How to Create a Simple Online Course
Online education has become an acceptable---even preferred---method of learning. Educational institutions, corporations and private entrepreneurs all use online methods to train students and employees. Teaching online has few costs. There is no need to provide a classroom or textbooks. Everything is done electronically. Online education is also a time-saver for the instructors and their students. Travel to and from class is eliminated. The simplest, most cost-effective approach to online training is the use of e-courses. You can produce these no-frills classes at little or no cost while providing your students with valuable information.
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Things You'll Need
- Computer
- Internet
- Website or blog
- E-mail address
- Opt-in software
- Lesson plans
Instructions
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Select a subject and plan a course. Start by defining its purpose and goals.
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Outline the framework, lesson by lesson. Now, go back and fill in the lessons with content. Divide them into brief, digestible segments that will be e-mailed to your students. Stick to written lessons of 400 to 1,200 words. Be certain that each installation is rich with content and is concise.
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Create a short introductory video. You may want to include one with every lesson, if it enhances the value of your content. Post each video on a video hosting website. Place a link in your e-mail where students may click to access the video.
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Make yourself accessible. Provide an opportunity for comments and questions from the students at the bottom of the lesson, or set up a forum. Interaction with the professionals who wrote the lesson increases the value of the course.
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Market your course. Utilize your own e-mail lists, social networking outlets and connections with peers. Consider setting up affiliate advertising where websites of the same type advertise your course and, when someone signs up, earn a commission.
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Register students on your website using opt-in e-mail marketing with auto responder. There are several services available. Your prospective students can apply for the course right on your homepage by supplying their name and e-mail address. Use an auto responder to get back to them right away with more information or even the first lesson. If you are charging for the class, use a service that has a payment collection capability.
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Tips & Warnings
As the trend toward online training increases, so does the demand for various methods of operation. Purchasing access to a learning management software system provides you with a sophisticated, effective teaching venue. Though there is definitely a greater expense in this approach over the e-course method, it better meets the needs of colleges and businesses for training, testing, assessing and tracking results.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit office image by Lisa Eastman from Fotolia.com
