Sakurabook has a wide range of possibilities for various deployments when combined with other cloud services.As one such utilization example, this time, we will specifically introduce the creation, commercialization, and monetization of a more full-fledged online course by combining Sakurabook and Thinkific.

What is Sakurabook?

First of all, I will briefly introduce Sakurabook. Sakurabook is an extension app that can be equipped with an advanced calendar reservation function for the EC site construction tool "Shopify".Developed by our company based on the on-site voices of various business operators,Shopify's first Japanese language reservation appHas become.

Because Sakurabook's reservation calendar function is added to the EC (online shopping) function unique to Shopify,Both product sales and reservation reception can be handled on the same site and with the same shopping cartA point is a big feature.In addition, the highly flexible calendar reservation function makes it possible to make reservations according to the wishes of each individual customer, which is not possible with other similar services.

What is Thinkific?

Thinkific is a cloud service that allows you to create authentic online courses.It is possible to create and sell original learning courses by combining various teaching materials such as videos, PDFs, images, and sounds.

Rather than a video site such as Youtube or a post-type service such as a marketplace,A tool that allows you to create and sell original online courses on your own sitebecomes.Therefore, there is a high degree of freedom in service design and design, and there is no fear of being exposed to fierce competition with competitors.

In addition, It has all the functions necessary for monetizing online courses, such as attracting customers, web marketing, payment, and subscription billing, so you can create a full-fledged online course with just this one.

Sakurabook + Thinkific realizes a new-age learning course that seamlessly connects online and real life

If you only have regular online courses, you can run a full-fledged course with Thinkific alone.However, there may be cases where it is difficult to complete online only.

For example,

・We want to provide classroom lectures online, and teach practical workshops and exams at actual venues and facilities.

・The course itself will be held online, but you want to hold real events on a regular basis

In the case ofIn addition to operating online courses, it is also necessary to accept reservations for seminars, practical tests, and holding events at actual venues.Only Thinkific cannot accept such reservations on the site.but,Combining Thinkific and Sakurabook makes it possible.

[Specific examples] Full-fledged sports and dance classes that combine online lessons and face-to-face practical instruction

For example, lessons that focus on physical skills, such as sports, dance, yoga, and ballet, are one of the areas where online classes alone have limitations.It may be possible to take online lessons for classroom lectures such as basic knowledge and rudimentary content.However, when trying to convey more authentic skills, face-to-face lessons will be necessary.

So for example,Business development that combines online courses and face-to-face instruction, such as "providing face-to-face lessons twice a month in addition to online courses"It will be considered.

In the past, it may have been normal to do everything in face-to-face lessons, but nowadays there is a growing demand for online lessons, and more and more students want to do what they can do online.A combination of online courses and face-to-face lessons will be required to meet these needs.

Such development is possible with Sakurabook + Thinkific.

[Specific example] In addition to the online course, qualification exams will be held at the venue

For example, there are many qualifications that require rigorous exams for certification, and exams must be conducted onsite. Thinkific also includes a function to take exams online, but because it is only online learning, it is not possible to strictly prevent fraudulent acts such as so-called cheating.Therefore, if you want to conduct a rigorous exam, you need to do the certification exam at the venue even if the course is online.

It is effective to use Sakurabook to make reservations for these certification exams.

By linking Thinkific and Sakurabook, you will be able to do everything from taking online courses to making reservations for certification exams in one place.

Realizing a full-fledged e-learning and online course business with Sakurabook + Thinkific for non-face-to-face after-corona

Online courses and e-learning will be an important business model from the perspective of responding to the post-coronavirus non-face-to-face situation.

There are various schools and lesson businesses such as language study, qualification exams, fitness, yoga, calligraphy, sports and dance, but most of them have been provided offline at facilities and venues in the past.

However, now that consumer lifestyles have changed significantly after the corona disaster,If you can do it online, do it online.” “What you can do on your smartphone, do it on your smartphone.”Such demand has become commonplace in all industries.

It has been pointed out that it is difficult to imagine that the change to a society where non-face-to-face contact is the norm will return to the original even after the corona crisis is over.Customers who have been resistant to online and non-face-to-face services have noticed the convenience of non-face-to-face services due to the corona crisis, and it is expected that this will become commonplace in the future.

The e-learning market surged due to the corona crisis

In fact, the e-learning market is rapidly increasing after the corona disaster.According to a survey by Yano Research Institute, it can be seen that the market scale has expanded significantly until fiscal 2020, when the corona crisis began.

With government support such as IT introduction subsidies and business restructuring subsidies,Businesses that traditionally provided classrooms and lessons as offline and face-to-face services are also switching to online courses one after another.doing.

School lesson business that cannot be completed online, left behind by the wave of non-face-to-face

However, in reality, not all schools and lessons can be completed online.

What can be taught online is limited to classroom lectures such as knowledge.It will be difficult to perform practical skills and conduct thorough exams to prevent cheating.Therefore, it seems that the current situation is that such practical skills and qualification courses that require strict exams are being left behind in the wave of online and non-face-to-face.

With Sakurabook + Thinkific, you can realize a new era of online courses that smoothly link online and offline.

On the other hand, consumers are also realizing that they can't learn enough online alone, or that they can't learn practical skills with hands-on practice.It can be said that the convenience and limitations of online learning are major barriers.

In other words, the online course of the new era requires a system that supports both online and offline, not just online.It can be said that the combination of Sakurabook + Thinkific is optimal for realizing such online + offline development.