions is that students are set deadlines that they need to stick to. They will also receive valuable feedback from other students on their work.
Sessions are a little different from the usual MasterClass concept as students learn with a trained Teaching Assistant who will provide feedback and answer questions.
However, students can also interact with each other on the community feed. This makes learning much more engaging.
Final Thoughts
The MasterClass concept is unique when it comes to online learning. MasterClass courses blend education with entertainment. MasterClass instructors are all experts and celebrities who share their knowledge in high-quality videos and glossy workbooks.
The platform offers a great variety of courses, from wellness to tech. This allows students to choose what MasterClass classes they would like to learn with their favorite celebrity.
