how to make an on-line course more exciting

by Mrs. Breana Hoppe 7 min read

Create a more engaging virtual classroom
  1. Present your best (online) self.
  2. Use technology to your advantage.
  3. Find what inspires your students.
  4. Set goals and help students stick to them.
  5. Keep it interactive.
  6. Break down the lessons and make it digestible.
  7. Make your students feel valued.
  8. Be patient with your students.

Full Answer

How to add excitement to your online training course?

Here are 7 ways to add excitement to your online training course: Create a framework that allows content to easily evolve and develop over time rather than repeating the same content each year. When employees see the same information over and over again, they can get lost in the course and not pay attention to what really matters.

How to make your online classes more effective?

With online classes in the trend, it is quite essential to indulge learners, ensuring that eLearning is effective. Time is of utmost significance when every second of your online classes are in check. It is no more about installing your webcam. It is certainly more than updating your daily lesson plans on what all to teach.

How do you make a course more interesting?

Jonathan Torres says “One of the things I am implementing into my course to make it more interesting is the gamification of modules. We are doing this by implementing challenges and rewards which incentives users to finish each module.

How to create engaging online courses?

How To Create Engaging Online Courses. 1 1. Keep The Learning Modules Short. The attention span of learners is much shorter than most learning modules. Traditional education wrongly convinced ... 2 2. Use, But Don't Overuse, Video. 3 3. Keep It Simple. 4 4. Create Interactive Elements.

How to make your class interesting?

To make your classes interesting, you need to strategize on how to make your classes interactive. Their attention, involvement, and active participation are key matters you need to keep in mind while drafting your lesson plan. You not only require teaching skills but also have to refine your creativity, too.

What is an online class?

When an online class is offered on-demand in a watch-only format, each individual participant can be engaged through homework. Downloadable worksheets for each key lesson with an outline to gather the necessary information, questions to be answered and implementation guidelines provide the participant with the resources necessary to customize the curriculum and solve their organization’s unique needs. There is no ‘one size fits all’ strategy, despite what ‘experts’ promote.

How can explainer videos help students?

Explainer videos can improve online classes by engaging participants with its vibrant colors and eye-catching animation. The short and concise nature of an explainer video is also great for breaking down complex subjects into fun, bite-sized facts that can be easily digested.

Is it important to indulge learners in online classes?

With online classes in the trend, it is quite essential to indulge learners, ensuring that eLearning is effective. Time is of utmost significance when every second of your online classes are in check. It is no more about installing your webcam.

Do stories have to be complicated?

Stories don’t have to be complicated, all they need is a beginning, a problem, then a solution. Therefore, the strategy to make online classes interesting is, for each concept you teach, include 3 examples as a story format. Stories are imagined in the mind.

How to add excitement to online training?

Here are 7 ways to add excitement to your online training course: Create a framework that allows content to easily evolve and develop over time rather than repeating the same content each year.

How to get employees excited about training?

Employees will be more excited about completing training if they are rewarded. Incorporate badges or certificates at the end of your course, confirming a job well done. Based on your organization’s policies, maybe even make it a competition and give a prize to the top-scoring employee. Re-evaluate.

How long does it take to complete a mandatory training course?

The time it takes to finish a mandatory training course can be overwhelming. Create a curriculum that takes your employees 2 hours or less to complete. Shorter training courses can help keep learners engaged and focused and lead to higher testing scores. Focus on the Employees.

1. Keep The Learning Modules Short

The attention span of learners is much shorter than most learning modules. Traditional education wrongly convinced us that students will pay attention for forty-five minutes or more. The truth is they were never paying attention, they just didn't have an "off" button.

2. Use, But Don't Overuse, Video

I've tried creating engaging content with audio over a presentation created in PowerPoint or Keynote. That works for a short time, but it isn't effective for an entire course. Another client had a very successful course, but he was intrigued by my claim that I could make it even more engaging. He accepted the challenge.

3. Keep It Simple

Professional videographers cringe when they hear me tell people to use their phones and a wired lapel microphone to record course videos. Professional videos do look better, but a simple video can get the job done. You can purchase a tripod mount, microphone, and extension for less than $50.

4. Create Interactive Elements

Most Learning Management Systems include various tools to facilitate interactivity. Simple quizzes are one option. By placing a single multiple choice question at the end of each lesson, you can evaluate student engagement. Of, course, you also can use some of the more advanced tools. The trick is to give learners something to do.

