Recommended course creation process

Your guide to create an online course that provides a rewarding learning experience

The most successful instructors spend time planning their online course before they record it to ensure their course meets their students’ expectations and allows them to learn what was stated in the course’s learning objectives.

We’d like to share with you our recommended course creation process based on instructional design best practices and principles. The resources in the Teaching Center will provide you with the structure for creating a high quality learning experience on Udemy. While it’s not required that you follow this process exactly, we’re sharing it to guide you in creating your course.

 

Step 1: Define your course topic and target students

You want to teach a topic that you’re passionate about, that excites you, and you’re knowledgeable in. As the instructor, it’s important to establish yourself as the expert, but you also want to teach a course that students need. Think about who you are teaching for and what those students are looking to learn. Next, use our Marketplace Insights tool to help you identify, validate or refine your course topic based on marketplace demand and competition.

Step 2: Create learning objectives

Based on the target audience you’ve identified, think about what your target students will learn in your course. Determine your course’s learning objectives, the knowledge, skills, and attitudes students will have after taking your course. It will help you focus your course content and ensure you’re meeting these objectives.

Step 3: Outline course

Your course outline is the foundation of your course. It’s where you decide how you will structure and visualize your content to help your target students achieve the learning objectives. Make sure to include practice activities and assessments like quizzes, exercises, labs, etc,. so students can apply their learning and test their comprehension.

Step 4: Plan practice activities and assessments

Adding activities and assessments to your course is a great way to engage students. They can practice what you’re teaching and start to think about how they’ll apply what they’re learning in their lives. These exercises help students assess their knowledge and comprehension.

Step 5: Produce content

Once you know how your course will be structured, the next step is to prepare for filming your lectures. Most instructors find that scripting each lecture (or writing bullet point notes) helps to reduce filming time and improves their delivery. This step also includes creating the videos, articles, resources, exercises, and assessments you’ll share throughout the course.

Step 6: Publish your course

Upload your course content on Udemy and write the course landing page copy and automatic messages. Every submitted course is reviewed by our Trust & Safety team to ensure the course meets our requirements before it’s published on Udemy.

Step 7: Market course

Build buzz around your course! Share coupon codes with friends and colleagues, and get feedback on your course. If you decide to opt into Udemy’s marketing programs, you’ll be able to leverage Udemy’s sitewide promotions. This allows you to spend more time on your content and less time marketing your course.

Step 8: Engage with students

Once your course is published, it’s time to engage with your students. Respond to Q&A, student reviews, and provide feedback on student assignments.

Step 9: Iterate on content

It’s important to keep your course content fresh and up to date. Update your course when it’s impacted by industry/technology changes, you receive feedback from students, or you have new valuable content to share.

 

Next: Get started on creating your course by choosing your course topic.