Two Easy Methods to Improve Your Online Course
Recently, I listened to a Tim Ferris podcast with “Good to Great,” author Jim Collins. Jim had a personal relationship with the leadership pioneer, Peter Drucker (1905-2005). Jim told the story the first time he met Peter, being invited to his modest house in California with Peter speaking to him from his famous wicker chair. He advised Jim, a young researcher at the time, he was asking the wrong questions. The question to ask wasn’t, “How will I be successful?” but, “How will I be useful?”
We create online courses and expect, hope, they sell. But do you ask yourself, “Is my course useful?”
Participant Experience
If you learn nothing from me, learn this: participant experience is everything. The person or company investing their time and money with you must get actionable value from your course. Learning is about change; change happens with concept application to everyday life.
Use these two methods to ensure your course is useful to your participants.
Method 1: Case Studies
A case study presents a scenario that results when the point being explained in the module or lesson is applied. A case study encourages your participants to take your theoretical concept and go deeper.
For example, in my online course I teach how to script the intro video to an online course. My case study would explain how a client used it, what was their issues, what was easy and what were the results. If I have their permission, then maybe I show their video. It’s useful to see how that client’s situation perhaps mirrors theirs. I don’t just tell you it works, I show you it works.
Case studies are also useful activities to increase learning transfer.
Here is the method: create a case study, fictional or real, but stop short of sharing the outcome. This can be either via a video or text lesson. The activity for the participant is to put your concepts in motion. Based on the details your presented, they make an educated guess what happened or should happen. As the virtual instructor, after they had time to brainstorm, you return and share what happened. Participants love this.
Case studies are also useful to wrap up the entire course.
For example, too many times I see courses where an acronym is presented as a process, but there is no final case study or exercise to put the entire acronym in motion. It is a missed opportunity, to help participants apply the knowledge. The fix, create a final case study that walks your participants through the entire process.
PROTIP: Never use a client’s name and data, unless you have written permission. If you do not have permission, fictionalize the client’s details enough to keep the scenario true, but not expose the client’s identity.
Method 2: Use Complex Work Sheets
A helpful learning tool to include in your course is a supporting document. Participants never (Yes, I went all the way to NEVER) remember all the key points in your course the first time. To increase your course’s usefulness review your current worksheets to see if they are light learning, or reinforcing your concepts. Your goal is to maximize any worksheet or workbooks effectiveness and not waste paper.
My definition of light learning is they ask a few high-level questions and leave lots of blank space for the participant to answer or take notes. As learners become more digital, and after facilitating hundreds of in-person courses, my experience participants rarely use worksheets. As you develop support materials, think of why you are leaving so much blank space. Do people really need ½ a page to explore your question? If yes, my guess is they are already taking notes or journaling. If no, then it is a low learning experience.
Useful Worksheets
My first useful worksheet is an Active Worksheet. An active worksheet has various fill-in-the-blanks from your content presented, and can include case studies, deeper thinking prompts, graphics or assorted other activities. They are also compact with little white space. If creativity is not your skill, I encourage you to hire a graphic designer. A solid instructional or graphic designer is a worthy investment.
Next example is a Takeaway Summary of the key points of your course. In corporate life they are called Job Aids. Your participants will be distracted; it is crucial you leave them with a tangible object that reinforces what they learned. Add this Takeaway Summary worksheet to the final module when you conceptually wrap up the entire course. Encourage them to print the page and place in a location where they constantly see it. This will help them retain your content. This should be your brand standards colors with your logo and contact information.
There are other worksheets, but these are my two I use the most.
PROTIP: Your participant may have limited access to a printer. This demands your worksheets are streamlined, powerful and easy to view on any device.
As speakers, consultants and trainers, I believe we get into this business because we want to help people reach their full potential. In person, it is easier to help your content be useful, because you adapt quickly to your audience’s response to your engagement.
But you can still be useful in the virtual environment. To help, make sure whatever you insert into an online course is immediately and long-term useful. Your participants will be impressed and grateful for your expertise long after the course ends.
be useful and helpful to your participants
“Whatever tools or elements used in your online course, be strategic and ask yourself, “Is this useful to include? Is it adding value, or is it a distraction?””
