Course structure is an important consideration for effective eLearning because it provides a framework for organizing content, setting expectations, and guiding the learner's experience.
Here are some reasons why course structure is important in eLearning:
Organizes Content
The structure helps to organize the content of the course into manageable chunks that learners can easily navigate. A well-structured course makes it easier for learners to find what they need, learn at their own pace, and review materials.
Sets Expectations
A well-structured course provides learners with a clear understanding of what they will learn, how long the course will take, and what they need to do to complete it successfully. This helps learners to stay motivated and engaged throughout the course.
Provides Guidance
A well-structured course provides learners with guidance on how to progress through the course. It can include instructions on how to complete assignments, how to use learning tools, and how to get help if they need it.
Improves Learning Outcomes
A well-structured course can help to improve learning outcomes by making it easier for learners to understand and retain the information. A clear structure can also help to reduce cognitive load and increase the effectiveness of learning.
Enhances Engagement
A well-structured course can enhance learner engagement by providing a clear path to follow and helping learners to stay on track. It can also provide opportunities for interaction, collaboration, and feedback, which can improve engagement and motivation.
Nine Best Practices for Creating an Effective eLearning Course Structure
The following are nine best practices for course structure in eLearning that can help you design effective courses:
Clearly define learning objectives: Start by clearly defining the learning objectives of the course. This will help you structure the course content around specific goals and make it easier for learners to understand what they are expected to achieve.
Chunk content into manageable pieces: Break down the course content into smaller, manageable pieces that can be easily digested by learners. This will help learners to stay focused and avoid cognitive overload.
Use a consistent format: Use a consistent format throughout the course, such as headings, bullet points, and numbered lists. This will help learners to quickly scan and locate information.
Provide clear instructions: Provide clear instructions on how to navigate the course, complete assignments, and use learning tools. Make sure the instructions are easy to understand and follow.
Include interactive elements: Incorporate interactive elements such as quizzes, simulations, and games into the course. This will help to keep learners engaged and reinforce learning.
Provide feedback: Provide learners with feedback on their progress and performance. This can help to motivate learners and identify areas where they need further support.
Create a visual hierarchy: Use a visual hierarchy to highlight important information and guide learners through the content. This can be achieved through the use of fonts, colors, and spacing.
Use multimedia elements: Incorporate multimedia elements such as images, videos, and audio into the course. This can help to enhance engagement and make the learning experience more enjoyable.
Provide opportunities for reflection: Provide opportunities for learners to reflect on what they have learned and how they can apply it. This can help to deepen understanding and promote retention.
About LMS Portals
At LMS Portals, we provide our clients and partners with a SaaS-based, multi-tenant learning management system that allows you to launch a dedicated training environment (a portal) for each of your unique audiences.
The system includes an embedded course authoring tool that enables most anyone to build engaging courses quickly and easily.
We offer a complete library of ready-made corporate training courses, covering most every aspect of corporate training and employee development. So you can build your own courses, utilize our off-the-shelf library, or some combination of the two.
If you choose to, you can create Learning Paths to deliver courses in a logical progression and add structure to your training program.
The system also supports Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) and provides tools for online coaching and social learning.
Contact us today to get started or visit our Partner Program pages