How to Write an Online Course

A comprehensive guide to the course writing process.

Introduction

Writing an online course is just one step in the overall course creation process. Writing is at the centre of effective course creation, serving as a medium through which ideas, concepts and instructions are communicated. That said, writing isn’t just about communicating information; it’s about crafting an engaging learning journey for students to engage with, understand and apply. High quality writing ensures course content is accessible, engaging and aligned with learning objectives, guiding the learner from their current position to their desired outcome.

Clear and structured online course writing enhances the learner experience, making complex topics digestible. It provides consistency across modules and accommodates different learning styles which guide learners through the material, step by step.

Without strong writing, even the most visually appealing or interactive course may fail to achieve its goals. Writing gives shape to the overall narrative, sets the tone, and creates a sense of progression, which is essential for maintaining learner motivation and ensuring knowledge retention.

How Instructional Writing Differs

Instructional writing has unique characteristics that distinguish it from other forms of writing, such as creative writing, academic writing, or marketing copy. Its primary purpose is to facilitate learning and enable learners to achieve specific objectives. This functional focus shapes every aspect of instructional writing, including tone, structure, and style.

Clarity and Simplicity

Unlike creative writing, which often employs rich language and figurative expressions, instructional writing prioritises simplicity. Complex ideas are broken into smaller, manageable parts, avoiding jargon unless necessary.

Learner-Centred Approach

Instructional writing puts the learner at the forefront. It anticipates potential questions or misconceptions, addressing them proactively. This differs from persuasive writing, for example, which centres on influencing opinions.

Action-Oriented Design

While academic writing may explore theories or arguments in depth, instructional writing emphasises practical application. Sentences often guide learners to “do” something—whether through step-by-step instructions, prompts for reflection, or practice activities.

Structured Progression

Instructional writing is carefully sequenced to align with learning objectives. Concepts are introduced in logical order, building from foundational knowledge to advanced topics. This progression ensures learners are not overwhelmed and can follow along with ease.

Engagement through Interactivity

To maintain attention, instructional writing incorporates techniques to engage learners, such as asking questions, encouraging reflection, or embedding scenarios. The content isn’t just a lecture, it’s an immersive experience to reduce cognitive load.

Planning the Course Writing Process

When designing learning experiences, we often look at the big picture, the steps it takes from idea to launch, with little thought given to the actual written word. Effective instructional writing begins with a clear and thoughtful plan. By focusing on structure, alignment with learning outcomes, and student-friendly design, course creators can ensure their content is organised, purposeful, and accessible.

Define the Learning Outcomes

The foundation of any course lies in its learning outcomes—what students should know, understand, or be able to do by the end of the course. Begin by identifying these objectives and use them to guide every aspect of the writing process.

Make outcomes specific and measurable: Avoid vague goals like “understand X.” Instead, frame outcomes with action verbs, such as “explain,” “analyse,” or “create.”
Break down outcomes by module: Map out how each unit or lesson will contribute to the overall goals.

Outline the Course Structure

A clear structure provides a roadmap for both the writer and the learner. It ensures that content flows logically, building on prior knowledge and leading learners toward mastery.

Organise content into modules or sections: Divide the material into manageable chunks that focus on specific topics or skills.
Establish a logical progression: Arrange modules so foundational concepts come first, followed by more complex material.
Include consistent elements: Plan recurring components, such as introductions, summaries, examples, and practice activities, to create a predictable and supportive learning environment.

Ensure Alignment with Learning Outcomes

Every section of the course should directly contribute to achieving the learning outcomes. Misaligned content can confuse learners and detract from the course’s effectiveness.

Match content to objectives: Verify that each piece of content serves a clear purpose in helping students meet the desired outcomes.
Avoid unnecessary information: Resist the temptation to include tangential details or overly technical language that doesn’t directly support learning goals.

Focus on Student-Friendliness

Writing should prioritise the learner’s experience, making the content accessible, engaging, and supportive. Consider the following strategies:

Use plain language: Write in a conversational, straightforward tone, avoiding jargon unless it’s essential and clearly explained.
Incorporate examples and visuals: Reinforce concepts with relatable examples, analogies, and visual aids to support different learning styles.
Encourage interaction: Plan opportunities for learners to reflect, apply knowledge, and test their understanding, such as through questions, exercises, or scenarios.
Anticipate challenges: Identify areas where learners may struggle and include tips, additional explanations, or resources to address these challenges proactively.

Develop a Content Map or Writing Plan

A content map acts as a blueprint for your course, outlining what will be covered in each section and how it connects to the overall objectives.

