How to Create an Online Course for Free
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· Get support through your course creation process in The Online Business Launch Lab™: https://courses.latashajames.com/courses/online-business-launch-lab/ Lin...
These popular free courses all have top ratings and can be completed in 8 hours or less, and are among Coursera's most completed courses in 2020. Take the course for free and decide whether or not you'll choose to pay for a certificate.
· The first thing to consider when using online course providers is whether the certification is from a credible source. A high quality certificate will bolster your credentials. If the course involved projects and quizzes, you may want to consider paying for a certificate from a third-party provider. However, the cost of an online certificate ...
The topic for your online course should be either a subject that you’re already knowledgeable about or are willing to invest in learning thoroughly. Either way, you need to be passionate about the subject.
Now is the time to develop the curriculum for your online course. On a piece of paper, write down a list of the different lessons you plan on teaching online. Within each lesson, break it down to the main topics you want to cover. Go in a logical order and try to make your ideas evolve naturally from one to the other , to ensure a smooth and frictionless learning process.
Having competition means that people find the topic relevant and helpful for them. It’s also a good idea to create content that can comfortably fit into an existing, tried-and-tested space.
If you already have professional experience with your course topic, it’s likely that you’ve put together content about it in the past. Have you ever written a blog post or created a webinar about the subject? Maybe you host a podcast or run a YouTube channel for your business in which you’ve discussed similar themes? If so, go back to these materials. Repurposing existing content into your online course will help get you started and save a lot of valuable time.
Ask a group of friends, as well as your existing audience, what they think of the subject you had in mind. Test it out by sharing polls or online forms for your audience to fill out. You can make a short tutorial first, and monitor its performance. Then, follow up on the tutorial on social media or via email marketing campaigns, asking your audience if this type of material is something they’re interested in seeing more of.
In order to test your idea, use a landing page builder to create a page for your upcoming online course. Although you haven’t created the course just yet, you already know what it’s going to be about. Include a concise description of the course explaining what people can expect to learn and add eye-catching imagery to further reflect the concept. Check out these fully customizable landing page templates to use as a starting point.
Competitor prices: Start by doing a quick audit to determine the average course price on your topic. While the prices can fluctuate depending on how much of an expert the course instructor is, try to get a sense of what the going market rate is for reference.
Because of this, it is especially important that your content is organized consistently and with purpose. Divide the core subject matter into major units or modules and create further subdivisions that guide students through the content.
Many prefer online courses because of the convenience while others note challenges for interactive and engaged learning. Before you start designing your course, it’s important to recognize the differences that will make lesson plans originally designed for an in-person class an imperfect fit for your online class. By focusing on ease of use and emphasizing interactive activities, you can adapt those lesson plans more effectively or even design your own online lesson plan from scratch.
Most LMS systems will offer accommodations like out-loud readers or text enlargement for the sight impaired. [12]
Understand your Learning Management System. A Learning Management System (LMS) is the software that you and your students will use to navigate the course. Each LMS has unique features and understanding their strengths and weaknesses will guide you in terms of what types of content you can or should use.
You’ll want to outline some rule of engagement in the syllabus to ensure that everyone on the message board is respectful and refrains from personal attacks. It may help to stay away from questions that involve particularly hot button political issues unless they’re directly related to the content.
Try to be consistent with the amount of information, the amount of time required, and the number of assignments for each module. This will help students adjust to the pace of the course early on and prevent confusion.
Determine learning objectives. Decide what you want students to get out of the course as a whole and out of each individual unit. These outcomes should be explicitly stated to the students and guide your development of the content. Start with objectives for individual units.
One of the easiest ways to ensure follow through is to remember that you are paying to take this online course, just as you would for a traditional, in-person class. You must “show up” if you’re going to get real value out of your class. Treat your online classes the same way you would a face-to-face class—or, better yet, a job—and you’ll be off to the right start.
Most online courses are built around the concept of collaboration, with professors and instructors actively encouraging that students work together to complete assignments and discuss lessons.
Build relationships with other students by introducing yourself and engaging in online discussion boards. Your peers can be a valuable resource when preparing for exams or asking for feedback on assignments. Don’t be afraid to turn to them to create a virtual study group. Chances are good that they will appreciate it just as much as you will.
If you’re having trouble holding yourself responsible, pair up with a fellow classmate, or enlist the help of a spouse or friend to check in as an accountability partner. By being organized, proactive, and self-aware, you can get the most from your online class even when life outside of school becomes chaotic.
There are many advantages to online courses; they allow you to learn whenever, wherever, and however works best for you, making it easier to earn a degree while balancing work and family commitments. And without having to attend classes in person, online learning affords you access to top degree programs across the country that might have otherwise been inaccessible or highly inconvenient.
Online classes are an excellent option to help you earn that degree you need to fulfill your goals. Though they come with their own unique challenges, following the advice above can help you be successful even in the most chaotic of times.
Though you can be flexible as to when you choose to complete your work during the week, you can’t put it off indefinitely.
The edX platform offers courses designed in partnership with leaders and thinkers in the field of education, psychology, and neuroscience. Students take coursework on their own schedule and can meet and collaborate with learners from around the globe. Most courses are free to explore for personal development.
Students learn study skills like chunking and interleaving, problem-solving, active reading and notetaking, and better memorization techniques. Even in challenging subjects, these tips provide clear strategies for the learning process.
Even if you're great at learning, there are always tricks to help make the process more efficient and more effective. Learning how to learn offers a path to better professional and personal development and less frustration along the way.
In the education phase, you’re essentially warming up your list. You’re getting familiar with the audience and getting them familiarized with the product and the pain points it solves.
“I was able to pre-sell my online course (Female Musician Academy) to 15 people at $290 ($4,350) without having any content in the school yet.
Think of a launch strategy as two sides of a coin: the education side and the selling side . Neither can function without the other, and every creator needs to pay attention to both when launching an online course.