Throughout the beginning stages of brainstorming for an online learning course, it was difficult to decide WHAT to teach, HOW to teach it, and WHY it should be taught.
Knowing that the global pandemic has significantly pushed educational practices outside of the box, I knew that a 100% online asynchronous course would be a great way to reinforce connection and creativity.
So off to the virtual mines I went, digging for treasured digital resources! I must say I learned a lot along the way, from both myself and my collaborative online teammates.
Let's use a magnifying glass to analyze this course creation journey and each step along the way...
(Zein, n.d.)
Phase One - DESIGN
When entering the preliminary stages for the creation of my online course, I decided that a class outside the realm of education might be a FUN way to connect with others and really test myself and my creative abilities!
It was decided upon the topic of CANDLE-MAKING, especially since I became an expert chandler during the lockdown and while teaching my students online from Zoom. o I had to figure out how to best allow the world access to this creative outlet...
So I selected an online course platform called Udemy.com
I created everything from the videos and slideshows, to the course objectives and assessments.
After a few drafts, my course was officially named, "The Art & Science of Soy Candle-Making."
It was a fun experience to just MAKE and enjoy the process.
If you'd like to read more about the beginnings of my course, check out THIS link to my ePortfolio and the inner workings of my original online course overview.
Phase Two - IMPLEMENTATION
After creating the structure for my class, it was time to make the inner workings of the class itself. So what would be the best way for adults to discover a love for soy wax and making candles?
Interactive and hands-on ways of learning!
So I got to work creating lessons, videos, games, infographics, and more to ensure that everyone was able to learn at their own pace while maintaining a high level of demand. Creativity was also a must!
So I created Quizlet.com lists, games, timelines, and interactive ways for learners to discover the science and history of candles and essential oils, which is essential for the foundation of a good candle.
I also made sure students could work at their own pace, so additional videos were made for everyone to learn and experience, rewind, pause, slow down, or fast forward the instructions and explanations.
Overall, this was my favorite part of the course.
I was able to piece together my thoughts and ideas to turn them into a fully-functional online class which can reach anyone in the world.
What a neat thought!
If you would like to learn about the details and full online course implementation creations, click HERE to discover more.
Phase Three - USABILITY
This final piece of the online course creation was perhaps the rockiest piece of my learning.
In order for me to know if I was heading in the right direction with my course details, materials, and videos, I had to give others "sneak peeks" of the candle lessons and then ask for feedback!
It's not always easy to hear that your MASTERPIECE isn't quite as smooth or as finished as you would like. But I do enjoy editing and making sure that learners will be enjoying my class online! So this step is CRUCIAL for final development.
In order for me to get honest questions and reflections from my testers, I made sure to get a variety of people to work through my course so far. I asked one friend, two family members, and a coworker if they could let me know how the candle-making class is coming together so far.
I was also able to use my super supportive community group of peer learners to gather additional feedback! They asked just the right questions and provided further advice and specific ways in which I can grow as I continue editing and manufacturing this soy candle-making course for online sale on Udemy's website.
Here is a LINK to the final reflection video I created, summarizing my discoveries, weaknesses, places to edit materials, and where to go from here!
It was refreshing to be challenged again and to see what I've made through different sets of eyes. The Google Documents and Slideshow I provided to them was a simple way for everyone to access the steps for each lesson. It was a great choice for sure.
This instructional design process has been so rewarding, of course with a pitfall or two of learning for myself along the way.
I have treasured these experiences and know that these course modules were great for pacing my course creation and ensuring success by the end! I specifically want to THANK my usability testers and my peer collaborative group, because without them my online class would not be complete nor would I be confident with the conclusion of my work for this course.
References
Zein, K. (n.d.). Download concept technology with magnifying glass. Vecteezy.
https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/3250892-online-video-search-concept-
technology-with-magnifying-glass
Comments