Geoff Lawton's online PDC 2016 will be more in-depth

Hi all, when I was in London to attend the IPCUK conference I had the great opportunity to speak with our/my teacher: Geoff Lawton. We discussed some issues on the online PDC. Well I want to share some points we touched in this forum.

First, the online course is going to be confirmed for 2016.

Second, it will have lots of more video's and lessons. I want to explain this because it was very interesting to learn how Geoff views the course, his students, feedback and teaching. He told me that he and the staff collected all the questions that were posted in 2013-2014 and 2015. They analyzed the topics that were more frequent and Geoff came to the conclusion that those were topics were he was lacking clarity and attention during the lessons. So the decision, if I am correct, has been to make some new video's that go more in depth on specific topics. The course will have a new set of videos that take the students on a more in depth journey, maintaining the normal path you can decide to take detours on specific subjects. It will be more interactive.
When we speak of the online course I think we miss out one aspect, it actually is not simply an online course, but a multimedia project that means much more.

Third, geoff explained to me that the lessons will be delivered in all a new way. I must say he used some technical words that I didn't quite catch, and so mny people were waiting to speak with him so I didn't take more time from his intense schedule. Guess the solution will be worth watching!

Fourth, and this is for all, not only the students Geoff has just finished shooting material for at least another hundred videos that he posts for free on his site! Maybe we'll get to see less but for sure it's going to be the largest online resource on specific permaculture topics!

Just days before going to London I had an interesting exchange of ideas on the online course with an italian permaculture teacher.
Ok she asks me "do you have a 72 hr PDC?"
"yes, I do, I have the certificate for the online course with Geoff Lawton I took this year".
"Oh the online course but that is another thing, it's not like a 72 hr course" she answered.
I looked at her and said "have you seen how the course is? do you know what it is like?"
"No" she answered with a smile that delivered prejudice.
"So how can you speak of what you know nothing about? Its useless to explain to you how in depth it is". I don't know why so many people try to discuss something they have never seen.
It's like if we discussed how the moon's soil is without having ever been there!

Geoff Lawton during his speach at the IPCUK said, I'm going by memory: I have seen projects from students from the online course that are mindblowing, I could have never thought of such solutions, I would have never come up with those ideas not even in a lifestime of consulting!
I'm sorry folks but he is serious, and his students are serious about taking the PDC with him, they put aside money to enroll even for a year or two, but they manage to get into that class!
One student on all that did the online course and that has demonstrated how serious he is about permaculture? Matt Powers, just to name one. For sure there are hundreds others, even tens of hundreds.... don't judge something you don't know, learn about it, or why not humbly enroll and take the course so you can see for yourself.

I'd like to throw in my support for this form of education and training ... and more specifically, this course. I am a graduate of Geoff's 2015 class. Now, would I have rather flown to Australia and attended an in-person PDC led by Geoff on his farm? Sure! But, that simply isn't possible ... for me or for Geoff. I can't imagine more than a 1,000 students attending a PDC class in person and getting any better experience than we received through the online experience. The "staff" were great at ensuring quality interactions on questions and sharing. If I understand what I've heard Geoff talk about before, getting at scale through technology is what he believes will get us to a tipping point of changing the world. Why would we limit ourselves and claim there is only one legitimate way to conduct a PDC of quality? It makes no sense; and, I believe Geoff has realized that and has dedicated his efforts to reach larger numbers of people. Yes, there is income stream from this. But, I won't begrudge a man being able to monetize an idea. Regardless of the economics, I can personally vouch that the course was better than I expected (I was just slightly skeptical) and his teaching on video and the on-site videos joined together create a valuable and meaningful training experience. I've attended some high-dollar corporate online training classes and this course, for its purpose, excels.

Do I have suggestions for improvement? Possibly. But I also understand that the course, as Lorenzo is pointing out, is always improving for the better. I know the 2015 course was an improved one from the 2014 course. And assume the 2016 will be even better. Was it worth the cost? It cost a lot of money. Yes, I get that. Not only was it worth the cost, but it is truly an investment in opportunity. I've been engaged by a local nursery to discuss soil function for classes it holds with its customers and will be paid for it. This, in part, was a result of my being certified. We all don't have to seek ways to make it pay off in cash opportunities because the content and knowledge alone from the course was more than worth the enrollment cost. Yes, the value is there.

Regarding there being no hands-on element. This is easily dealt with by going outside and trying and experimenting and failing and having successes on your own. Just because the PDC instructor isn't there doesn't mean the experience is not as valuable. Taking the knowledge from the videos and immediately going out and applying is the secret to making the PDC as good or better than any other PDC I could have put myself into. Besides, the ability to take more time on my design submission to me is a better approach than to make someone submit at the end of an in-person session when it would be rushed. The design submission process was critical to this PDC course for me because of the learning I gained during each iteration of design before I submitted my final design. I'm not sure how that would have happened in an in-person PDC course.

I am totally in agreement with Lorenzo here. If one hasn't actually been through Geoff's online PDC, it's probably better to not comment and be happy more people are being certified and working to change the landscape of the planet for good.

Does anyone know or has anyone heard of a schedule for the 2016 PDC? My school may be on board enrolling me but I'd like to get an idea of when it happens.

