Teaching An Online Course

Teaching An Online Course – You Don't Have to Be a Professional!

Teaching an online course doesn’t mean you must have a string of letters after your name. You don’t need to be a professional. Just know what you talking about!

Hi Trish Davies here and today I wan to focus on teaching an online course.

Today, more and more students are learning online. The rise of massive open online courses (MOOCs) and other digital education platforms has been well documented.

However what often gets overlooked is the role of non-professionals in this new world of higher education.

Learning from a professor or an expert may be the gold standard for higher education. However it’s not the only way to acquire knowledge.

In fact, recent data suggests that online learning will only continue to grow in popularity. A report by the Education Technology Industry Council & data from Statista concludes the following.

There are now more than 21 million broadband learners in the United States alone.

This explosion in demand for online courses has created openings for thousands of non-professionals. People who want to share their knowledge with others.

If you’re one of them, here is everything you need to know about teaching an online course.

Teaching An Online Course – You Don’t Need To Be A Professional Teacher 

Teaching online is not a substitute for teaching in person, and vice versa.

Aspiring instructors who are switching from one to the other often feel they are somehow moving down in status.

However this is not true. Teaching in person is a very different experience from teaching online, and vice versa.

Each has its own challenges and rewards. It can be helpful to think of them as two distinct professions, with different requirements and goals.

Teaching a large class of students in person is very different from one-on-one online tutoring. In person, you have to manage much larger groups of people and meet their different needs, often at the same time.

You can’t always tailor your lessons to each student’s level of understanding, as you can when you’re working one-on-one online.

Why So Many Non-Professionals Are Teaching Online 

In some ways, teaching online is more challenging than teaching in person. You have to give consistent, high-quality lessons to a large number of students.

At the same time, you have a lot more flexibility in how you approach your lessons. Teaching online, you don’t have to follow a static syllabus or a set curriculum. You can customize your lessons to each student’s needs.

Teaching online can be a very rewarding experience, especially when you have a flexible schedule. This allows you to pursue other interests and make extra money on the side.

Of course, like any profession, teaching online does require a certain level of dedication. You need to be able to sustain a high level of engagement with students for long periods of time.

Also you must be able to guide them in a way that makes them feel like they are getting something valuable from the experience.

How To Find The Right Platform For You 

Most online teaching platforms have a few things in common. They usually offer some kind of curriculum, so you don’t have to create your own lessons from scratch.

They usually offer some kind of feedback or grading system. Therefore you can tell students when they have missed the mark and when they have done a good job.

They often offer ways for students to connect with one another and with you, the instructor.

Teaching on these platforms can be a rewarding experience, but it’s important to pick the right one for you.

With so many to choose from, it can be hard to know which ones are best.

There are a few factors that you should keep in mind when browsing the various platforms, including the following:

The number of students on the platform. The more students there are, the more people you have to interact with. This can be both a positive and a negative, depending on how you look at it.

The number of hours you can teach. Some platforms offer short-term courses, others offer long-term ones. You should pick the one that best fits your schedule.

The types of courses offered. Make sure you pick a platform that offers courses that interest you.

Alternatively you can create your own self served platform such as Kajabi. To learn more about Kajabi please click here.

The Benefits Of Teaching Online 

Money. There are lots of different platforms to choose from, and each pays a different amount for each course – usually around a few dollars per hour.

Some platforms also allow students to tip their instructor, which can make a big difference in your income.

Flexibility. You can pick the hours you want to teach, and you can also take time off when you need it. You don’t have to worry about having classes cancelled due to bad weather or holidays, and you don’t have to be in one place.

Autonomy. You don’t have to deal with bureaucratic red tape or put up with office politics. You can also choose your own curriculum and focus on the subjects and topics that interest you the most.

Tips For Teaching Online 

Remember your students are human. They may be remote, but they are still people. Think about what you would want and expect from an instructor and try to give it to them.

Customize your lessons. A lesson that works for one student may not be appropriate for another. Think about how you can modify your approach to make it more relevant to each person.

Be forgiving. Remember that you are usually grading rough drafts. It can take people time to adjust to a new style of writing or to grasp a new concept.

Don’t be too hard on yourself or on your students when something needs revision.

Stay engaged. It’s easy to let long-term courses become rote, but you need to stay engaged with the material and stay on top of your game.

Keep a log. This will help you track your hours and keep your records straight.

Teaching An Online Course – Conclusion 

Teaching an online course can be a great way to make some extra money on the side.

You can choose flexible hours and the topics you want to teach. Also you can even make extra money by tutoring students one-on-one or through group sessions.

As with teaching in person, though, it’s important to make sure you are doing it the right way.

Make sure to choose the right platform for you, and that you are putting in the effort needed to be a good instructor.

For more information on teaching an online course check out my free training program called Build Your AU.

Register for the program here.

Helping you build your authenticity, authority and audience.

Trish Davies

Build Your AU