About Online Learning and the Skills Needed

Approximate reading time: 1m 34s

The newly emerging opportunities have led many people to want to become part of it – to teach, to be taught, to start their own business. Initially, however, they all face the same problems – what do I need to know and be able to do, how do I learn it, how do I apply it?

What skills do I need to create an online course?

Before you begin acquiring new knowledge to apply in your online course, you need to answer 3 basic questions:

• What content is suitable for the specific online course?
• What should the online course look like?
• What should the learners do as a result of the training?

We will pay more attention to the second question – „What should the online course look like?”, i.e. what its design should be. This requires more specialized skills – some of you may already have them, but surely there are also those who are not familiar with the necessary knowledge and tools. Pay attention to what the visual communication of the course should be, understand what the term „user experience” means, and try to apply its main concepts.

How can I acquire these skills?

You can acquire these skills without attending classes in a traditional classroom. You can find many open programs and MOOCs that can help you learn more about online learning and its design. Of course, to become professionals in this field, you will need to apply the same discipline you would impose on yourself in a traditional classroom.

If you are looking for something a bit less formal, you can check the sources listed below. They are relatively short, clear, and do not require more specialized technical knowledge:

• E-Learning 101
• Getting Started with E-Learning Series
• What You Need to Know to Create Amazing E-Learning
• Free ebooks

How do I apply what I have learned about online learning?

Of course, to be useful, what you read must be applied. Start a short online course, ask your learners for feedback, and use what they say in your next course.

More advice on the topic can be found in the listed articles:

Andragogy and e-learning

Humor in e-learning

For teachers: How do you create a successful blended course?

Seven ways to create educational e-learning content

How do we create a quality online learning program?

How do we create interesting online courses?

Pedagogical models in distance learning

How do we choose suitable images for online learning?

How can we use video most effectively in e-learning?

Gamification of e-learning

Source: http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/get-started-e-learning/ .