How to Refresh and Adapt Online Courses for Effective Delivery

A course becomes more impactful when it incorporates up-to-date content, interactive elements, and accessibility features. When you struggle to refresh your online course content, lack of information is rarely the culprit. You already know what makes a course more engaging and effective.

So why is it challenging to initiate and maintain these updates in your courses? Why is it difficult to move beyond initial enthusiasm for content refreshes and ensure these updates become a consistent part of your course development process?

An overload of information can be a significant part of the problem. You only have so much time before the next academic batch starts and the resources are limited, making it crucial to focus on key priorities that will have the most significant impact on the learners. By establishing a structured approach to updates, you can reduce decision fatigue and save time, allowing you to concentrate on other crucial aspects of course development.

 

How Can Companies Update Courses the Right Way?

In edtech, the adoption of the latest trends in course development is often driven by industry competitors. But it’s crucial to begin with the right questions. Here are 6 signs to guide your approach.

The effectiveness of course updates is closely linked to how well they align with your course’s goals and learner needs. By following a structured approach in your content refreshment process, you can continuously improve your content and improve the overall learning experience.

1. Partner with a Consultant to Find Gaps in the Content

A digital curriculum that has not been updated in a few years, while still functional, may lack recent developments in subject matter or diversity in representation. A good consultant has a knack for spotting what needs changing and can offer a fresh perspective on your content. They guide you through potential pitfalls and help you avoid costly detours. Look for evidence of their previous successes to gauge their capability. Do they demonstrate an understanding of your learner demographics and needs? How will they collaborate with your team? Clarify their approach to working with SMEs and IDs in advance.

2. Onboard Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and Instructional Designers (IDs)

Provide SMEs with a clear outline of the course objective and the expected level of detail to keep the project on schedule. For instance, a healthcare SME must understand the specific learning outcomes expected from their content, whether it’s advanced clinical procedures or basic health education. When communicating with IDs make sure to define the pedagogical goals of the course and the intended learner audience. This helps them design courses that are relevant and engaging for that demographic.

3. Determine the Right Content Delivery Format

For a course on developing practical skills, integrating interactive elements and hands-on activities is recommended. Conversely, if the goal is to impart theoretical knowledge, detailed readings, and structured lectures may be more appropriate. The goal here is to align the content modality – whether it’s an interactive simulation, a detailed textual explanation, or a video lecture with both the learning objectives and learner preferences.

4. Consider Platform Compatibility

Without thorough testing, issues such as poor performance on older tablet models could go unnoticed until later stages, affecting the overall user experience. This makes it important to implement a comprehensive testing strategy that includes device diversity checks, OS compatibility assessments, and browser functionality tests. Evaluate performance metrics like loading times and responsiveness. This ensures that the software provides a consistent experience across desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

5. Ensure Content Accessibility

Accessibility begins with defining the desired outcomes, understanding learners’ needs, and then identifying how those outcomes can be achieved without facing unnecessary barriers. To improve accessibility, it is crucial to offer flexible options that cater to various needs. This requires questioning whether the platform is accessible to all – regardless of disabilities, socio-economic background, or geographical location. Subsequently, all key resources must be available in multiple formats such as downloadable PDFs and accessible web pages to prevent disruptions in learning.

6. Conduct Regular Reviews and Quality Assurance Checks

Is the content easy to understand and aligned with educational goals? Will users be able to navigate the content and benefit from it? Can the system handle the rush of users during peak times? Quality assurance helps answer these questions. Quality assurance professionals can streamline this process, offering the expertise to refine the content for an exceptional learning experience. Incorporate review and feedback to make final revisions for optimal performance.

7. Assess the Course’s Effectiveness

If completion rates drop after a content update, this might indicate a need for further refinements. Under such circumstances, how can you continuously gather insights on course performance? Begin by tracking key performance indicators. such as learner engagement, course completion rates, and satisfaction scores. Ask whether these metrics reflect the success of your updates. This data-driven approach helps you make necessary improvements and maintain the course’s effectiveness.

 

Innovative Approaches to Refreshing Courses

The current edtech landscape is rife with examples of how companies are using innovative approaches to refresh their content. For instance, consider micro lessons, which distill complex content into bite-sized, manageable segments. They offer concise and targeted information making learning more accessible and impactful. Similarly, interactive and immersive elements, such as quizzes, simulations, and gamified activities, create a dynamic and engaging learning environment.

AI for content localization is helping adapt materials to different languages and cultural contexts. Finally, embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles into course design ensures that the content reflects a broad range of perspectives and is accessible to all learners.

But here’s the thing: Adaptability needs to be a part and parcel of your edtech courses long before the yearly updates. This proactive approach to course design helps build continuous adaptation and resilience for long-term success.