Breaking Barriers: How 1 Million Teachers Reached 100K+ Enrollments Across 20 Countries with Thinkific Plus

Reimagining Teacher Development

How 1 Million Teachers Turned Professional Development into a Movement.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, where many teachers juggle overcrowded classrooms, low pay, and unreliable internet, professional development often feels out of reach. 1 Million Teachers (1MT) is changing that. By partnering with Thinkific Plus, the organization turned an 11-level learning journey into a movement spanning 20+ countries. The goal: empower educators through a structured, self-paced online platform that keeps them engaged in long-term learning and ongoing professional training.

By leveraging powerful Thinkific Plus features like Learning Paths, Digital Badges, and in-depth Analytics, the 1MT team created a scalable, personalized experience that now supports over 85,000 teachers, delivers 75+ courses, and drives 100,000+ enrollments—61% of which are women. The result: stronger teacher identities, improved classroom outcomes, and lasting community impact.

“With Thinkific Plus, we transformed what could have been just another long course into an inspiring journey. “ – shares Rizma Butt, 1MT COO and Co-Founder.

“Finding the right LMS that offered lifelong access to materials for ongoing, iterative professional development was challenging, but with Thinkific, we found a solution that addresses our specific needs,” adds Nic Knorr, 1MT’s Director of Instructional Design. “It’s been great to work with a group of people who are interested in creating custom rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.”

The Thinkific Plus Solution

The 1MT team used Thinkific Plus to create a unique system called the BlackBelt program—an 11-level journey from white belt to black belt. Each belt represents not just course completion, but a milestone in a teacher’s growth, identity, and leadership. With 90 minutes to five hours of learning in each level, the program was designed to celebrate every breakthrough and keep teachers motivated to continue.

“We’re always trying to answer the question: how might we encourage learners to revisit these materials?” says Hakeem Subair 1MT CEO and Co-Founder..

“We want to encourage a practice of lifelong learning.”

To bring the system to life, 1MT collaborates with experts across diverse fields, including a strong partnership with Queen’s University Faculty of Education, Canada, which provides access to teacher candidates and faculty. With learners representing more than 20 cultures and 16 first languages, 1MT delivers content in English as a shared foundation.

“It’s difficult to design something that is both unique and culturally inclusive,” Knorr reflects. “It truly takes a village to build these materials.”

Another key partner has been HP, whose support has enabled 1MT to advance its mission of empowering educators in underserved communities. Together, they have expanded digital access and learning for over 2.7 million students and teachers across Sub-Saharan Africa—promoting quality education, teacher empowerment, and lasting community impact.

The Tech Behind the Transformation

Learning Paths: Turning Complexity into a Clear Journey

The 11-level BlackBelt program progression is powered by Thinkific’s Learning Paths, which structure content in a defined order. What could have been an overwhelming library of 75+ courses became a clear, step-by-step journey that helps teachers stay focused, reinforce their goals, and track visible progress.

Each belt marks a tangible milestone in a teacher’s professional growth, blending technical skills with reflection and leadership development. Teachers always know exactly what’s next—and why it matters—building confidence early and sustaining momentum as the content grows more challenging.  

In low-resource environments, where many educators navigate professional development alone, this clarity is a game-changer. Learning Paths act as a built-in roadmap, giving teachers the structure to move forward independently and the motivation to keep going. 

1MT also uses Thinkific Plus’ Prerequisite Lessons to ensure teachers build a strong foundation before moving forward. This prevents skipping ahead and guarantees mastery of essential concepts, reinforcing goals and keeping progress both structured and motivating.

Badges: Earning Visual Recognition

At 1MT, Digital Badges are far more than rewards—they’re benchmarks of development and pride. Each badge represents a teacher’s achievement at a specific level of the Karate Belt journey, signaling not just completion, but personal growth and professional credibility.

“The clear visual progression and badge rewards keep our teachers determined, even when life throws its toughest challenges their way,” says Rizma. 

