Designing Online Course Content & Instruction

As an online learning professional – either an instructor or content developer (or perhaps both), it is important to stay abreast of the key trends in the industry and to understand basic online content development principles and foundational methods and models. Just like traditional development of instruction, online content develop follows sound strategies so that learners actually learn what they set out to learn and do this in an efficient way. With online learning, there are many tools and technologies used to support learning. This course is designed to introduce instructors to the eLearning industry as well as the process and concepts of basic online course development and instruction.

This program includes the following 6 modules:

1. Developing Online Content & Instruction
2. Adult Learning Strategies
3. Fostering Online Discussion and Communication
4. Online Learning Accessibility and Student Success
5. Teaching Online
6. Online Learning Technology

Program Objectives

After completing this program, learners will be able to:

• Describe current online learning trends
• Develop a plan for keeping current as an online learning professional
• Follow sound content development models for online courses
• Address learner needs in content development for online learning
• Use innovative strategies to monitor student success and progress
• Engage learners using multiple strategies in an online course
• Describe the needs and common characteristics of adult learners especially as they apply to online learning environments
• Outline common teaching models that work well in online eLearning environments
• Apply instructional scaffolding to online learning instruction
• Explain common teaching strategies show to be effective in online learning environments
• Describe the goals of online discussion and communication
• Identify common communication tools in the online learning environment
• Identify ways to integrate discussion into the online learning environment
• Explain and demonstrate ways to effectively facilitate online discussion
• Define online learning accessibility and its components
• Define the key terms related to online learning accessibility for clear communication with the online IT staff
• Identify the standards, laws, and requirements related to accessibility in online learning environments
• Explain ways to help ready online students for success in the online learning environment
• Define online learning accessibility and its components
• Define the key terms related to online learning accessibility for clear communication with the online IT staff
• Identify the standards, laws, and requirements related to accessibility in online learning environments
• Explain ways to help ready online students for success in the online learning environment
• Describe the basic IT skills required for successful online instructors and learners
• Describe the function and operation of a typical learning management system (LMS)
• Describe various online learning technologies
• Explain the common terms, current standards, and interoperability requirements for online courses and technologies

Certification Opportunities

After completing this program, learners will have the opportunity to take the leading national/industry-recognized certification exam(s) essential to entry-level employment in this fast-growing field.

National Workforce Career Association (NWCA) Teacher's Aide (TCHR)

Job and Externship Placement Services

Regardless if you elect to pursue national certification or not, if you enroll and successfully complete this program, assuming you pass a background check and drug screen, you will have guaranteed access to our Ready to Work (RTW) Job and Externship Placement services. All students who successfully complete this program (and pass a background check and drug screen) will have access to the RTW Externship or Job placement services at no additional cost.

Please note that if you choose Ready to Work (RTW) Externship Placement, you must be available to attend your RTW Externship on a full-time or part-time basis, Monday through Friday, between 7am – 5pm (minimum of 4 hours per day) for 2, 3, 4 or 5 days per week. Evening and weekend externships are not available, with the exception of Pharmacy Technician, which may have evening and weekend opportunities. Externships must be completed in person at the employer facility during the scheduled hours. With the exception of Medical Billing & Coding (MBC) students, remote externships are not available. Additionally, remote RTW Job Placements are very limited. Students have 6 months from course completion to request RTW placement services. After 6 months, a refresher course is required to be eligible for RTW placement services.