Putting together your online course content can be one of the most overwhelming parts of course creation.
You somehow have to sift through all the knowledge and resources occupying your brain and present the information in a way that makes sense for your student’s learning journey.
But how do you know what to include and what to leave out?
And what delivery methods should you choose?
Will you really be able to distil that mess of information in your brain into something coherent and logical?
Yes, yes you will! Especially if you read on.
In today’s blog, we’ll tackle the feelings of content overwhelm by covering some of the key things to consider when choosing your online course content.
Let’s get stuck in!
Refer To Your Course Learning Outcomes
First things first. Choosing your online course content is a much easier task if you’ve already laid the foundations through your planning process.
If you’ve skipped the critical step of deciding on your learning outcomes, you’ll find it near impossible to choose and craft the right content. So, make sure you press pause on this stage of your course creation until you have those key statements sorted.
Pop over to read my blog on Course Outcome Statements if you need a reminder of what an outcome statement is and why it’s important.
Refer to these outcome statements as you choose the content for your course to make sure your lessons stay on track.
Keep Your Online Course Content Relevant
It can be tempting to stuff your course full of content. After all, you have so much valuable information to share, and you want your students to have a valuable learning experience, right?
Bear in mind that when it comes to education, more information is not necessarily better. You want your students to reach their learning goals in the most efficient, straightforward way possible, without overloading them with content.
When deciding what online course content to include, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is it relevant?
- Do your students really need to know this?
- How is it going to help them?
- What is the benefit to them?
You may need to be ruthless at this stage to keep the course content manageable and useful.
Remember, if you have other information you’re dying to share that doesn’t fit into the boundaries of your course, you can always share it on your other platforms in the form of social media or blog content.
Refine Your Delivery Method
The beauty of creating an online course is that you have so many options available to deliver your content!
You could include videos, text documents, pdf downloads, audio, screenshots, worksheets, templates, quizzes – and so much more.
This is all very exciting, but don’t feel like you need to use everything available just because you can.
Choose the right delivery method for each lesson or chapter, and remember to zoom out and look at the broader structure of your course to make sure the content types are balanced throughout.
Try and include a balance of visual, audio, and practical lessons to keep your content varied and engaging.
Remember, different people have different learning styles; some learn visually by watching or seeing something, while others absorb information through reading and writing. Include a range of delivery methods to ensure you cater to your audience.
Include Action Steps
Be careful not to get so caught up in the outpouring of information that you forget about the actual learning experience!
If your students have to sit through one or two hours of lectures or pages and pages of text, they’re going to stop absorbing the material.
Enhance their retention and understanding of your online course content by including action steps such as activities and exercises throughout the learning journey instead of leaving it all until the end of the course.
Choose The Right Info
Choosing the right online course content is vital to the success of your course. That can feel like a lot of pressure, but it’s also super fun once you get stuck in! Remember to refer to your learning outcomes, ensure every piece of content is relevant to your audience, and include a variety of delivery methods to help different learners absorb the information
If you feel like you need some extra guidance, I can support you by helping you plan, create, and implement your online course.
Contact me for a free 20-minute call to find out more.
If you’re interested in setting up a course or want to know more about how it all works, sign up for your FREE four-page online course planning checklist.
Perhaps you just want to get started on your online course, then my 90 min Zoom Online Course Planning Session might be just what you need.
Checkout my Online Course Creation Packages:
Online Course Planning Session
Online Course Setup Package
Online Course Complete Package
Would you like to check out my preferred online course platform, here's a one month free trial of Thinkific (note this is an affiliate link).
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Author
Debbie Mills Robertson
Online Course Creation & Email Marketing
debbie@taskdiva.co.nz
027 345 7000
