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Training Department brings together the latest online training news, so our customers truly realize the value online training can have, while providing innovative ways of implementation. We hope to educate those who are looking for an online training system and demonstrate our value to their company. If you discover an interesting training or online training resource, send us a note and we'll include it.

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Creating an Online Course For a Niche Skill

By Heather Hedden
Extracted from eLearningMag.org - Creating an Independent Online Course For A Niche Skill

Article excerpt - "Several months after completing an online course on the topic of Web site indexing, I read a message on a discussion list lamenting the fact that the instructor of that course would no longer offer it. The author of this message was disappointed because she had wanted to take the course. It didn't take me long to decide that I would create and teach my own version of "Creating Web site Indexes" - since there was still a demand for it-before anyone else did. This would be a way to grow my new freelance business.

The growing acceptance of online learning has made it possible for anyone to become a teacher, without even being affiliated with an educational institution or a sponsoring organization. The previous instructor of the online course in Web site indexing had created and taught it entirely independently, and so would I. What follows is a case study in how an individual with a very specific skill can create and teach an online course independently.

Instruction in a Niche Skill

Since the independent instructor cannot offer the certification or credits that often lead students to take online courses, the marketing of the course must rely on the content itself. The content should be somewhat unique, not easily found in published books or free Web sites. As such, a course that teaches a skill rather than a mere body of knowledge has better chance for success as an independently marketed course. A niche skill, in particular, will likely have little competition. Although the market for a niche skill may be small, distance learning makes it possible to recruit students nationally and even globally.

Comments from Training Department: With the technology and simplicity of Training Department e-learning software, anyone that is a subject matter expert can become a trainer by offering an online course. If you have a niche skill, you can develop your e-course and spread your reach far beyond your current geographical area.

Lessons Learned

You learn the most when teaching. While researching for the course, I discovered an additional software tool, for which I ended up creating another entire lesson. In addition to learning more about the subject matter, I learned the following lessons.

  • Sell the course in addition to marketing it. When prospective but uncommitted students inquire, email and phone responses need to be prompt, courteous, informative, but also convincing.
  • Break up a longer course into modules, in which students can enroll separately and hopefully add on over time. They will more likely complete a shorter course and continue discussion participation until the end.
  • Don't expect active discussion from most students, and let students know that, while encouraged, active discussion is not necessarily expected. Thus, when discussion is minimal they won't feel something is wrong with the course.
  • Give students a satisfying experience so that they will provide referrals. Proofread printouts of the lesson texts or hire a proofreader.

Training Department did not include aspects of this article that showed the frustrations of a first time course developer. We understand those frustrations and seek to alleviate those pains so you can get to the task of documenting your niche skill course material. Our free library includes online tutorials, our administration section simplify every aspect of creating a full blown professional e-learning course. Our Frequently Asked online training Questions contains a wealth of information.

Contact Training Department for more information.

Heather Hedden, principal of Hedden Information Management, provides services, consulting, and online training in Web site A to Z creation. She also indexes books and periodicals. She is president (2006) of the New England Chapter of the American Society of Indexers and Coordinator of the national Web Indexing Special Interest Group. She teaches "Creating Website Indexes" as an online workshop through Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Sciences Continuing Education Program.