How to

design an
online course

1
 How to
design an
online course

2 GREEN GUIDE TO ONLINE LEARNING

 Table of contents
Authors:
33 Ioana Banach, Green European Foundation
33 Ognjen Sobat, Green European Foundation

This publication has been realised with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green Introduction 7
European Foundation. The European Parliament is not responsible for the content of this project.
STAGE 1: Get started 8
State the challenge 9
Design: Find your partners 10
33 Miriam Hempel & Nuno Pinto da Cruz Know your target group 10
Set the course objectives 12
Illustrations:
33 Chloé Perarnau STAGE 2: Design the learning experience 14
Learning goals 15
Printed on FSC® Recycled certified paper. December 2018. Learning style 16
Methodology 19
Green European Foundation Curriculum 25
3 Rue du Fossé – 1536 Luxembourg Technical and design requirements 30
Brussels Office: 15 Rue d’Arlon – B-1050 Brussels – Belgium Online platform 31
Tel: +32 2 234 65 70 Course availability 34
Fax: +32 2 234 65 79 Payment options 35
E-mail: [email protected]
www.gef.eu STAGE 3: Content production 36
www.mygreenlearning.eu Script writing 38
Video production 39
You can order free copies of this publication by sending an email request to [email protected]. Video look and feel 40
Animated videos 41
Interview-based videos 45
Description of authoring organisation: Designing e-readers 47
Forum and user interactivity 49
The Green European Foundation (GEF) is a European-level political Checking learners’ knowledge 50
foundation whose mission is to contribute to a lively European sphere of debate and to foster
greater involvement by citizens in European politics. GEF strives to mainstream discussions STAGE 4: Test & improve 52
on European policies and politics both within and beyond the Green political family. Why test? 53
How to test? 53
The foundation acts as a laboratory for new ideas, offers cross-border political education
and a platform for cooperation and exchange at the European level. STAGE 5: Launch & promote 57
Stage the launch 57
Announce the course 58
Promotion 59
Communication with learners 60

STAGE 6: Follow-up 62
Course evolution 63
Alumni network 64
New scenarios 65
 Introduction
The Green European Foundation (GEF) promotes education and training and
provide opportunities for building capacity and encouraging networking among
Green actors across Europe.

Our aim is to raise awareness among citizens about Green solutions to the challenges Europe
faces, and to enhance the ability of activists, politicians and citizens to work on issues with a
European dimension.

To this end, we have initiated an online learning programme which complements our face-
to-face trainings and uses the potential of digital tools to bring together European actors to
learn, discuss and expand their networks.

33 Objective: After a successful experience in implementing an online learning

programme, we have developed this guide to empower other organisations
interested in online education to develop their own courses.

33 Target group: This guide is aimed at Green organisations, Green parties, civil
society initiatives, educational institutions or any other actors interested in
developing online courses as tools for political education.

33 Methodology: The structure of the guide follows the entire process of developing
an online course – preparation, production, testing, launch and follow up. Each
chapter of this guide is dedicated to one of the main stages in the process of
developing an online course and contains:

33 Practical information on the main elements to keep in mind during the

respective stage of developing your course;

33 Case studies in which we share best practice based on the GEF-

Greens/EFA online course “IMPACT EUROPE: Online Course for Green
Activists” as the example;

33 Tip boxes as additional advice from our team on implementing

specific aspects of the course;

33 Expert advice provided by online learning experts, content managers

and audio-visual specialists.

If you want to see how online courses develop through this process, create a free
account at mygreenlearning.eu!

6 How to design an online course 7

 Stage 1
State the challenge

Get
Start by formulating the challenge statement, which is the answer to the following
main questions:

33 Why is there a need for an online course on the subject you plan to address?

started
33 What is the context of your course?

33 What issue(s) will it address?

33 Why is this relevant and who will benefit from it?

Try to structure it as a general introduction about your course in which you provide a
short presentation about its aims and relevance as an educational tool. Think of stating
the problem as a short presentation of the course in response to the challenge you would
like to address.