Draft key points for each module: Identify the main ideas, key terms, and activities for every lesson.
Allocate time for revisions: Plan for multiple drafts to refine clarity, tone, and alignment.

By thoughtfully planning the writing process with these elements in mind, course creators can produce content that not only meets educational goals but also provides a positive and impactful experience for learners.

How to Write Instructional Materials

Writing effective instructional materials requires a focus on clarity, engagement, and practicality. The goal is to guide learners step-by-step through the content, ensuring they can understand, apply, and retain the material.

Start with the Learner in Mind

Understand your audience: Identify the learners’ prior knowledge, skill levels, and potential challenges. Tailor your language, examples, and depth of detail to suit their needs.
Adopt a supportive tone: Write in an encouraging, inclusive voice that motivates learners and fosters a sense of confidence.

Use Clear and Concise Language

Write simply: Avoid overly complex sentences or technical jargon unless essential to the subject. When jargon is necessary, provide clear definitions or examples.
Be direct: Focus on one idea at a time, using short paragraphs and bullet points to break up information.

Structure for Easy Navigation

Chunk content: Divide material into digestible sections or steps. Use headings, subheadings, and numbered lists to make the content easy to skim.
Include a logical flow: Arrange information in a sequence that builds progressively, starting with foundational concepts and moving to advanced topics.

Incorporate Examples and Context

Use real-world examples: Illustrate abstract ideas with scenarios or analogies that connect to learners’ experiences.
Add visuals when possible: Diagrams, charts, infographics or images can reinforce understanding and break up text-heavy sections.

Write Action-Oriented Content

Focus on application: Use instructions that prompt learners to take action, such as “try this,” “practice the following,” or “reflect on this question.”
Include step-by-step instructions: Break down tasks into clear, sequential steps, using verbs to indicate what learners should do.

Encourage Interaction

Pose questions: Ask learners to think critically or reflect on what they’ve learned. For example, “How would you apply this concept in your workplace?”
Create opportunities for practice: Include exercises, quizzes, or activities to reinforce learning and assess understanding.

Make Content Inclusive and Accessible

Use inclusive language: Avoid stereotypes or assumptions about learners’ backgrounds or abilities.
Ensure accessibility: Write for diverse learners by using a readable font size, providing captions for visuals, and avoiding overly complex layouts.

Summarize and Reinforce Key Points

End with a summary: Conclude sections or lessons by highlighting the main takeaways.
Link to additional resources: Provide learners with further reading, videos, or tools to deepen their understanding.

Iterate and Refine

Seek feedback: Share drafts with colleagues or a small group of learners to identify areas of confusion or improvement.
Revise for clarity: Focus on eliminating redundancy and improving flow in each revision.

Types of Instructional Content

Effective courses rely on a variety of instructional content types to engage learners, address different learning styles, and reinforce concepts. Each type serves a specific purpose and contributes to a well-rounded educational experience.

Scripts

Scripts are detailed, written guides for spoken or recorded content, such as video lectures, tutorials, or podcasts.

Purpose: Ensure consistency, clarity, and focus in multimedia presentations.
Characteristics: Scripts are often conversational, structured to maintain attention, and may include cues for visuals or emphasis.
Best Practices: Write in a tone appropriate for the audience, use concise sentences, and incorporate pauses or prompts for reflection.

Study Guides

Study guides are longer pieces of content which can either serve as a lesson ebook or summarise key concepts, definitions, and frameworks to support independent learning and review.

Purpose: Reinforce core material and assist with exam preparation or self-assessment.
Characteristics: Organised into sections, often with bullet points, tables, or visual aids to highlight important information.
Best Practices: Keep content focused, include key takeaways, and offer tips or mnemonics for easier memorisation.

Slide Decks

Slide decks are visual presentations used to complement lectures, workshops, or webinars.

Purpose: Provide a visual representation of key points to support oral instruction and enhance understanding. Sometimes used in video content to guide the learners through the material.
Characteristics: Include concise text, visuals, graphs, and images that align with spoken content.
Best Practices: Limit text per slide, use consistent design, and incorporate engaging elements like animations or diagrams to aid comprehension.

Scenarios

Scenarios present real-life or hypothetical situations for learners to analyse or solve.

Purpose: Encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and application of knowledge in practical contexts.
Characteristics: Often narrative-driven, scenarios may include decision points, challenges, or role-playing opportunities.
Best Practices: Use relatable and realistic situations, provide clear objectives, and include feedback or discussion prompts.

Quizzes and Assessments

These tools evaluate learners’ understanding and retention of course material.

