What Makes a Great Online Course – Top 10 Elements

Anyone can create an online course. But not everyone can create a great one. So what separates the good courses from the great ones? This blog post will discuss the top 10 elements that make a great online course. Keep these in mind when creating or improving your online courses!

Teaching online students can be very hard for the average instructor. Online programs are not easy to design. An excellent online course should engage students, show knowledge and problem solving and also contain online instruction that makes sense on how to guide interested students in the topic. An excellent online course will also have a community feel, encouraging students to interact with each other and the instructor.

Here are the top ten elements that will help you create and sell a great online course:

Element #1 – A Great Online Course Learning Management System

The first element of a great online course is a top-notch Learning Management System (LMS).

A good LMS will make it easy for you to create and deliver your content, track learner progress, and provide valuable insights into student understanding.

It should also be easy to use and navigate so that you and your learners can focus on the learning experience, not wrestling with the technology.

Element #2 Online Learning That Keeps Students Engaged

The second element of a great online course is engaging and interactive content.

Your course content should be engaging enough to keep learners hooked and interactive so that they can actively participate in their learning.

Think beyond traditional text-based lectures and incorporate multimedia, such as videos, infographics, and games.

Element #3 Clear New Knowledge Learning Objective

The third element of a great online course is clear learning objectives.

Before you even start creating your course content, take some time to define learning outcomes that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Your objectives should be aligned with your course goals and will serve as a guide for you and your learners throughout the learning process.

Element #4 Development of a Great Online Learning Environment

The fourth element of a great online course is the development of an ideal learning environment.

You want to create an online space conducive to learning, where students feel comfortable participating and asking questions.

This might include setting up discussion forums, using collaborative tools, or providing opportunities for social interaction outside the course content.

You can also try to engage faculty members for extra group assignments and activities, which would help build a more collaborative learning community.

Element #5 Provide Personalized Feedback

The fifth element of a great online course is regular and consistent communication and feedback.

It’s essential to check in with your learners regularly, answer any questions they have, and provide feedback on their progress.

This will help keep them motivated and engaged with the material. In addition, you can communicate with your students through email, discussion forums, or video conferencing.

In the real world, watching videos is not enough for education. Therefore students will need your support to guide them in the learning process.

Element #6 Create a Balance of Online and Offline Work

The sixth element of an excellent online course is a balance of online and offline work.

While it’s essential to use the convenient aspects of online learning, such as being able to access content anytime and anywhere, you don’t want your course to be entirely online.

Incorporate offline activities like readings, writing assignments, or group projects. This will help create a more well-rounded learning experience for your students.

Element #7 Use Technology to Enhance the Learning Experience

The seventh element of a high-quality online course is technology to enhance the learning experience.

You can do this in several ways, such as using video conferencing for office hours or guest lectures, providing online quizzes and surveys, or incorporating multimedia into your complete course.

Think about using technology to make your course more engaging, interactive, and convenient for your learners.

Element #8 Make Easy to View Videos

First Video is the most critical part of an excellent online course. Make sure your videos are high quality and easy to view on various devices.

Test your videos on different computers, smartphones, and tablets to ensure they can be viewed without any problems. You don’t want your learners to struggle with watching the videos because that will only lead to students losing interest in learning.

Your video lesson should include a computer screen recording with narration and a PowerPoint presentation.

Element #9 Ask Students How you Can Improve Your Online Courses and Technical Assistance

The ninth element of good online courses is always being willing to improve and update your system based on student feedback.

Don’t be afraid to ask your students how you can make the class better or what technical assistance they need. You can also send out surveys at the end of each semester to get detailed feedback about the course.

This will help you make necessary changes so that your course is always up-to-date and meets the needs of your students.

Element #10 Assignments That Are Not Graded on a Curve

The last element of good online courses is to have assignments that are not graded on a curve.

This means that every student has the same chance of getting a good grade, regardless of how well the other students in the class do.

This is important because it ensures that everyone learns and progresses at their own pace. It also allows you to give more customized feedback to each learner.

Conclusion

So there you have it, the top ten elements of a great online course! Keep these in mind as you create or update your courses. With a little effort, you can ensure your courses are of the highest quality and provide a great learning experience for your students. Thanks for reading! I hope this was helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below. Until next time!

What are your thoughts? Do you agree with this list? What would you add or remove? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

If you found this post helpful, check out my other blog posts on online learning and teaching tips.

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