Going online with your course!

A guide on how to take your course online:

A traditional eLearning development project can take several months assuming you are already familiar with the technology, if not then you must add a few more months for research, selection, and learning the new software. These obstacles stop millions of educators to enter this field. We at Cavendish have decided to publish a series of articles to remove these barriers and show how you can go online and build your courses step by step. However, remember that Cavendish team is here to help, and if you need any additional support, please don’t hesitate to contact our support team.

Would this help you?

To make these articles more effective we have directed our attention to a specific audience (Instructors, Teachers, Trainers, Course Designers), but we are certain that everyone involved in education and training can benefit from these pages.

Blended program developers

The educators who are lecturing on a face-to-face course where most of the course requirements such as syllabus, entry requirement, assessment criteria, and learners’ demographics already has been developed and use online tools for support.

Online course developers

The educators who are delivering tailor made online programs to satisfy certain needs; this can be corporate training courses, self-improvement programs (art, Design, mental health, yoga, etc.), and professional courses. In these situations, the trainer is expected to design the online course.

Instructional designers

The last group is the non-teaching professionals. Transferring one’s knowledge to a learner is not easy, we all have tried it, at home or at work. It requires a proper planning to make it work. You will have to work a bit harder and follow the subjects more in depth.

The key to success is taking the first step

To make it easier for the educators to go online, we have based our approach on the use of the most commonly available software and the use of freely available Internet networks. There are three key stages. Starting with the familiar concept of course design. Next is content design and development (Digital Design), and finally the web-based delivery platform (LMS, VLE, WEB 2.0, Module, etc…). At the end we have added two more sections for those who are planning to start their own online business. We recommend you have a quick review on this section too.

Course design

Typically, most of the educators (trainer, instructor, teacher,) do prepare their notes, quiz, and exercises. Also, they plan the course delivery schedule, breaks, tests, exams, and other course activities. We will try to build on these familiar skills to build your online courses. The Course Design page gives a step-by-step guide on how to design your course plus many supporting articles and instructions. You can use a simple product design technique for managing this phase of the project.

Content design

Articulate both resources and activities, choose the preferred mode of delivery (PowerPoint, video presentation, text, chat rooms, forums, quizzes, etc.) for each element of your course. Start recording your course content in a digital format ready to go online. To build the course structure and its content you can use mind mapping techniques to present the information in a more synthetic and visual way.

Delivering online

Technology is considered to be the first barrier. The need for learning new skills is inevitable, but the key is to build on your existing skills, also avoid using too many new tools. The course content modules were produced in phase 2, now they should be blended and delivered online to the intended learners. It is the required level of students’ interaction both with the course and the course provider, which will determine what type of technology you need to employ. Now you must decide how to blend content modules created through Web 2.0 tools and LMS system (Learning Management Systems) to deliver the desired results.

Marketing online

Internet Marketing can encompass all your business activities. Education and training are one of the few businesses, which can be conducted 100% electronically via the World Wide Web. Internet Marketing refers to the application of marketing principles and techniques via electronic media and more specifically the Internet. For those who are planning to develop their online business, our suggestion is to read this section first as there are instruments which can be developed in parallel with the first three phases.

Business setup

Set up your company and employ yourself? Some are natural-born entrepreneurs with a fantastic idea they turn into a successful new venture. Many want to earn more money or be their own boss. Some seek greater flexibility or a more favourable work-life balance. Many simply, have no alternative, perhaps after losing their job.