Online Course Delivery Styles
Design engaging online courses by blending videos, text, and visuals. Match delivery methods to objectives for effective and flexible learning experiences.
Delivering an online course effectively requires aligning content with the right delivery methods.
From videos and screencasts to simple text and visuals, each mechanism serves a unique purpose depending on the learning objectives.
This post explores how to creatively combine these styles for maximum engagement and effectiveness.
Whether you're teaching a hands-on skill or sharing theoretical knowledge, choosing the appropriate medium is crucial. Ready to refine your course delivery?
Let’s dive into practical tips and strategies!
After training thousands of people from all walks of life I have learnt how to simply create enjoyable experience to fill learning needs. Let's take the opportunity to create awesome online courses and make a positive impact on people's lives.
- Online course delivery includes video, screencasts, slides, audio, visuals, and text.
- Match delivery style to complexity and objectives (e.g., video for hands-on tasks).
- Use text for easily updated content and video for engaging core material.
- Blend delivery styles creatively to align with objectives and learning preferences.
Now that you have defined the learning objectives for your course and are familiar with learning styles, you can determine how each module should be delivered.
An online course can be delivered using a variety of means such as video, screen casts, slides, animations, visuals, audio and text.
Your choice will be influenced by how complex and specific the learning objective is.
For example, let’s say your course is on baking and the objective is simply to “recall” the ingredients of a basic sponge cake, then this could be delivered with just some text and visuals.
However if the objective was more complex such as to “apply” a technique to create a fluffy cake filling, then a video would probably be more appropriate.
You may even find that some objectives are difficult to deliver in an online course and maybe better suited to in person.
This could be for practical reasons such as a need for smell or if it is risky such as like learning to sky dive. Maybe there is a need for real time active feedback such as when learning to fine tune a tennis serve.
You may find that this opens up opportunities for you to delivery by other mechanisms in addition to your online course such as consultation or one one one coaching.
You’ll also want to keep in mind maintenance.
Information that can change such as prices or links to a website would be best in supporting text rather than in a video. This way you can more easily make updates.
Having said all of that, I think for the most the part, your online course modules should be video based.
That doesn’t just mean it has to be you in front of the camera all the time. It could be screencasts or slides with your voice over.
Simple text and images are great as a supplement such as for support material like a workbook or infographic.
Action For You
It is a creative blend of delivery mechanisms that will make for an engaging course by catering for both the learning objectives and your students learning styles.
Review your module learning objectives and assign the delivery style that you will be using for each module.
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