Although many people can create online courses, creating an effective course can be much more difficult. An effective online course requires time, effort, and high quality content. We have compiled a short list of tips to help you create an effective eLearning course, no matter what industry you are in.
- Know your subject matter. Your course content is the most important factor within your online course. Be sure you know the information to the best of your ability before making it available to your students. It is important that you are prepared to answer any questions your students may ask.
- Appeal to all learning styles. When designing your online course, consider all possible learning styles. Some students may benefit from visual multimedia presentations, while other students may prefer information in text form. Effective eLearning courses take these different learning styles into account prior to course creation.
- Easy navigation and full functionality. Navigation and functionality should be the top priority when choosing a learning management system (LMS) to host your online courses. Enabling the students to focus on the coursework and material rather than technical issues requires a well-designed LMS.
- Documentation available to all. Be sure all course documentation and handouts are available to the students throughout the entire duration of the course. This particularly includes the course syllabus, which should be available and visible at the very beginning. Your students need to prepare for the lessons that will be taught and the syllabus can guide them. A course syllabus can act as a great resource for instructors as well and keep you on track.
- Communicate goals. Set and communicate clear goals to your students at the very beginning of the course. These goals will ensure that the students understand what will be taught throughout. Help your students become successful by providing accurate, realistic course goals.
- Available communication. Be sure you provide your students with a source of contact, whether that is an email address or phone number. This will ensure that the students receive the help or support that they need throughout the course.
What tips do you have for building an effective online course?