Converting Content

Think redesign when converting your traditional in-person course/training content to online. Even though you teach the same content, the course’s design, delivery, and facilitation will differ.

A few things must be redesigned or rethought when converting your content to fit the online learning classroom space. Although teaching the same content, you must remember that online courses’ design, delivery, and facilitation differ from the traditional space. For instance, you depend wholly on your learning management system to deliver the online class than an on-campus course.

You may have used the learning management system as a repository for lecture files and a Dropbox for assignments in the face-to-face classroom. You will also need to rethink your week start/end dates and assignment due dates and times. An example would be if you taught the face-to-face session on Wednesdays from 6-9 pm and assignments were due at 6 PM on Wednesdays. Many online students are working adults, and the best practice for online courses week dates are usually Mon-Sun, giving students the weekend to work on assignments. In addition, due dates are usually at the end of each week (Sunday) and are due at 11:59 pm.

You will also need to think about your content delivery by “chunking” the content you add to the learning management system. Chunking your content is a best practice for the online course environment and applies to the face-to-face classroom. Chunking allows the students to digest the concept before moving on to the next concept.