In the last few years, the demand for online education has been rising non-stop. People understand how important various trainings are, and receiving them from the convenience of your own laptop is much easier than attending offline classes. A study by Statista shows that the online education industry can reach a market volume of US$279.30 billion by 2029.
However, creating an effective online course requires more than just expertise in a subject. The real challenge lies in designing a course that engages, educates, and delivers tangible value to students. This is where online course development services can be a game-changer for you.
In this article, we’re going to explore how to create an e-learning experience that stands out in 5 simple steps. Read on.
What Types of E-Learning Content Development You Can Choose From?
Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all type of e-learning content. The reason for that is simple—everyone has different learning styles, and one of the advantages that come with online learning is the ability to cater to these diverse needs. Therefore, by choosing from various types of content, you can create a more engaging and effective learning experience for your audience.
Here are some key types of e-learning content development to consider:
Interactive Modules
We are all aware of the constantly shortening attention span, and when creating educational courses, we cannot forget about this. Interactive modules, or at least interactive elements, can and should be a great addition to the main video lessons. They are beneficial for courses that require active problem-solving, skill practice, or real-life simulations, but can also be useful as entertaining elements.
Micro-learning Pieces
Everyone loves small bites of information. If you want to focus on a single learning objective, there is nothing more useful. Microlearning can be used for reinforcing key concepts. Some say that these pieces might be short on depth, but if you deliver a comprehensive approach within them, that’s enough.
Video-Based Learning
When it comes to online e-learning, it is simply impossible to imagine without video. Why? Highly engaging, can simplify complex information, and caters to various learning styles. Besides, it is the main medium of our time.
Simulations & Scenarios
The best thing about e-learning is that it can be incredibly practical. If you need to mimic real-life situations – for example, in the workplace – this type of e-learning can be very rewarding. Simulations and scenarios are especially useful for skills that require hands-on practice.
5 Steps to Start Creating Educational Online Courses From Scratch
1. Identify Your Target Audience
The first step in building a successful online course is understanding who you’re teaching. Otherwise, you may be off in style, delivery, or tone of voice. On the other hand, if you know your target audience, you will find it easier to shape the structure of your course, the depth of the content, and the types of materials you use. The simplest way to start is to determine the level of your audience: are you catering to beginners, or are your students already advanced in the subject? Courses that fail to align their content with their audience’s needs often have lower engagement and attendance.
2. Design Learning Outcomes
Once you know your audience, it is time to focus on the learning outcomes. We recommend not developing any studying materials and not beginning content creation before you know clearly what students should know or be able to do by the end of the course. Consider these outcomes as a roadmap for both you and the people you create the course for. Make sure you concentrate on the learners’ needs. Besides, during this phase, determine the next things:
- Total number of learning hours;
- Course and lessons outline;
- List of the learning activities.
- Any materials, tools, or technologies needed for the course;
- Support for learners, such as QA sessions.
Make sure to involve subject-matter experts to review and, if necessary, tweak some details of the course.
3. Start Production Stage
The production stage is the heart of the entire e-learning course development. When it comes to education, the most commonly used format is animation. During production, you’ll start by creating the visual assets, recording voiceovers, and integrating sound effects or background music. For an in-depth approach, establish a collaboration between instructional designers, animators, and subject-matter experts (or SMEs). It’s the key practice for this stage that ensures the educational content is clear, visually appealing, and pedagogically sound.
4. Choose the Right Format
There are many ways to deliver online education, from video lectures to quizzes, assignments, and even the incorporation of live discussions. Our investigation has shown that a mix of formats tends to lead to better engagement and knowledge retention. You can use all of them in the shape of animation, or you can try establishing a more balanced approach.
5. One Last Glance to Ensure Improvements
At the final stage, you need to gather feedback from your target audience or from the experts who can test your e-learning course. These are tried-and-true approaches to ensure the quality and relevance of your educational content.
Bonus Tip: Consider the Scalability of Your Course
In our modern world, nothing succeeds without constant updates—it is easy for content to become out-of-date. We can see that every day! Therefore, the need for a more scalable approach to e-learning content creation is crucial. Leave room for introducing new things to your course when you see that something is not relevant anymore. After all, you never know when something has to be renewed, and if you want your e-learning course to be useful, you have to update it regularly.
Wrapping Up
Building an online e-learning course is not always easy, but with the right tools and approaches, you can turn your vision into a valuable educational experience. Our analysis of various courses shows that the most successful ones are those that are not only informative but also interactive, accessible, and continuously improved. If you have doubts, consider working in collaboration with online e-learning course development services.
