Where are your learners accessing your online course? We’d love to imagine our students holed up in an office with the door shut and all distractions eliminated.
More likely, she’s listening while making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (cut in triangles!) for her toddler. Or while she’s driving to work. Or while she’s waiting for her order at Starbucks.
What does that mean for you? It means your course must be more exciting than the donut she just ordered. In other words, you’ve got to do your absolute darndest to hold and keep her attention.
The good news is, you’re likely half way there. Unless you teach a required course for some sort of training, the chances are good that your student opted to take your course in the first place, which means she’s already interested. Phew. Now you just have to keep her interested. How do you do that? Here are a few suggestions to spice up your course:
- Include a contest or prize
- Record a case study or story from someone else. Sometimes hearing a new voice shakes things up a bit for your learners.
- Include a journal or workbook to encourage reflection and internalization
- Use visuals
- Vary your vocal inflections
- Use personal examples and stories
- Make a joke (even a lame one will do!)
What do you think? Is your course more exciting than a donut? Do you have any other ways to add a little more pizzazz to your course?