This paper describes the rationale, design and implementation of a short private online course (SPOC) on data-driven learning (DDL) , focusing on L2 error correction in postgraduate academic writing and involving over 300 registered users. I discuss the affordances of using a SPOC platform (namely EdX) for online DDL training, describing activities that cover a range of useful strategies for DDL-led error detection and correction. Learners’ usage of the SPOC platform and their quantitative and qualitative perceptions of the course are described for the reader. The paper also outlines certain conceptual and methodological challenges involved in taking DDL instruction online.