Online education: The foundations of online teaching from Coursera

In a world that’s quickly becoming dominated by mobile technology, flexible working opportunities and a post-pandemic economy, online learning is here to stay. This course introduces you to the basics of reimagining, redesigning and optimising face-to-face offerings for the online environment so that learners feel connected, engaged and motivated to learn.

Educators from around the world who are facing these issues in schools, universities and the vocational education sector are finding they need to adapt by upskilling to meet these changing times. This course will introduce you to the key foundational concepts required for teaching online and will explore how technology has fundamentally changed the way education can be delivered and consumed by learners.

The course will cover questions such as: What is online learning and how does it differ from learning in traditional classroom settings? Do the needs of online learners differ from their face-to-face counterparts? How can I design online learning so that it reflects and meets the needs of my learners? Which tools and resources are readily available and easy to master for facilitating engaging and interactive online learning? These questions and many more will be answered in this course, which is designed for teachers and educators who are new to online learning, or those who are preparing to adapt existing learning resources to an online learning environment.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, you’ll:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the trajectory of online learning, from a historical perspective to contemporary experience and future possibilities

2. Explain how the needs of learners in blended and fully online learning environments differ from traditional face-to-face learning environments

3. Select and use a range of techniques, tools and resources to improve the digital learning skills of learner

What's inside

Syllabus

The evolution of online course design

Welcome to Week 1! This week we will discuss and review the evolution of online course design. Advancements in technology have fundamentally changed the way learners can study. Students and learners can now choose from a range of course model types and most current course models have an online learning component. It is expected that online learning will continue to grow in popularity as more and more students gain access to the internet throughout the world.

Delivering effective online content

Welcome to Week 2! This week you will explore the key concept of transactional distance, a phrase coined by Michael Moore in 1998. Being physically distant from your students presents a number of challenges but building on online presence can reduce some of these issues. We will also explore three key concepts related to Moore’s early work developed by Garrison, Anderson and Archer (2000), and built into their Critical Community of Inquiry Model. The concepts are 1) teacher presence, 2) social presence and 3) cognitive presence. These three concepts inform teacher behaviours and learning design characteristics that are crucial to the successful delivery and online learning experience of students.

Building the digital learning skills of your learners

Welcome to Week 3! This week we will examine the concept of cognitive load. As educators, we need to be mindful that cognitive load pressures can adversely affect our student's ability to learn. So, this week we will explore some practical tips and techniques to prevent cognitive overload. We will also discuss the importance of creating a supportive, inclusive and welcoming online learning environment and will show you some practical tips and techniques to set up your online course where your students can thrive.

Building online learning communities

Welcome to Week 4! This week we will define the term 'learning community', then learn how to create a learning community using online discussion forums. Research tells us that meaningful, inclusive and supportive learning communities help students feel a sense of belonging. This sense of belonging can support deep learning and as a result improve student performance. As you will learn this week, discussion forums are popular tools that online educators can use to build learning effective learning communities of their very own.

The future of online learning

Welcome to Week 5! This week we look forward and explore the question, what will happen next in online education? We will investigate emerging technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence, and discuss their potential impact on the online education sector. We will finish this course discussing the importance for every online educator to continuously upskill and improve their skills in online teaching. We will give you some practical tips and help you to create your own future online teaching professional development action plan.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Taught by a team of experienced and innovative instructors

Suitable for educators and professionals who wish to update their skills in online teaching

Provides a comprehensive overview of online learning

Includes practical tips and techniques for improving online teaching

Offers a variety of online learning resources

Helps educators create engaging and interactive online learning experiences

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Online education: The foundations of online teaching with these activities:

Follow tutorials on using online learning tools

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Taking advantage of tutorials can help you quickly learn how to use online learning tools effectively.

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Identify the online learning tools that you need to use.
Search for tutorials on how to use these tools.
Follow the tutorials and practice using the tools.

Review foundational concepts related to online learning

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Refreshing your knowledge of foundational concepts can help you better understand the material presented in the course.

Browse courses on Online Learning

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Identify the foundational concepts that you need to review.
Find resources that explain these concepts in a clear and concise way.
Review the resources and take notes.

Join a study group with classmates

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Collaborating with peers can help you learn from different perspectives and clarify your understanding of course material.

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Reach out to classmates and form a study group.
Meet regularly to discuss course material and assignments.
Work together on projects and assignments.

