Think back to your favorite class growing up. The one that still resonates. You can probably still picture the teacher standing there, sharing their knowledge with you.

You may not remember the exact details of the class, every lesson or concept. But given enough time, you could picture the classroom, the teacher's face, the main principles they taught. You could remember how you felt in that class.

Now contrast that with your least favorite class, or just a random course you took. I'll bet the teacher you loved cared. They showed up. They engaged. They taught in meaningful ways, connected to a variety of students, and brought life to their topics no matter how seemingly boring or "hard."

While the forgettable teacher? They may have had you sit, read a textbook, highlight and copy sections, only to regurgitate it all at some predetermined test time.

Here's the uncomfortable truth: most online education today is a reincarnation of that second teacher.

We live in a vast sea of knowledge. An incredible era where we have more information and knowledge available to us than ever before. We can learn literally anything online, and that potential will only expand over the next couple of years with AI.

AI can do the textbook highlighting and synthesizing for us. But then what? We're left with empty learning.

It's a tool, not a replacement for quality education and empowered educators.

Today, there are gems, a few online educators creating a ripple much like those favorite teachers from your childhood. We must create an online educational ecosystem that improves, that leaves legacies, that creates impact.

Because learning that sticks requires more than information. And most online education is just an information dump.

Cheers, Kim