Just commenting so I can watch this thread.

Yes if anyone has seen a start date for this please post it !!

I took the 2014 Online PDC course and loved it! I can't wait to take the 2016 Online PDC!

I held off joining last year as I wanted to finish some other projects so I could devote more time to study around the topics.

Hopefully there will be a course this year.

Is there an official site Online PDC will be announced? I've been watching here, Geofflawton.com (instagram and fb) and PRI's sites- any other places where it may be announced?

geofflawtononline.com?

i also seek a sure site with this info

Hello to all

Geoff Lawton's online PDC course will be starting registration in October.

Be sure to sign up for his emails so you are notified as to when exactly.

www.geofflawtononline.com/2016/10/10/ask-anything-session-1

There have been several questions about the date of the online pdc.


Two hours ago this reply was posted by Chez Kiva (aka Tom):

"Ostensibly, sometime around the 1st of October he plans to release a broad public announcement with all the formal criteria in place."


This was the closest answer regarding an actual date there, and yet...

I asked directly in mid-September and was told it had already pre-launched with some of the people Geoff works closely with, and that the public launch would be "in about a month," i.e., October.

However, I haven't seen any sign of it actually launching publicly yet (now early December 2016) ... I'm not dreaming, am I? Because I am so on that course!

Wait a little bit, the course will surely begin in a few weeks.

Hi Everyone,

The "Early Bird" launch started in September. We were told the regular launch was to begin in October, but then Bill Mollinson died, which affected the start of the course for everyone.

The Early Birds are waiting for the launch like everyone else, as the course will not officially start until all are registered and ready to go. We are told it will happen soon.

I hope this helps.

Thanks so much for the info... Can't wait!

Am I able to sign up still for the course?? If so please show me where. Geoff Lawton.com has nothing that I can tell about the pdc.

Thank you.

I think you won't be able to subscribe until Geoff publicly announces the start of the course.
I think the course will start as soon as the subscription opens.
My $0.02.

I got an email about this today - 48 hours left until the early bird discount goes. US$797

....we'll wait until next year I think (bad timing at home)

I can't find a link, could you post it, Peter?

Dave de Basque wrote:I can't find a link, could you post it, Peter?

Hmm...maybe they didn't want it spread around.........gulp.......HERE

Hi guys,

So I guess Geoff is trying something different this year with his online pdc.  He is running this one on a referral basis.  He has given out links to folks who have completed one of his earlier pdc (like me) and we are allowed to refer our friends and family.

So you guys at permies are my friends and I am going to give out the invite here for anyone looking to sign up.  This link is only good for a limited time, so if you are interested in participating in this pdc, you better act sooner rather than later.  Apparently this pdc is going to be  bigger and better than the previous ones and he wants to give his full attention to the folks signing up.  Thus he doesn't want a million people signing up.

Anyway here is the link to sign up for the 2016 Geoff Lawton PDC.  Get it while it's here.


Enjoy!

Same for me, ladies and gentlemen.
I'm proud to be part of this online PDC, and happy to give you a link so that you can also be part of it.
First time for me being part of an affiliate program, so bear with me if I'm not that smart/polite/well mannered.
My referral link to join the online PDC.

I just joined!

Congrats!

I merged your stuff with the following thread. I hope that is okay by you.

Hi all,

I signed up as an early bird for Geoff's online PDC and have been given an affiliate link which I can share with friends and family. He's specifically asked that this link not be broadcast wholesale. The link gives me a money back discount which I'd be happy to share with any of my virtual friends on permies.com who want to do the course at a lower than public price, and who send me a private message. The course begins this Friday, so you'll need to make a decision soon!

Happy new year to you all

Lesley

Got an email from Geoff. I'm signed up! Whose coming with me?

Hi Travis,

I'm signed up! Whose coming with me?

I am.  

HI Simon,

He has given out links to folks who have completed one of his earlier pdc (like me) and we are allowed to refer our friends and family.  

Perhaps he isn't being quite so restrictive: I had been signed up to and have been receiving Geoff's regular emails and was sent an invite from him through that.

I'm in too, in case it wasn't obvious, and my very closest associate is doing it with me -- how crazy could things get with two permie designers in the house?

We are also looking for land, hopefully we'll close on something during the course so we can use it for our projects!

So so far I count Simon (from balmy southern Ontario, Canada), Roberto (from somewhat less balmy way-eastern BC, CA), André (N. France), Lesley (also N. France/Normandie), Travis (SE Michigan), and me + 1 (Basque Country aka N coast of Spain). Cecilia? Not sure if you were just being super-helpful or are actually taking the course!? And others that expressed interest back in March, not sure...

Anyway, I love the international aspect of the course. So far on the site I've seem messages from people in Bhutan, South Africa, Germany, New Zealand, Panama... It will be a real education seeing people from such different climates and situations wrestle with the concepts of the course and work out how to apply them to their land and lives. I hadn't thought of this before as an advantage to taking this particular online PDC, but I think it will be a big one! I think virtually every concept will get exposed to a load of challenges you could never think of if doing an onsite course with mostly people from nearby (i.e. only your own climate zone).

So who else is on board?