Not only do Digital Badges help to reinforce self-worth and professional identity, they also provide a tangible, visible recognition of completion in an otherwise remote environment. Plus, by holding virtual celebrations around badge milestones, 1MT helps reinforce a sense of community, momentum, and belonging. For many learners, these achievements are deeply meaningful and often shared with family, colleagues, and peers.

Designed for Access: Learning Without Limits

To ensure no teacher is left behind due to connectivity challenges, 1MT develops lightweight, offline-ready learning modules using Articulate Rise 360 and Storyline 360. These are embedded directly into Thinkific for seamless delivery and full analytics tracking.

But the real strength is their adaptability. Every course is built to be portable, ensuring teachers can continue their learning journey even without a reliable internet connection. This flexibility has been essential in reaching educators across diverse regions with varying levels of digital infrastructure—and the 1MT app, powered by Thinkific, has been integral to the accessibility of the program. 

To ensure accessibility, courses are distributed in multiple formats: via USB drives for rural or offline learners, as printable workbooks and reflection journals, and in compressed, low-data formats for mobile devices. “We had to prioritize access over flash—designing content that could go anywhere, so teachers can keep learning no matter where they are,” Knorr continues.

Analytics: Iterate With Insight

1MT takes a data-driven approach to improving their courses with Thinkific’s Analytics. The team can see where teachers engage, where they pause, and what feedback they share—without the burden of a complex tech stack.

For example, when Analytics show a drop in engagement, the team digs into the data for clues. Even small signals—like repeated quiz attempts—highlight where more clarity, context, or explanation may be needed. The team also shares their numbers with partners to highlight their growth, country-level footprint, and the global impact they’re making together.

From there, IMT takes an empathetic approach: walking through the course as learners themselves, then running focus groups and interviews to uncover the “why” behind the numbers. This feedback points to specific improvements, whether it’s refining instructions, reworking quiz questions, or restructuring content.

This cycle of analyzing, listening, and iterating ensures the program evolves with learners’ needs. And because all of this happens within Thinkific, 1MT avoids the complexity of third-party tools—keeping the system simple, scalable, and sustainable across all 11 belt levels.

Lessons fron 1 Million Teachers

Since adopting Thinkific Plus, 1MT has made significant strides in scaling teacher development. The organization has recorded over 100,000 enrollments, with notable improvements in course completion. Importantly, 1MT has increased visibility and empowerment for educators of all genders, creating opportunities for both women and men in regions where historic barriers have limited access to professional and personal growth. This shift fosters greater gender equity and cultivates role models who inspire entire communities.

Organizations can draw valuable insights from 1MT’s story, such as:

• Structure matters: Thoughtfully designed Learning Paths reduce learner fatigue by breaking down complex content into manageable, purposeful steps.
  
• Reward progress: Digital Badges act as motivators, providing visible recognition of achievements that reinforce learners’ progress. Plus, they help to boost engagement and keep people excited to learn. Beyond digital badges, each Blackbelt level comes with a certification that participants are proud to share on social media, especially LinkedIn.
  
• Iterate early and often: Leveraging Thinkific Plus’ built-in Analytics and direct learner feedback allows organizations to improve their course, adapt their content, and be responsive to learners’ challenges.
  
• Prioritize accessibility: For learners in resource-limited settings, building content optimized for low-bandwidth and offline use ensures no one is left behind.

Looking ahead

1MT’s success underscores the need to empathize deeply when engaging with the learning experience, taking the perspective of their learners to better understand their realities, challenges, and motivations. A learner-centered approach like 1MT’s cultivates real connection between the organization and their learners, helping to make meaningful change long term.

As 1MT continues to expand their reach, Thinkific Plus remains a trusted partner in transforming classrooms—and futures—across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and beyond.

Interested in seeing what Thinkific Plus has to offer? Watch our 5-minute demo. 

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