How to make e-learning effective

Anyone may be able to create a simple online course, however   creating   an   effective   e-learning   course   is altogether  different.  An  effective  course  takes  a  good deal of time, hard work, and a commitment to high quality content.

Here are some tips that can help you create a highly effective e-learning course regardless of the material or curriculum:

Know your subject material well!

There is no golden rule on how much time you need to put into creating the ideal content, but one thing is certain - you need to take your time to research material before making it available to your learners. The reasons are  simple,  you want to  be  prepared  to  back  up  any claims   made   within   your   course   material,   not   all learners  digest  information  the  same  way,  and  some may   need   more   explanation   through   examples   or further proof.

Online courses provided should appeal to all learning styles

The design of the online course should take every learning  style  into  consideration.  For  example,  while one student may benefit from visual multimedia presentations   of   coursework   and   lessons,   another student may be able to better absorb the information when it is presented in text form. An effective e-learning course always takes these various learning  styles into account when the lessons are being created.

Facilitate Contact

Students  and  teachers should  be  able  to  establish  an open line of communication. Also, teachers should specify which means of communication they prefer and during which hours. This will ensure that expectations are  met  and  that  the  student  receives  the  help  or support that they need. Also, students should have contact  information  for  the  systems  IT  support  staff, and have access to a member of staff on a regular basis if needed. Examples of how students can communicate with their instructors are: discussion forums, social media, chats, email, video conferencing and other VoIP technologies.

Platform should be easy to navigate and fully functional

When designing the site and e-learning platform, ease of navigation and functionality should be top priority. A well  organized  and  intuitive  web-based  learning platform enables students to focus on the coursework rather than having to sort out technical issues that may arise from poorly designed sites and systems.

Course documents should be available to every student enrolled

Course documents like the syllabus must be available for students  to  view, particularly  at  the beginning  of  the term. This will ensure that the student knows which lessons will be covered throughout the course, and can use the syllabus as a guide throughout the entire course. It provides teachers with an effective road map as well, and helps structure their lesson plans.

Set and communicate clear goals

A point we can't stress enough: one of the reasons teams are unable to achieve goals is not having clear enough guidelines on how to reach them. Part of the curriculum of any course should be what will be done, when it will be done, and what is needed for the successful completion of tasks. It is therefore important that all instructors set and communicate clear goals to their learners in a manner in which they are sure they will understand and will be able to put into action. 

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