Learning comes in many shapes and forms. From looking at your peers, such as parents and copying them, to studying on your own from books or experiments, and deducing conclusions from that. The drawback to this is that you have to have a peer, whoever is present, or have a library and laboratory at your disposal. The old solution to his problem was to form schools and universities where education can take place in a very closely-knit environment. Well, today we’re seeing that whole concept turned upside down – online course and teaching.
With the advent of the internet, we were given the option to quickly get to the information that was otherwise logistically unobtainable for us. And not only can we now receive information, but we can also share it. This has given rise to the concept of online courses, where talented and experienced individuals and organizations share their knowledge with the world.
Where To Start?
People tend to start from the beginning, that is to say – from the topic of their course. It would be best if you start from having a certain topic you are knowledgeable in, or, at the very least, knowing what people are interested in. If you don’t have a certain specialty that’s worth teaching others, it would be wise to first master the skill or trade yourself, before sharing your experience with others. Because a teacher who doesn’t know their subject – is a lousy one.
Once you’ve decided on what topic to cover, you can make a plan from there on how to divide that said knowledge into several easy-to-swallow topics. Ideally, a lesson should be up to 45 minutes long, covering a complete section of some subject.
Platforms and Content
The content you plan on making and hosting very much depends on what the topic is and what you think is the best way to present it. LMS offerings, sometimes called platforms, will be different based on what you need them to do for you. If you plan on having a very visual approach, with mostly pictures placed in slide share type of fashion, with a voice in the background, then one system is needed. If the course is supposed to be a live presentation with students asking questions – that is another matter.
All content should be at least collected beforehand, even if it isn’t organized into a lecture. Having planned out a course you should stick to it and not stray away from the advertised topics unless you want to have unsatisfied students or customers. Book references, pictures, videos, as well as what you plan on saying and examples you are supposed to use – all need to be neatly labeled in some folder waiting to be uploaded before or during a lecture itself.
Finding an Audience
An audience for an online course is, in a way, your customer base. Some people will do courses for free, out of the idea of sharing knowledge with the world, though most people and organizations will want at least a small fee to cover the expenses of organizing the course.
There are two main ways of finding an audience for online courses: on the platform itself, where existing users will be notified of what’s happening in the forthcoming period, or online over social media. Both ways require a smart and attention-drawing message and picture, so pay particular attention to that.
Social media platforms, such as Facebook or Reddit, have the advantage of a very large number of users already organized into groups of particular interest, but also will, for a small fee, advertize your course to a specifically targeted audience.
Publishing
To publish an online course is the equivalent of publishing a book. Sure, you could just smash everything together, pay a small fee and click Upload, but that is hardly considered putting in any effort. That is why both the producer and the publisher need to pay attention to some details:
- grammar and vocabulary
- technical details
- clear examples
If you are already in the business of educating others it’s best to stick to using proper language. That means that everything should be written clearly and correctly. After that – pay attention that all calculations, performances, links, etc, are correct and working, so you don’t confuse anyone who is paying attention. Finally, as everyone uses examples while teaching, all listed examples must be clear to the student if you want them to have any real effect.
Maybe you’re making a course for your colleagues at work, maybe for school, maybe just to teach strangers a craft that you know. Whatever the motive, every online course should be clear, correct, and informative. Following these simple rules is a sure way of making an unforgettable program.
