eLearning courses have gained immense popularity over the years. The ease with which they have slipped into crucial roles like corporate training, onboarding new hires or employee engagement has made everyone notice the potential of the eLearning phenomena.
The popularity of online courses has triggered a new wave of learning that is efficient and also provides knowledge sharing over great distances. However, the popularity has also given rise to competition. Now everybody who is anybody can make an eLearning course available on the web and offer their expertise to people who want to learn. So amongst the horde of these online courses, how do you ensure your course stands out?
Through this post, we have outlined five crucial factors that any eLearning course must have. Keep these things in mind while developing your online courses and see them get popular beyond expectations. Read on to know more.
Appealing Design
Having great content is without a doubt the most crucial aspect of any online learning program. But, the way you present that content will make the difference in acceptance amongst users.
There will be times when your course offers the same content as your competitors, and in that situation, your course design will be the factor that brings in the subscriptions. Well thought out design elements like graphics or animation can add that level of sophistication to your course and also make the content more easy to understand.
Use of colors that are easy on the eye will also make a subtle difference. With a very low attention span, most users will be easily distracted if you use jarring colors. A clean course design without the clutter of too much information will always stand out in comparison with the rest.
Easy Navigation
Most learners cite difficult navigation as the biggest reason for them dropping out midway. To help nullify this issue, course designers must keep things simple. After all, the users will be taking out time from their busy schedules to go through your course and an issue as trivial as navigation should not even exist.
Placing essential aspects of the course like timers, help button or icons should be done keeping in mind the ease of navigation. You do not want the users feeling confused or spending too much time trying to figure out their way.
Responsive
The modern learner is no longer chained to a desk in front of a computer. With the advancement of technology a learner now has the freedom to access eLearning courses from anywhere. Responsive design is not a luxury anymore; it is a necessity.
With cloud-based LMS being developed, there is no need for installing cumbersome software; users just need to log-in to the learning platform, using the device of their choice and continue the learning process without any delays.
Having a responsive course design gives the users a seamless experience regardless of the device they’re using. While some users would prefer learning on a desktop computer, and some would want to learn on the go, a responsive design gives the users the freedom to choose.
Engagement
With online courses become more in-depth now, it is imperative that the course material keeps the learners engaged. Online courses meant for employees need this more than others because it directly translates into employee satisfaction, and it is no hidden secret that satisfied employees make for a successful organization.
With eLearning courses, many designers like to take the flashier route of incorporating games and other gimmicks. While these might work with a particular set of users, it often distracts the users from the main agenda of learning. Engagement should come at a holistic level that the users can relate with and using examples that users can apply in real life is the easiest way to keep them engaged. Using a simple video will do the job just as much as a, if not better than an elaborate gamification design.
In Conclusion
Online learning has rapidly evolved into an industry on its own. Keeping in mind the fast pace of its development, it is important to give the users a learning experience that they enjoy while gaining the required knowledge. So keep the above-mentioned points in mind while you design your next eLearning course and you will ensure your users keep coming back for more. Happy eLearning!