Purpose: Measure progress, identify gaps in knowledge, and reinforce learning through recall and application.
Characteristics: Can range from multiple-choice questions to open-ended prompts or performance-based tasks.
Best Practices: Align questions with learning objectives, provide immediate feedback, and vary question formats to maintain engagement.

Interactive Learning Materials

Interactive elements such as simulations, games, or digital exercises engage learners actively.

Purpose: Deepen understanding through hands-on practice and experimentation.
Characteristics: Often digital and multimedia-rich, they encourage exploration and application.
Best Practices: Use clear instructions, ensure ease of use, and design for all skill levels.

Handouts and Worksheets

These are printable or digital documents that guide learners through exercises, problem-solving activities, or note-taking.

Purpose: Reinforce learning through structured activities or personalized notes.
Characteristics: Typically include spaces for learners to write answers, brainstorm ideas, or practice skills.
Best Practices: Make them visually appealing, ensure instructions are clear, and align tasks with learning outcomes.

Case Studies

Case studies analyse specific examples or events to illustrate concepts in action.

Purpose: Foster critical thinking and allow learners to explore the application of theories in real-world contexts.
Characteristics: Include detailed descriptions, data, and questions for discussion or analysis.
Best Practices: Use diverse examples, encourage debate, and provide follow-up discussion points or solutions.

Infographics and Visual Aids

These are graphic representations of information, designed to simplify complex concepts.

Purpose: Support visual learners by conveying ideas quickly and memorably.
Characteristics: Include charts, diagrams, and illustrations that summarize data or explain processes.
Best Practices: Use consistent design elements, focus on clarity, and avoid overcrowding visuals.

When building out the course, it’s not necessary to include all these content types, choose the best ones for the course and learner needs.

Writing Microlearning Content

Microlearning involves delivering content in small, focused bursts that are easy for learners to absorb and apply. This approach is highly effective for modern learners, as it respects their limited attention spans and facilitates just-in-time learning. Writing microlearning content requires precision, clarity, and a focus on actionable insights.

Key Principles for Writing Microlearning Content

Focus on a Single Objective

Each microlearning unit should centre around one clear learning goal. Avoid overwhelming learners with too much information at once.

Example: Instead of explaining the entire sales process in one module, focus on a single step, like “How to handle customer objections.”

Keep it Concise

Use short sentences and paragraphs, eliminating unnecessary details. Aim for brevity while ensuring completeness.

Example: Replace lengthy explanations with bullet points or key takeaways.

Use Plain Language

Write in simple, direct language to ensure clarity. Avoid technical jargon unless it’s essential and always provide explanations when introducing new terms.

Example: Instead of “Leverage your domain-specific acumen,” write “Use your industry knowledge.”

Incorporate Visuals and Multimedia

Pair text with visuals like diagrams, infographics, or videos to enhance comprehension and retention. Microlearning is often multimedia-rich to increase engagement.

Example: Use a short explainer video to demonstrate a skill rather than a long textual description.

Engage Learners Actively

Include interactive elements like quizzes, polls, or quick activities to reinforce the material and maintain engagement.

Example: After explaining a concept, include a short multiple-choice question to test understanding.

Make Content Contextual and Practical

Relate material directly to real-life scenarios or tasks that learners are likely to encounter. Microlearning should provide immediate, actionable value.

Example: Provide a quick checklist for delivering effective feedback during a performance review.

Use a Modular Structure

Each microlearning unit should be self-contained but connected to a broader learning path. This allows learners to consume content in any order without confusion.

Example: Design a series of standalone lessons like “Introduction to Time Management” and “Prioritizing Tasks.”

Best Practices for Writing Microlearning Content

Hook Learners Early: Begin with a compelling statement, question, or challenge to draw learners in quickly.

Example: “Did you know 70% of workplace conflicts are due to poor communication? Here’s how to avoid it.”

Use Real-World Examples: Illustrate points with relatable scenarios to aid understanding and relevance.

Example: “Imagine you’re managing a remote team struggling with deadlines. Here’s how to improve collaboration.”

Include a Call to Action (CTA): End each microlearning unit with a clear next step, such as applying the concept, completing an exercise, or reflecting on a question.

Example: “Now, write a two-sentence response to a common customer complaint using today’s tips.”

Advantages of Microlearning Content

Flexibility: Learners can access small, digestible lessons anytime and anywhere.
Retention: Bite-sized chunks of content improve focus and memory retention.
Efficiency: Microlearning respects learners’ time, delivering essential knowledge quickly.

Final Thoughts

Writing an online course is a key component in the process of building online learning. Use these principles and frameworks to guide the writing process. Alternatively, if you want someone to do the hard work for you, contact us today to chat about how we can take your notes and brainstorming material into a professionally written online course.