How to make online classroom fun?

8 ways to make lessons fun and engaging in an online classroom. Connecting via webcam isn't always easy and it takes creativity to keep students' brains stimulated! In fact, teaching online requires you to use completely different skillsets compared to those used to teach in-person! With the home environment being surrounded by potential ...

How to break up online lessons?

Timing is crucial in online teaching, and you might find you need to break up your online lessons differently than you would with face-to-face ones.#N#As a general rule, it's a good idea to keep a fast pace and break down information into small, easily digestible chunks.#N#In practical terms, this means to steer clear of lengthy explanations and slides with too much text!#N#Mixing up the tempo of your lessons by adding a variety of activity types is also a great way to make the time fly by for your students.#N#You can also write your lesson plans for the online classroom with free lesson planners like Planboard .#N#And for online English teachers, there are plenty of free resources out there to get you started.

What can you use to add variety to your lessons?

Whether you use whiteboards, pointers, virtual games, text editors, drawing tools, file editors, breakout rooms, or screen-sharing tools, you can use the technology you have to add variety to your lessons and keep students on their toes. First of all, make sure you know how to use these virtual tools and take time to explain them to students, ...

How to help online students stay on track?

Don't be afraid to try different things with your students until you find something that works for them. 4. Set goals and help your students stick to them. Another way to help online students stay on track with their studies (and keep a sense of purpose) is to set goals and remind them of their progress.

How to set short term goals for online learning?

One simple way to introduce short-term goals into your online classroom is to make sure each lesson has a clear outline that you share with your student so they know where they are in the learning process and the context for any activity they are doing.

Why is it important to talk to students in online classes?

It is essential to talk to all the students in the class during interaction and discussion sessions in an online class. The conversations can generate interest in learning as every student feel valued by the teacher. It further boosts the level of interaction in the class.

Why do teachers struggle to teach online?

The teachers struggle to teach online because of a lack of exposure and training in using technological tools. On the other hand, students are experiencing difficulty concentrating in an online class because of a lack of classroom atmosphere, isolation, and deprived interaction with peers.

What is a breakout session?

The breakout session is an efficient way of encouraging engagement in online class sessions. Breakout session essentially means dividing the students into smaller groups from the main presentation to facilitate discussions. These smaller groups encourage the reserved and introverted students to present their views.

What happens when students miss out on a class?

When students miss out on a class, it isn’t easy to focus and engage during the next session. This discontinuity leads to decreased interaction and confusion related to the concepts being taught. The teacher may also have to spend time explaining concepts from the previous class again.

What is collaborative learning?

Collaborative learning is a pedagogical approach where students work together in groups to enhance learning. Cooperative learning is an excellent opportunity to promote interaction in online classes. Students can work on projects together virtually through several means.

How does lack of board work affect online learning?

The lack of board work can negatively affect online classroom engagement. Teachers can address this issue by using interactive whiteboard software to mimic the board work from offline classes. Microsoft Whiteboard is one such tool that can be easily used in online classes. The teachers need only a pen and tablet.

What is blended learning?

Many educational institutions have opted for blended or hybrid learning, combining classes on campus with online teaching and learning. So, educators need to plan accordingly to make online lessons exciting and engaging.

Why don't learners finish courses?

Why do you think learners don’t finish courses even with interesting content? Because they find it boring or confusing.# N#Your writing can turn a boring piece of content into something that learners gobble up greedily or an interesting subject into junk that the learners dump midway into the course.#N#An effective way to engage learners is to write in the active voice.Using active voice lets you talk to the learner in an informal tone like a friend, so he/she naturally listens. The hint of action in the active voice stirs learners and compels them to pay attention because they are curious to know what the subject is doing. The active voice is more impactful because the directness of the tone hits learners like punches.#N#When you use passive voice, you sound impersonal, as if you are talking to no one in particular. This is confusing because the learner is not sure if he is supposed to pay attention to what you are saying. The passive voice makes sentences longer; this can again confuse some learners and make them lose interest in your course.

How to create a learning environment?

