Digital Learning Design: A New Lesson During COVID-19
Recently, I participated in a training workshop on Digital Learning Design offered by Dr. Allana Todman-Da Graca, founder of Turning on the Lights Global Institute. With her 20+ years of experience in designing digital learning and a contributor to The SAGE Encyclopedia of Online Education, I felt that I was in good hands to build these skills.
After completing Dr. Allana’s workshop, I took my background and experience of 20+ years of designing and facilitating Adult Learning and built a digital course Optimism, Resilience, and Grit: Sustaining Success at Work and Home. This specific topic is always important, and even more timely with the effects of COVID-19. This course helps learners build their positivity for the long term; key skills for both leaders and individual contributors, as well as family members.
With Dr. Allana’s recommendation, I decided to use Thinkific. This is an online platform that provides templates for laying out your course, and a FREE Fast-Track training course on how to use the software, price your class, and build a sales page. I found Thinkific to be very user friendly. I am using the FREE version of the software, and you are able to build up to three courses at no cost. Unlike other online learning platforms, Thinkific gives the user full control of the price and design of the course.
As a speaker and facilitator on the topic of Optimism, Resilience and Grit for many years, I already had most of the content ready for the digital course. I laid out the curriculum to make each lesson short and engaging, including quick videos, reflection exercises, quizzes, and TED Talks.
Most of my time was spent creating all of the short videos to include in the curriculum. Each video (40 to start and 24 at the final launch) took 4 to 5 takes. With a few years of experience with editing videos from my speaking engagements, which I post on my Youtube Channel, the edits were less intimidating. I use Power Director software for this. What took a bit of time was getting the closed caption text for each video. Once a video is uploaded to Youtube, Youtube will provide closed caption text. It is up to the user to edit the text to be sure it is accurate. Thinkific was easy to use to upload the videos and images.
As the design continued, I had friends previewing and testing the content and sales page. This is very important when designing a digital course because you want to make it high quality and easy for the end user. Once I completed the videos and finalized the content, quizzes, and reflection exercises, I needed to create my sales page for the course. I welcome you to check out the sales page to see how I have laid it out.
I am proud to share this new course, Optimism, Resilience and Grit: Sustaining Success at Work and Home. It took me a total of three weeks (part-time) to build this two hour course! I love learning new skills, and am much more comfortable with designing Digital Learning courses in the future!
If you or someone you know would benefit from my new course, please share this link: https://sarahscala.thinkific.com/courses/optimism-resilience-and-grit
Thanks, Dr. Allana Todman-Da Graca for your great workshop to help me build my digital course design skills!
Let me know what questions you have on my process for designing my Digital Learning course using Thinkific. Comment below or contact me.
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Check out our new Digital Course Optimism, Resilience and Grit: Sustaining Success at Work and Home.
About the Author:
Sarah Scala is a senior talent management leader and executive coach with 20+ years of experience providing organization development, change management, and leadership development solutions for diverse global and local industries. She is a collaborative consultant, coach, and educator supporting performance transformation of executives, leaders, and teams. Sarah is a methodical, results-driven leader recognized for helping clients reach their highest potential, increase revenue, reduce turnover, elevate business profitability, build competencies, and improve performance.
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