how to develop a course topic

1. Brainstorm Your Idea. This is the initial phase of brainstorming so don’t worry if you have no clue about what you want to do.
2. Research Your Course Idea. Think about why do people join online courses. Understanding the market is key to coming up with a suitable course subject.
3. Refine Your idea. Think about what is the purpose behind your idea and what problem does it solve and get down to specifics.
4. Research the Competition. If you have competitors that’s good. It means there is demand in the industry and that is a good subject to develop into a course.

Full Answer

How do I choose a course topic to teach?

Make a note of a few subjects you are interested in, you have experience with and you can teach as well! Tip: For business topics, you can also get inspired to find your course topic by reading a book, for example, here you can find the top project management books.

How do you select course topics for a research paper?

Select the main topics to be covered. To obtain an initial list of course topics, look in current textbooks or the current literature (for a special-topics course). Determine whether there is a consensus concerning the necessary topics by obtaining previous course syllabi and discussing potential topics with colleagues.

How do you come up with a suitable course subject?

Understanding the market is key to coming up with a suitable course subject. A recent report from OpenColleges reveals that the majority turn to online learning for career change to gain academic or transferable skills in their field of employment, or to invest in ‘lifelong learning’.

What information should be included in a topic description?

Other high level information includes the topic’s student demand based on the learner search volume, the topic’s supply based on the number of courses on the marketplace in this topic, and monthly revenue information to help you understand this topic’s revenue potential. A deeper dive into how this topic performs from a search perspective.

How do you develop content for a course?

Four Steps to Create Course Content that FlowsConsider your goals in teaching this course. Decide what you would like your students to accomplish from taking this course. ... Develop topics and subtopics, then narrow down further. ... Structure the course with what you have finalized. ... Plan your content types.

How do I choose a course topic?

How To Choose An Online Course Topic That Sells1) Decide On Your Pricing.2) Brainstorm Your Initial Ideas.3) Niche It Down. Example #1: Example #2:4) Research & Validate Your Idea. 1) Research what's already out there. 2) Gain insight to your audience. ... 5) Choose Your Online Course Topic. Finalize Your Course Topic.

What is a course topic?

Course Topics are a way to group courses by common subject. Topics are similar to course Majors, but provide additional features: Administrators can set up a hierarchy of topics, creating a drill-down menu experience. A course can be tagged to multiple topics, but only one major.

How do you write about a course?

The following are tips for writing a course description:The course description should be no longer than 100 words.Write from a student-centered perspective.Use present tense and active voice.Use clear and simple sentence structure and language.Use gender neutral language.More items...

How do I choose a topic for an online course?

First, do a quick keyword search for the topic of your online course. Then, check the total number of views for the top results of that keyword. If they have a high number of views, that's a good indication that there is interest in your topic.

How do I choose an online course?

Before actually choosing a course you need to understand why exactly you want to take up that particular online course. Ask yourself some honest questions – is an enrichment course? is it assisting you in job progression? or may serve as a plan b for an alternate career. Make sure the course provides answers to these.

How do I create a PDF course?

Go to Manage Learning Content.Select Courses.Click on a specific course in the Course Overview.You will now be in the Course Curriculum area of the Course Builder.On the left-hand side, click Add Lesson.Select PDF.Name the Lesson Title as desired.More items...

What are interesting topics to learn about?

Interesting TopicsGlobal warming.Roe v. Wade.Terrorism.Sustainable marketing.Biomes.Autism.Vegetarian and vegan diets.Freedom of speech.More items...

What are special topics?

A “special topics” course is defined as any course offered for credit in which the subject matter or content may vary within specific sections across terms as indicated by that course's title and description in course inventory.

What makes a good course description?

Your description should focus upon the content of the course or the learner, not upon the course itself or you as the teacher. To attract learners, the description should emphasize the benefits to the learner coming from either the results of attending the course or from the value of the subject matter itself.

What is course content example?

Any informational material that is required for participation or understanding content such as assigned readings, video recordings, exams, and any other material needed for learning. Copyright © 2022 UC Regents; all rights reserved.

What are course details?

A course description is. a short, pithy statement which informs a student about the subject matter, approach, breadth, and applicability of the course.

Opportunity overview

This topic is a great opportunity. Learner demand is high for this topic but the number of courses available is low, which makes it a great opportunity to create a course on this topic.

Student demand

A deeper dive into how this topic performs from a search perspective. This includes how this topic’s search volume compares against others on our marketplace, the 6 month s earch trend, and t op search keywords. You can explore the o ther topics of interest to understand what what else learners who search this topic are also searching for.

Topic competition

Understand the overall supply for the given topic by seeing the total number of courses in the marketplace that have it listed as the primary topic.

Qualifications met

Some people get hung up in this stage. But as you set out to plan your course content acknowledge your fears. We realize many online course creators have that moment of panic that says, “Who am I to teach this? I’ve only just learned it myself and I’ve never taught anyone anything! I’m not even an expert!”

Narrowing down a course topic

For the purpose of this post, we’re going to imagine that you already have a pretty solid idea of what you’re going to teach. But before we go any further, let’s refine it.

Deciding who your course is for

When you’re working to plan your course content, you need to decide what level your audience is currently at. If they already know the basics of your topic and you’re going to help them advance in their skills or apply them in a new way, you don’t need to spell out the very beginning steps.

