How to Structure Online Courses That Keep Learners Engaged
Dec 03, 2024Designing online courses that truly engage learners can be a daunting task, even for seasoned professionals. In a recent episode of Scaling Therapy Practice, Rebecca Cuevas, author of Course Design Formula: How to Teach Anything to Anyone Online, shared invaluable insights into creating online educational resources that capture attention and deliver real transformation.
If you're an expert looking to translate your knowledge into a captivating online course, here are Rebecca’s top tips, backed by her years of experience and research.
Start with Transformation in Mind
Rebecca emphasized that the foundation of any great course lies in its purpose: “How are people going to be different and better as a result of my course?”
Rather than focusing on your content or expertise, she recommended starting with the transformation you want your learners to achieve. To do this effectively, you must:
- Define the Type of Transformation: Courses can deliver different outcomes, such as mindset shifts, new skills, or physical habits. Identifying the type of transformation is crucial.
- Work Backwards: Rebecca uses a concept called “backwards design,” where you start with the desired result and structure the course to lead learners there step by step.
Avoid Content Overload
Experts often fall into the trap of including too much information. Rebecca likened this to “serving a whole cow when the learner just wants a steak dinner.”
Instead, she recommended asking yourself:
- Does this content directly support the transformation?
- Can this information be simplified, broken down, or moved to a later stage?
Rebecca advised against starting with raw content: “Your expertise is a treasure chest of gems, but you need to select only the pieces that are essential to the transformation.”
Structure Matters More Than Content
A beautifully designed course structure acts as a “crown” that holds the valuable content. Rebecca’s advice: don’t let your content dictate the structure. Instead:
- Use research-backed instructional design to frame the course.
- Understand the specific steps learners need to take for the transformation.
“People don’t learn by just watching a video or listening to a lecture,” she explained. “They need active engagement with the material.”
Incorporate Role Models and Long-Term Support
Mindset change often requires inspiring examples and ongoing encouragement. Rebecca shared a personal story about how joining a supportive writing community helped her believe she could write a book.
“Seeing others succeed normalized the process for me. It made writing a book feel possible,” she said.
For online courses, she suggested including:
- Case studies or success stories to motivate learners.
- A community or membership component to provide long-term support.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Rebecca revealed mistakes she made early in her career and how they shaped her approach. Here are a few pitfalls to watch for:
- Skipping the Design Phase: Jumping straight into creating videos or materials without a clear plan leads to inefficiency and learner disengagement.
- Relying Solely on Talking-Head Videos: While videos can be useful, Rebecca cautioned that they must include visuals and interactive elements to keep learners engaged.
- Overloading the Learner: Including too much detail or requiring learners to know everything before moving forward creates frustration.
To overcome these issues, Rebecca recommended her concept of “minimum viable learning design,” which simplifies the process while ensuring results.
Tips for Creating Engaging Courses
Rebecca offered several practical tips for building courses that resonate with learners:
- Focus on Active Learning: Include exercises, discussions, and interactive activities to keep learners engaged.
- Use Short, Purposeful Videos: Videos should be as long as necessary but no longer. Keep them focused and include visuals to reinforce key points.
- Design for Your Learners’ Needs: Understand where they’re starting from and build lessons that guide them progressively toward their goals.
Empower Learners Through Connection
As a therapist or expert, your empathy and ability to guide others are powerful assets. “Therapists have an unfair advantage when creating courses,” Rebecca noted, “because they’re trained to help people overcome resistance.”
By creating a safe and supportive learning environment, you can help learners push through the discomfort of change and achieve their goals. Rebecca stressed the importance of reminding learners of their “why”—both short-term motivations and long-term aspirations.
Key Takeaways
Rebecca’s insights boil down to a few key principles for structuring engaging online courses:
- Start with the transformation you want to deliver, not your content.
- Use a clear, research-based design framework.
- Keep lessons concise and focused on actionable steps.
- Build in opportunities for connection, role modeling, and long-term support.
- Focus on learner outcomes, not on showcasing your expertise.
Key Quotes from Rebecca Cuevas
- "Your course isn’t about you—it’s about the learner and their transformation."
- "When you focus on transformation, the structure of your course becomes clear."
- "If you’re thinking about watching thousands of hours of your old videos to create a course, don’t. Start fresh with a design plan."
Links and Resources
- Are you a good fit for the Sustainable Therapist Empowerment Program Cohort - click here to find out if we would be a good fit.
- Check out Rebecca Cuevas’s book, Course Design Formula
- Join Rebecca in her Facebook community or find out more about her streamlined course creation program.
- Rebecca on LinkedIn
- Rebecca on Instagram
- Free Resources from Rebecca
Ready to Create Your Engaging Course?
Want personalized help scaling your therapy practice with online courses? Learn more about the upcoming cohort program starting in January at Course Creation Studio.
Let’s get to work on creating courses that change lives—yours and your learners’!
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