Online learning is a great way for students to earn their degree or learn new skills without compromising their work of family obligations. Undergrads who need to keep their day job to continue their studies and help out with their family’s finances can continue to work while attending their online classes before or after their shift is done. Professionals who want to master new skills or competencies can sign up for an online course and allot a few hours every week for this without missing a single day at work. Even mothers who need to stay home and take care of their babies can do so while completing their course online.
Aside from convenience and flexibility, students turn to online courses because of the quality of education that they can get outside the traditional classroom setting. This is why it is important for trainers and educators who teach online to ensure that the online courses they offer not only provide quality content, but are also effective in motivating their students to learn.
If you are an expert in a certain field and you would like to teach via an online course, here are a few tips on how to create an online course that is effective and interesting for learners:
Quality Content
Provide quality information in an organized and logical structure that is easy to understand. Clearly outline the course objectives and outcomes. Add interactive assessments to reinforce knowledge.
Easy to Read Text
Plan the layout so that the content is easy to read. Create a logical hierarchy that will direct your students through a sequence of steps that will facilitate information processing. Make use of frames or visual organizers to separate elements within each page. Choosing the right font type and size for your headers and main text is also important. Choose simple fonts such as sans serif typefaces which are generally easier to read.
Easy Navigation
Keep navigation simple and intuitive, so students are able to effortlessly find the information they need. Being able to easily go from one page to another is one feature that is important for online learners, especially when they need to review particular lessons.
Consistent Look and Feel
Consider user experience when designing your online course. Maintaining a consistent look and feel, where there is a uniform placement of the common navigation elements and feature sets all throughout the course site, will help your students achieve an effective and efficient learning experience.
Engaging Artwork
Apply illustrations and photos that will help get your message across. Choose artwork that will appeal to your students. Adjust the size of the images so that they are proportioned relative to the text on the page and strategically position them to lead your students’ eyes around the page. Make sure that when you add tables, graphs, diagrams, or any image-based text elements, these are large enough so the text can be easily read. Also remember to compress large image files so that the load times are reduced.
Avoid Distractions
An effective online course stimulates concentration. Motivate your students to focus on learning by getting rid of clutter or any elements that might take the focus of your students away from performing the desired outcomes of the course. Each element on the page should be relevant to the course content.
Michelle Rubio is an experienced SEO copywriter and blogger since 2010. She has been working with various businesses, big and small, in the United States, UK, Canada, and Australia. You can see more of her works and experiences in her LinkedIn profile.