Technology & LMS
Here are the best tips for creating a successful online course. The education sector boasts hundreds of new software and hardware created to enhance creating, teaching and learning online more effective. There is a learning curve. Instructors have to do some learning themselves. In most cases, course creators need to offer some guidance so that students are comfortable in navigating the course and the required technologies. This is something that can be done with a short yet thorough video at the start of the course.
Host the course on a reliable server (I recommend HostGator). Choose the best suitable Learning Management System (LMS) for your offerings. There are existing ones which will have done most of the leg work for you, such as Udemy, Teachable, Thinkific and Skillshare. Then there are LMS such as MemberPress, LearnDash and Lifter LMS which gives you the freedom to run your own show on your own site (no hefty commission from your courses).
Communication & Objectives
The successful online course has an effective course outline with a clear objective. Among other things it demonstrates the legitimacy of the course and gives the students a direction from the onset. This is all useless if it is not communicated to the students. Equally important is letting students know how and where to find resources and get help. A link for notes and other such resources is always helpful. In many cases, external links such a YouTube channel or articles are used.
Communicate with students what is expected of them, as well as grading schemes and any other policies of the course. Progress tracking is very essential and should be made available for each student. Most LMS has a student progress feature.
Student support
Office hours are typical in traditional education settings. Be sure to set office hours in a similar fashion and utilize various available meeting platforms such as Zoom and Teams (and others). Allow students to be able to make appointments and make sure you are using an application that will inform you in real time when an appointment has been set.
Not all support requires direct attention of an instructor. A downloadable pdf with extra practice/reading is a form of support. So is a PowerPoint summary of a topic. Another such method is having a YouTube channel to support the course, and/or a blogsite/forum.
Effective instructors offer support in the form of feedback to student’s progress after an assessment or even more general, after a period of time based on the student’s performance. This may take the form of contacting a subscriber and setting up a virtual meeting. It may also be as simple as leaving comments in addition to an impressive grade on an assessment. Effective feedback encourages students and lets them know they are not alone.
Reviews
Online teaching is changing on a daily basis. Subscribers demand more. Technology offers more. More choices exist for someone to choose from for almost every niche of education. This adds up to instructors needing to continue to step up their game. One of the absolute best ways to do that is to allow for reviews of your existing and past courses. Encourage their feedback/review. Embrace it and make the necessary adjustments.
All the best with your next online course. Check these other blogs our to learn more about Online Teaching and Learning.
Best characteristics of an Effective Online Course