It’s a new year, and you’re thinking about finally creating those online lessons that you’ve wanted to offer. Or you are updating your current catalog of courses. The details can be overwhelming: what camera should I use for the video? Is my infographic clear? How many slides are too many?

 

These 5 tips can help you focus your efforts on the right details, and allow the content and your expertise to shine through.

Tackle your action plan by starting with the basics.

  1. Organize. This tip is twofold. First, create an action plan for your project. It’s ok to adapt the plan as things change, but you’ll find that you are more successful if you have a framework to work within, and milestones to meet. Secondly, begin with a course outline. Starting with this will help you organize the course content and flow. Just as valuable, it provides a framework for the student to follow.
  2. Use consistent design. From a user standpoint, consistency is key for fonts, spacing, and layout in online lessons especially. Ensure a smooth experience for taking the course so that the subject matter takes the spotlight.
  3. Try a holistic perspective. Everyone has a different learning style. If your content is primarily a fact-based lecture, consider how to introduce a different learning element to reach more students and change the pace.
  4. Take advantage of being online. Provide a downloadable summary document to supplement a video. Link to an article with a case study. Actions that can be disruptive in a traditional classroom become tools to add perspective to an online lesson. Make sure that any supplemental resources have a solid purposes though, or they will detract from your message.
  5. Keep your student in mind. You are an expert on your subject, whether that’s how to improve your Python skills, or how adults can become cyberwise in the digital age, and you have a lot of information to share. By keeping your student in mind, you can temper your online lessons to offer the right amount of information at the right pace, use jargon that will be understood, and ultimately gain a student who feels confident about what they learned.

Have a tip to share about your own experience with creating online lessons? Let us know: we’d love to hear it.