This time of self-isolation can turn out to be an opportune time for many. A lot of people are using this time to do things that they have always wanted to, but never had the time.
For some, it is catching up on some television, for others, it’s reading that book they’ve been putting off. There are also those who are using this time to add new skills to their arsenal. Therefore, naturally, there are also those looking to teach their skills to the world, and hopefully, make some money while doing that.
If you belong to the last category and are looking to start creating your own online course, you have come to the right place.
In this article, we will discuss the tools you need to create your online course, publish it, and everything in between.
Let’s begin:
Rapid Authoring Tools
As the name suggests, a rapid authoring tool helps you create training material quickly. With that said, creating a quality course curriculum can be a difficult task, even for subject matter experts.
The reason behind this is that our learning habits have evolved over the years. Long blocks of text are no more the best way to convey information. Instead, breaking down lessons into smaller, easily digestible learning modules is a proven method to aid better retention of training material among learners.
Another similar trend that has emerged in online learning is that modern adults (and children) learn better with the help of visuals. Hence, in order to ensure your course is engaging and immersive, using videos and interactivities becomes crucial.
While the best authoring tools come loaded with abilities to incorporate the aforementioned elements in a course, getting them right can be a tricky task.
If you feel overwhelmed with the development process of your course, don’t hesitate to get an instructional designer involved.
Learning Management System
Once you have developed your course material, it is time to find a platform that will store it and share it with enrolled students. Such a platform is known as a learning management system (LMS) and choosing the right one is a decision that may make or break your online course’ success.
The thing is, your LMS forms a significant part of the learning experience of a student, or in this case, a customer. Hence, your LMS should be a delight to use for your customers.
Moreover, the LMS needs to be compatible with your technical capabilities. Only then will you be able to use it to its full potential and create immersive learning experiences.
Speaking of creating, some LMS comes preloaded with authoring tools, making them an end-to-end solution. However, the decision to purchase the LMS should only be taken after doing in-depth research.
Video Conferencing Software
Finally, when you’ve developed your course, published it, and found students that have begun taking the course, there will come a time when you need to interact with your students personally.This can be to facilitate the understanding of your learning material, or simply a live doubt clearing session.
To make such sessions possible, you will require a video conferencing software. However, in the case of training, not just any online conferencing software will do.
You must look for one that offers functionalities like a chat feature and an online whiteboard, apart from any other features that you may need to conduct an insightful and smooth live training session.
Conclusion
Developing an online course or conducting online classes is not an easy task. However, as difficult as getting started may be, the undertaking can turn out to be an extremely rewarding one.
So what’s stopping you from creating your own online course? Let’s discuss in the comments below!