Creating your course structure

Take yourself back to when you knew what your target audience knows and nothing more. Now, start writing down every single step you took to get to where you are now, no matter how small or insignificant it might seem.

Creating your video outline

Once you’ve broken your course topic down to steps, you’ll need to buff each individual step out further. For example, sticking with our knitting example, casting on is more than just “casting on.” There is some twisting and tying and looping and pulling. List out every thing involved in each step. Don’t treat anything like it’s too obvious.

Putting it to the test

Before you go all in and commit to recording everything, consider asking a friend you trust (who doesn’t have experience with what you’re teaching) to take a critical look at your outline. Ask them what questions they might have or what gaps need filling.

Planning supplemental materials

A lot of online course creators like to add bonuses to their online course. Things like workbooks, checklists, online communities, and whatever else they can dream up. These bonuses help increase the value of your online course and sweeten the deal for people who might still be debating whether or not they want to take the plunge and purchase.

What are unit topics?

Organize your brainstorm or state standards into unified sections that follow a logical sequence. Units can cover big ideas like love, planets, or equations, and important topics like multiplication or chemical reactions.

How to design a curriculum?

1. Define the purpose of the curriculum. Your curriculum should have clear topic and purpose. The topic should be appropriate for the age of the students and the environment in which the curriculum will be taught. If you are asked to design a course, ask yourself questions about the general purpose of the course.

What is curriculum in education?

This article has been viewed 566,414 times. A curriculum often consists of a guide for educators to teach content and skills. Some curricula are general road maps, while others are quite detailed and give instructions for day to day learning. Developing a curriculum can be quite challenging, especially when expectations have such a large range.

What is formative assessment?

Formative assessments are usually smaller, more informal assessments that provide feedback on the learning process so you can make changes to the curriculum throughout the unit. Although formative assessments are usually a part of the daily lesson plan, they can also be included in the unit descriptions.

How to choose a course?

Looking at it from the students perspective, they would choose your course if: 1 They want to learn from a person who they can trust and has got experience or is an authority in the field. 2 They want to have access to information that is easy to digest and follow. 3 They want to have a clear outcome in what they can get out from it.

Why are people turning to online courses?

On another level, people are increasingly turning to online means to find a course that can help them improve their employability skills, successfully change a career, or advance in their chosen profession.

What are the areas of investing more money and time?

A major area that people invest more money and time on is self-improvement. The evidence of that is the many self-help and personal development resources that exist and the amount of self-help related information that is being consumed.

Why is creative expression important?

Creative expression is at the center of human wellbeing as it helps us develop in every aspect of our lives either socially, intellectually, emotionally, and physically and cannot go unnoticed.

Is it cheaper to take real estate classes online?

Completing an online course is a relatively quick and inexpensive way to gain knowledge in real estate and it is usually preferred. Online real estate classes demand by Google Trends. As the diagram shows, the interest in taking online real estate classes is rising and predicted to grow bigger.

What is the purpose of an outline in a course?

Creating an outline that serves as a guide to the course is useful for both learners as well as for you so you can develop a more effective course .

What is the lesson in Module 1 of Marketing?

Module 1: Marketing. Lesson 1: How to choose the right marketing strategy for your business. Topic 1: Why choose Facebook marketing. By using the modules, lessons, and topics for each new idea, you will create a system that is simple for your learner to follow.

How long should a microlearning lesson be?

Depending on how far down the path of microlearning you are going, lessons might only need to be a couple of minutes up to 10 to 15 minutes in length. There's not too much content in a 2-minute lesson so you really need to get at the heart of the topic and do so quickly if you're going that route.

What is the best tool to use to outline a project?

These are great, but with most, you will have to manually re-type your ideas into other software to use them later on. However, if you're a visual learner, mind mapping is probably the best tool for you. You can also use Trello or other productivity software to outline and manage your projects.

How long does it take to create an eLearning course?

The idea behind rapid eLearning is where you use every tool and strategy you can to potentially create a course in 2 to 3 weeks instead of taking several months. So within your lessons, outline the exact content you will cover.

Why do you need a script for a video lesson?

You don't want to lose your audience because you are rambling from topic to topic with no clear direction. Outlining will also help with lesson planning.

Why is it important to have an outline?

Having an outline allows you to organize these topics in a way that will make sense to your students. In addition, it prevents you from forgetting to add critical information that is relevant to the topic. Writing out what you plan to cover will also help you generate ideas.

What is an online syllabus?

An online syllabus is similar to one for a face-to-face course, however, research supports that online students need even more detailed instructions. For help in developing a syllabus, review writing a syllabus .

Why is it important to break content into small pieces?

It is best to break content into small pieces to allow for the most effective learning. Navigation - Students will often be navigating content without direct guidance. Your content should be provided in a logical and clear path.

What is course outline?

Course outlines, or syllabi, are an integral part of course design. They generally summarize our course design plans and serve as a “contract” with our students regarding the course described. But how do you create a useful outline?

Do instructors have to include standardized statements in their course outlines?

Any institution-required statements – Some institutions, faculties, or departments may require instructors to include standardized statements in their course outlines about issues such as academic dishonesty or classroom conduct. Check with your department to see if such requirements exist.