The teaching-learning methods have undergone a massive change in the past few years. eLearning platforms have eased the learning process and provided access to well-designed learning material. It has revolutionized and simplified the entire teaching process. Today, people can learn new skills and concepts without worrying about their age, location, or other constraints. Thanks to online education.
In 2021, the eLearning industry in India was valued at USD 1.96 billion, and it is expected to grow eight times in the coming five years.1 But to make the best out of this growing market, it’s essential to create flawless eLearning that can meet the purpose of learners. eLearning content development involves lots of research and hard work.
Listed below are the steps to creating high-quality eLearning content:
1. Analyze the profile of your target audience
It is the first and most important step in content development for eLearning portals. Do extensive research and go through the profile of individuals you’re targeting and learn about their objectives, preferences, etc. Focus on what content they’re interested in and what loopholes are in the existing courses. Use this information to build an instructional strategy for your eLearning course content.
Build an online community and forum to learn about the specific needs of your target audience. It will give you a better idea of what kind of content your target audience requires. Community members can connect and discuss their eLearning experiences and thoughts through online forums. This information will give you a better idea of your target audience’s requirements.
2. Build a plan and create Instructional design document
When it comes to eLearning content creation, you can’t take the risk of committing mistakes. Hence, it’s essential to develop a detailed plan and consider various aspects of the online course that you are looking forward to providing. It’s best to connect with different people and learn about their viewpoints when planning things.
Create a high-quality instructional design document covering the entire instructional approach of your online course content. Decide the content format, number of screens, modules, and other essential details. It would help if you also decided on the instructional and visual elements at this stage.
3. Find an eLearning authoring tool fitting your budget and requirements
Creating a tailored eLearning course is easy if you take the help of a reliable eLearning tool. It is designed to help users find an appropriate layout compatible with their course. These tools make the content more interactive. Plus, it also saves a considerable amount of your time. The best part is that they are low costing hence you won’t have to compromise with your budget.
4. Create the course script
At this step, you need to finalize the content, divide it into different modules and decide on the screens for the same. Generally, course creators use a word document for scripting. However, a PowerPoint presentation will also serve the purpose.
5. Leverage the skills of developers and designers
Don’t shy away from taking the help of expert developers and designers when it comes to eLearning course creation. The professionals will help you with content formats, including video-based training. Besides, you can also hire experts to narrate the content script. It’s essential to have an individual with an excellent screen presence and good voice quality to create flawless content for your eLearning format.
6. Develop a prototype of your course
Present the entire course in a few slides once the audio and on-screen are finalized. The final decision will be based on the screen colors, presentation, animations, interactivities, and images used in the eLearning content.
You may have to consider a lot of revisions and rewriting of content at this stage. So be prepared for that. Ensure the prototype aligns with the strategies you created in the previous steps for eLearning content. Also, it’s essential to research the latest CMS options.
7. Keep the content short yet worth the time and value
Even though most individuals adopt the online mode of learning, you can’t take things for granted. Your eLearning course should include everything that the learners would expect in a course. Besides, short courses are easily accessible and perfect for mobile learning.
It’s best to include all important links to help the learners gain fundamental knowledge of the subject. Keep the content crisp and short. Everyone that signs up for your course should be able to gain an in-depth understanding and knowledge of the concepts.
8. Check course compatibility with the major hosting platforms
On reaching the final stage of online content development, check whether the technical and theoretical aspects of the content are compatible with the learning management system. It should be XAPI/ SCORM/ AICC compliant. Connect with a technical team responsible for checking compliance.
9. Share the final version with the stakeholders
You’ll need to send the final course to the stakeholders to get their views and approval. The audio quality, pronunciation, and everything should be perfect. Also, the audio should be in sync with the animations and text of the course.
Once the course is submitted to the stakeholders, they get the charge to make necessary changes to the narration and content. After approval, you need to recreate the final content file focusing on the changes suggested by the stakeholders. The final content is ready to be published on the platform.
Final Say
Every eLearning platform has a different requirement. Hence, there can’t be one go-to formula for all. The above steps include the fundamental processes involved in digital learning content development. You are free to add or avoid any of the steps as per your suitability. The rule of thumb is to create a course that can fit the requirements of your target audience. Just stick to your planning and budget during the content development process. Plus, follow the criteria and standards set for eLearning content for your field.
