How to create a Web Based Training (WBT) course
Creating your first Web-based training course can present several challenges. Not only are you teaching people something without the benefit of watching their reactions as they watch the presentation, you also need to anticipate the different needs of each individual taking the course. When creating the course, envision it from the perspective of your students. Will they be in a busy office with ringing telephones, or at home with a child in their lap? Will all your students have high-speed Internet to access high-definition streaming video? Using short modules with text and video content will help make your course adaptable to each student's needs.
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Instructions
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Planning
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Create an index for your course and divide it into short modules. Ideally, each module should be less than 20 minutes in length. Shorter modules allow clients to move through the course more easily.
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Write the content of each course module in a word processor. This will help you determine the length of each module, and will ensure you do not miss anything important while planning the course.
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Decide on audio or video for each module of your course. Video has the benefit of holding the student's attention. If you have no visual materials for a module, use text images to highlight bullet points in the video. Software like PowerPoint or Keynote can export slide shows of still images and text into a video.
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Download and install a screen capture video software like Easy Screen Capture Video if you are teaching a software course, or any course about how to do something on the Internet. Many of these software programs have free trials. For most, you will need to buy the software to make videos without a watermark on the video, or to record videos longer than a few seconds in length.
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Decide on one media format to be used for every module. Do not mix different formats in a single course. If you have audio in some modules and video in others, use formats that can be played with a single Web browser plugin.
Creating the Course
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Proofread the text for each module aloud before recording. When recording, read from the text word for word.
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Create one Web page for each course module. Place the title and module number at the top of the page. Type a brief description of the module beneath the title. Include bullet points of the objectives or primary points of the module.
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Embed the media player with the audio or video file directly into the Web page. If you lack the technical ability to do this, you can upload your videos to a website like YouTube, make the video private, then embed the video from that website into your Web page course.
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Paste the text you used to read from into the Web page beneath the media player.
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Include a "Next" and a "Back" button on each module linking to the other modules so students can navigate through the course with ease.
Navigation
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Make sure that you include active links to any browser plugins required for your WBT course, including media players. Check the technical requirements for these plugins and advise your clients which Web browser versions are required.
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Test your WBT course on common browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Google Chrome. If possible, test your course on an Apple and Linux operating systems, as well as mobile devices like the iPad. Advise your students whether these will work or not.
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Include an index for students, listing the title of each module with a direct link to it. This allows students to go back and refresh themselves on a previous module.
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