#e-learning_course

There are many aspects that go into creating an eLearning course, starting from accessing the technical details and ending up with producing good eLearning content. You can start by interviewing a few subject matter experts and/or doing some additional research on the topic. You will have a fair understanding of the subject. 

Alternatively, you can explore the various tools and resources that can help you to produce eLearning content that is both engaging and informative.  It’s important to understand what is relevant to the learner when they are at work. All these aspects should be incorporated into your training program.

Are your eLearning courses taking the form of a “one size, fit all“approach?

Does your eLearning content cater to the needs of individual learners?

The focus should be to customize the course in such a manner that it caters to the need of individual learners because there could be learners who have done a part of the course and expect to learn the remaining part 

OR 

in the case of the software industry, you’ll have learners from various stages of software development viz., Analysis and Design, Development, Testing, etc., who will require upskilling.

OR

 in the case of general administration, you could be training office personnel,  Accounts teams,  Sales and Marketing teams, etc.,  for efficient day-to-day workflow management.  That way, you can tailor your eLearning course to meet a specific need. 

Here are 7 tips for creating an eLearning Course in a well-structured way:

Formulate a good structure for creating an eLearning course

Identify the learning objective, create a roadmap, skills required by the learners to comprehend the course,   in-depth study of the target learners ie., their age, proficiency, background, mode of learning etc,   best design approach, method for course evaluation and assessment, desired outcome on successful completion of the course, etc.,

Divide the course into smaller modules and create an intuitive Design

A course consists of many subjects, and each subject is broken down into several modules and each module contains multiple topics. Since eLearning is self-paced, design is an incredibly important factor to be considered for adding context and depth to the course.  Also, bring creativity and innovativeness to your design process.  The use of animation effects, contrasting and soothing colors for templates and fonts, and visual aids like videos, images, Infographics,  Graphs, Charts, and Screenshots, help in reducing language ambiguities.

Therefore, applying impressive and self-explanatory visual aids in the eLearning module makes your content easier to comprehend thereby reducing cognitive overload on the learners. Also, keep the designs responsive so that the course can be accessed through multiple devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, computers, etc.,

Use micro-learning to deliver key topics

By micro-learning, we mean, breaking a large content into smaller chunks with intuitive structures, and giving a brief description of each of them.  In other words, micro-learning allows learners to acquire information in small and absorbable bites and enable content consumption to be paused and resumed later.    By doing so, the learners will be able to absorb and assimilate information at will.

Course evaluation and testing

Ensure error-free browsing, Unauthorized access, scalability, Quality checks, Feedback about the course, etc., The success of the course depends on maintaining a healthy user experience.

Identify an appropriate eLearning Authoring Tools

Authoring Tools are tools that are required to create and design course content such as adding and editing slides, text, images, videos, audio, or any other on-screen element such as creating templates and themes, drag and drop features, and other user-friendly interfaces.

LMS for Creating an eLearning Course

LMS  (Learning Management System)is a platform for automating tasks and performs the following :

Course Management tasks, uploading, editing, and deleting the course,

Course Evaluation in the form of MCQs and Quizzes etc.,

Track learning progress of learners,

Manage user profiles for trainers and learners,

Manage learner-trainer communications,

Manage workflow for course creation and learning progress etc.,

Having an LMS is significant while creating an eLearning course because this is the platform where courses are accessible and consumed by the learners.

Support and Training

Support and training can be in the form of

chat support

forums

blogs

email

phones

webinars

Zoom

Demos

Video Tutorials, etc.,

Creating an eLearning Course – Conclusion

One can develop a good eLearning course by adhering to the above tips. Keeping your content simple and easy to digest will lead to a higher rate of course completion.  Using the right tools and methods mentioned above, you can streamline an effective course content and structure that’s easy to learn without compromising on quality. Also, update your course material regularly, according to the changing times.  Once your learning content is ready,  you are ready to go.