Five other activities

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Practice quiz questions

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Practice answering questions similar to those you might see in your online course quizzes to prepare for assessments.

Browse courses on Online Learning

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Identify a topic you want to practice.
Find quiz questions or practice problems related to the topic.
Take the quiz or solve the problems.
Review your answers and identify areas for improvement.

Design a lesson plan for an online course module

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Designing a lesson plan for an online course module will help you think through the structure and delivery of your course content.

Browse courses on Online Course Design

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Identify the topic of the module.
Determine the learning objectives for the module.
Choose activities and materials that will help students achieve the learning objectives.
Write a detailed lesson plan that outlines the sequence of activities and materials.

Read Teaching in a Digital Age by A. W Bates

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This book provides insights into the design and delivery of online courses, which can help you optimize your own course for effective learning.

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Purchase or borrow a copy of the book.
Read the book and take notes on key concepts.
Apply what you learn to your own online course.

Attend an online workshop on effective teaching in online environments

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Attend a workshop to learn practical tips and strategies for optimizing your online course.

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Search for online workshops on effective teaching in online environments.
Register for a workshop that aligns with your interests and schedule.
Attend the workshop and take notes.
Implement what you learn in your own online course.

Create a video tutorial

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Creating a video tutorial on a specific topic can help you deepen your understanding of the material and share your knowledge with others.

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Choose a topic that you are knowledgeable about.
Write a script for your video.
Record and edit your video.
Publish your video on a platform like YouTube or Vimeo.

Career center

Learners who complete Online education: The foundations of online teaching will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

E-Learning Specialist

An E-Learning Specialist develops and delivers online learning programs. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of online learning and can help E-Learning Specialists develop more effective online learning programs.

See salaries and explore the career path for E-Learning Specialist

Online Educator

An Online Educator teaches courses online. They may work in higher education, corporate settings, or non-profit organizations. This course provides the theoretical principles and practical considerations for teaching online.

See salaries and explore the career path for Online Educator

Learning Experience Designer

A Learning Experience Designer creates and develops learning experiences. They may work in corporate settings, non-profit organizations, or higher education. This course provides the theoretical foundations of online course and curriculum design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Learning Experience Designer

Instructional Technologist

An Instructional Technologist integrates technology into the learning process. They may work in schools, colleges, universities, or corporate settings. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of online learning and can help Instructional Technologists better understand the needs of online learners.

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Online Course Developer

An Online Course Developer designs and develops online courses and learning materials. This course provides the theoretical foundations of online course and curriculum design.

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Education Consultant

An Education Consultant provides advice and guidance on educational issues. They may work with schools, colleges, universities, or other organizations. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of online learning and can help Education Consultants better understand the needs of online learners.

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Educational Researcher

An Educational Researcher conducts research on educational issues. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of online learning and can help Educational Researchers better understand the needs of online learners.

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Training Manager

A Training Manager develops and delivers training programs for employees. They may work in corporate settings or non-profit organizations. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of online learning and can help Training Managers develop more effective online training programs.

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Curriculum Developer

A Curriculum Developer designs and develops educational curricula. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of online learning and can help Curriculum Developers develop more effective online curricula.

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Instructional Designer

Instructional Designers create and develop educational materials and learning experiences. They may work in many settings, including higher education, corporate settings, and non-profit organizations. This course provides the theoretical foundations of online course and curriculum design.

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Higher Education Administrator

A Higher Education Administrator manages the operations of a college or university. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of online learning and can help Higher Education Administrators better understand and support the needs of online learners.

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Instructional Coach

An Instructional Coach provides support and guidance to teachers. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of online learning and can help Instructional Coaches better support teachers who are teaching online.

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Professor

A Professor teaches courses at a college or university. They may also conduct research and publish scholarly articles. This course provides the theoretical principles and practical considerations for teaching online. It may be particularly helpful for Professors new to online education.

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Teacher

A Teacher teaches students at a primary or secondary school. This course provides the theoretical principles and practical considerations for teaching online. It may be particularly helpful for Teachers new to online education.

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Instructional Coordinator

An Instructional Coordinator designs and develops instructional programs. They work closely with faculty to develop and improve curricula. Often working in higher education, an Instructional Coordinator might help professors develop engaging online learning resources and environments. This course provides the theoretical foundations of online course and curriculum design. It may be particularly helpful for Instructional Coordinators new to online education.

See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Coordinator