Here are some ideas: 1 Create role-playing settings and scenarios where the learners can make decisions and see for themselves the outcomes of their choices. 2 Create videos to demonstrate processes and procedures. Use these videos to show what can go wrong in these settings and demonstrate troubleshooting methods. 3 Use case studies to depict real-life scenarios. It is a good idea to use case studies as baits right at the start of the course to draw in the learners. 4 Use real-life examples and anecdotes to drive home your point. Use the psychology of surprise and include unusual, unexpected, or even shocking examples.

How do corporate learners learn?

So create opportunities within the eLearning course that allow learners to explore around. For instance, make learners click images or buttons to find clues, or introduce quizzes to reinforce the learning. Humans are inquisitive by nature.

Why is active voice more impactful?

The active voice is more impactful because the directness of the tone hits learners like punches.

How to be an adult corporate learner?

The adult corporate learner has to be convinced that your course has value for him before you can make him take it or keep him engaged. So ensure that you put the learning into context. Create realistic scenarios that reflect the realities and the challenges of the learner’s workplace.

Is social learning an element of L&D?

According to research Learning Insights 2017 Report, 57% of all respondents indicated that social learning is an essential element to their L&D strategy . After all, human beings are social creatures that like to engage socially and collaboratively with others. Therefore, it is critical that your eLearning courses do not make learners feel isolated.

Why is engaging students important in online learning?

Engaging students in the online learning platform is one of the secrets to guaranteeing that they succeed successfully. Also, to get the best out of what they're doing.

How much will the online classroom be worth in 2025?

Here are the best ways to keep your online classroom productive & exciting. The global online education sector is estimated to be valued $325 billion by 2025. As progressive it is getting, in the end you are teaching humans. They are students from all walks of life. To keep them focused is also a priority for online teachers.

Why are educational institutions unwilling to have students work together?

Educational institutions are often unwilling to have students work together because one student embodies the team's responsibility.

Can you do work hours online?

Students can be hesitant to address doubts during classroom time and in a small class. Although there's a lot more, you can do work hours.

What is the key to an interactive training session?

The key to an interactive training session is participation and engagement. Integrate opportunities for participation in the first five minutes (ideally in the opening) to set the expectation that you will be requesting engagement throughout the session.

How to improve engagement rate in training?

That being said, there are strategies that you can integrate into your training to improve your engagement rates. Here are 10: 1. Set Expectations up Front. As you kick off the session, let learners know that they should plan to actively participate throughout the program.

What are the challenges of virtual training?

Virtual training is becoming more and more common, and one of its biggest challenges is keeping learners engaged and participative. There are more distractions in a virtual setting, and it is also difficult to keep participants engaged through a computer.

Why is it important to have a video on a training?

Simply having their video on improves learners’ engagement in training sessions, because they will want to appear attentive and engaged. However, encouraging participants to use video can be tricky. Here are three tips that can help:

How often should you engage participants in a session?

To keep participants engaged throughout the session, aim to engage them every 10 minutes. While it may seem like a lot, the engagements don’t have to be formal; in fact, casual engagements work best. This cadence will keep learners paying attention, since they know you could ask a question at any time.

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Keep The Learning Modules Short

  • The attention span of learners is much shorter than most learning modules. Traditional education wrongly convinced us that students will pay attention for forty-five minutes or more. The truth is they were never paying attention, they just didn't have an "off" button. With online learning, the option to turn off the presentation is readily available. No one has to keep watching and, if the c…
See more on elearningindustry.com

Use, But Don't Overuse, Video

  • I've tried creating engaging content with audio over a presentation created in PowerPoint or Keynote. That works for a short time, but it isn't effective for an entire course. Another client had a very successful course, but he was intrigued by my claim that I could make it even more engaging. He accepted the challenge. Upon review of his successful course, I discovered every lesson wa…
See more on elearningindustry.com

Keep It Simple

  • Professional videographers cringe when they hear me tell people to use their phones and a wired lapel microphone to record course videos. Professional videos do look better, but a simple video can get the job done. You can purchase a tripod mount, microphone, and extension for less than $50. Resist the urge to use recordings of live presentations. They make the students feel as if th…
See more on elearningindustry.com

Create Interactive Elements

  • Most Learning Management Systems include various tools to facilitate interactivity. Simple quizzes are one option. By placing a single multiple choice question at the end of each lesson, you can evaluate student engagement. Of, course, you also can use some of the more advanced tools. The trick is to give learners something to do. Discussion boards...
See more on elearningindustry.com