Whether you xAPI like a boss or you're still finding your feet in the digital e-learning ecosystem, come 2pm Eastern Standard Time on September 6, everyone's going to want to be on the guest list for one VIP event: the xAPI Cohort.

Click here for our full interview with Megan Torrance [8 mins, 14 secs].

Hosted by the good folks at TorranceLearning, the xAPI Learning Cohort is the place to start your journey. This course is a free, 12 week virtual learning experience which attracts movers and shakers from across the globe - last year's intake included over 700 participants from four different continents. The blended format of live web sessions (made available as recordings) and ongoing project teamwork via Slack allows for this kind of easy international mingling... Which is especially awesome for dudes like us who might wake up at the kookaburra's fart in Australia and *still* miss all the cool parties in the US.

Project teams within the Cohort are interest-based, so you can either mix up a project cocktail with your like-minded crew, or you can BYO... As an opportunity to partner up with xAPI enthusiasts, hook into demos and trials**, and walk away with The Power of xAPI Knowledge, the Cohort is a great excuse to 'get out' and try something new. As Megan says in our interview, "One of the cool things about this is that we get to see a lot of work being done in a bunch of different areas, all across learning technology."

Now, if any of this talk of project teams and socialising triggers feelings of imposter complex or commitment issues for you, Megan's inner Instructional Designer enjoys that this course is both worthwhile for a diverse range of people and experience levels, and truly allows self-directed learning based on your needs and context... Want to sign up to the xAPI Cohort mailing list just to get the weekly recording because life's full of double bookings? That's fine! Would you prefer to 'lurk' for a bit till you find your comfort zone and confidence? Also fine! Megan welcomes such "peer observers" to the space.

Previous teams have developed e-books, put 'out of the box' software through its xAPI paces, and one group (clearly comprised of our spirit animals) created a video about how to make various mixed drinks which captured xAPI statements as thirsty learners consumed the course (quite literally).

Megan anticipates that this year's Cohort might answer some of the Big Questions for our industry... Like: "What do LMSs send as xAPI statements?", "What do next level authoring tools send as xAPI statements?", "Who's doing work around the Internet Of Things?" and "How can we all be taking advantage of all that?"

So, if you'd like to secure your spot in the xAPI Cohort for 2018, go to www.torrancelearning.com/xapi-cohort to sign up for the free mailing list... And, we look forward to busting some new xAPI moves with you on the digital dancefloor in Fall.

** P.S. Though the Cohort is a certainly chance to try new software, the course is vendor-neutral, so there's no need to fear heavy-handed sales tactics or funnels... Think of it as a no-pressure social event where you can eat all the canapes guilt-free.