If you're looking to create an online course that has real impact, content isn't the only component that you need to consider! Creating an online course that's inspiring and engaging is just as important as having a course that's rich in content. When your ideal customers (whom we'll refer to as students here) stay motivated and engaged, you'll see higher completion rates, deliver more value, and keep students coming back for more.
First, let's define engagement. In the context of education, engagement is the measure of a student's participation in the learning process. This includes their interaction with and consumption of the course materials provided.
Implement these five tactics to create a more engaging online course.
Channel your inner storyteller
In a world where storytelling has become lost as an art form, it's no wonder that we're disconnected from one another. Stories have incredible influence over people because they communicate information in the exact manner by which our brain processes and absorbs what is heard or read. In a digital age often void of real human interaction; listening to someone else’s life experiences in story format makes connection possible again.
Learning theory suggests that the more relevant something is to the learner, the easier it will be to absorb. So in e-learning, explaining complex concepts through stories enables the learner to better assimilate and retain the information being taught.
Stories are the most authentic form of human expression. Good storytellers take their audience on a personal journey, leapfrogging technology barriers in the process! What journey awaits your customers?
Provide content in multiple formats
One of the keys to creating transformational learning experiences is delivering the content in multiple formats.
As a teaching philosophy, this acknowledges that different people absorb information more effectively in different ways. Educators have studied learning styles for many years and the research demonstrates that understanding how people learn can help teachers maximize the strengths of every student.
Recall your own experiences with learning. You may prefer reading and writing over listening which may mean that in a lecture-based class it was important for you to take notes or follow along in the text. Or perhaps lecture-based works better for you, in which case you may find it difficult to remember what you've read read in a textbook.
One size does not fit all when it comes to how we teach! This is why we at CustomerHub have intentionally created a platform to support multiple learning styles. The easy-to-use page builder allows you to upload various types of multimedia including video, audio, images, text and even downloadable files. Combining these when creating an online course will ensure that all of your course participants have the resources they need to be successful.
Prioritize efficiency over quantity
When it comes to delivering content, efficiency trumps quantity. A common mistake that course creators make is creating lengthy content in an attempt to deliver more value. However, this approach usually has the opposite effect.
This is because speed is a critical factor in online learning. Learners want to get through lessons quickly and efficiently, so they're willing spend time with information that is concise yet still helpful. Efficiently delivered content is easier to consume, especially for people who have hectic everyday lives where there's always something else competing for their attention.
Furthermore, people begin online courses with a goal or outcome in mind. So when you make your content more concise and efficient in helping people achieve that goal, your students are more likely to achieve their goals. This should be your primary focus when creating an online course.
Include activities
Even if you provide engaging instruction and rich content, courses can still become redundant and ineffective if you don't provide opportunities for your students to interact.
Including targeted activities in your course adds variety and supports students with processing and implementation of the course content. Worksheets, exercises, and quizzes are all examples of activities that can bring your content to life and aid in assimilating the concepts and measuring progress.
All of these activities can be added into CustomerHub courses using its native file download component, or alternately embedded using technologies like Google forms, Typeform, and others.
Some key questions to keep in mind related to activities are:
- What do my learners need to know?
- How can I best cover this topic in the most efficient and useful way?
- Which activities will help my learner best internalize the concepts being taught?
Provide feedback about student progress
Everyone gets busy and when life happens your course may fall to the wayside without the right follow up. Tracking student progress and engaging them with feedback at key points in their journey is a proven strategy to keep your students engaged and send completion rates through the roof.
Feedback is a powerful tool for increasing motivation and engagement and demonstrates that you care about their success. In order to provide meaningful feedback, you should identify the important milestones in your course and follow up with targeted feedback to help each student progress. You can automate this entire process by using CustomerHub’s built-in progress tracking feature along with activity triggers to identify where your students are at and send targeted follow up to encourage them, reward them, and give them a nudge when needed.
The best online courses are both motivating and engaging. When done right, an online course will multiply both your revenues and impact!
Are you ready to get started with your online course?
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