To define the scope of your course, we recommend surveying the potential learners on
The first key step in building an these ‘big questions’. You will find more information about conducting tests and surveys
online course is to specify the in Stage 4 and 6.
challenge it is addressing, to define
its users and its main objectives. In
other words, you need to start by CASE STUDY: CHALLENGE STATEMENT FROM IMPACT EUROPE
formulating a clear idea of what the
“Enthusiastic activists are a driving force for the Green movement in Europe and
course is about, why it is relevant
beyond. Providing information and training on European policies in a Green context, as
and who it is for. These basic well as networking opportunities for young people with ambition to change Europe to
elements will guide your shaping of the better, is part of the Green European Foundation and the Greens/EFA’s missions and
the course framework and help you is a key element in promoting the participation of young people in European politics.
make other significant decisions
The online course therefore aims at providing accessible and interactive education on
along the way. So, let’s get started!
the European Union, keeping in mind a critical and Green perspective, to encourage
active citizenship, potential Green votes and Green activism.”

8 How to design an online course STAGE1: Get started 9

 Find your partners
33 Employment: What are their employment profiles? What might this mean for their
participation in the course, in terms of duration and availability?

33 Interests: What topics are relevant to their interests? What information do they find
engaging and what would they find boring or outdated?
Once you have decided what your online course is about, you will need to identify
potential partners who will be able to help you bring it to life. Try to find experts 33 Lifestyle: What are the interesting aspects of how they live, receive information and
and external consultants who will be able to provide extra resources, feedback interact with other people? How do they use technology and digital media? Is online
and technical support. It is very useful to contact experts who can contribute with learning suitable for them?
valuable advice and additional knowledge relevant to the content of your course
(i.e. professionals and academics working in the specific area). 33 Availability: Bearing other characteristics in mind, such as studies, jobs and lifestyle,
try to determine how much time they would spend on online learning on a daily or
Furthermore, search for technical support and specialists who will provide necessary weekly basis and how long would it take them to complete your course.
services that cannot be delivered internally by your organisation (i.e. IT experts, designers,
video editors and producers, voiceover companies, etc.). 33 Motivation: What are the main benefits of your course that would motivate them
to participate? What are the ‘hooks’; the elements that would attract them to explore
You can also search for collaborators within your own network who would be interested in the course, in terms of topics, formats, technical features, etc.?
contributing to the course, providing feedback and promoting it among potential learners.
The profile of your potential learners, their behavioural characteristics and needs should
influence two important aspects of the course in particular: its learning goals and learning
style, which are developed in the next stage.

Know your target group

CASE STUDY: TARGET GROUP OF IMPACT EUROPE

At the very beginning, it is also necessary to define who the participants of your The main audience for our course is represented by young people aged between
online course will be, as well as to identify their learning needs. 16 and 30 years old. With this age group’s needs and expectations in mind, we
developed the project as a beginner’s course and identified engagement and
This means that from the very start, understanding the potential users of the course can interactivity as our target group’s most important needs. Following the results of our
be highly beneficial for shaping the direction of the project. Therefore, we recommend user analysis, we divided the target group into two profiles presented on the next page.
conducting an analysis of the users and their needs in which you consider the following
characteristics:

33 Age: What age group will your course be developed for and why?
TIP BOX: DO A “PERSONA” EXERCISE

33 Geography: What is the project’s geographic scope – local, regional, national or

To successfully analyse the target group, we recommend carrying out an exercise
transnational? Do participants live in the same or several countries? Do they reside
in which you attempt to visualise the users in the form of a single individual who
in urban or rural areas?
embodies their main behavioural characteristics. In this exercise, give a name to
the ‘persona’ and list their age, attitudes, needs and expectations from your course.
33 Language: Which language is optimal for communicating the course content to
Try to keep the profile of the persona in mind while setting out the objectives and
the participants? If language is a challenge, perhaps it is advisable to develop the
framework of your course.
course based on visual elements which are not dependent on a specific language.

33 Education: What educational levels should your course cater for? What would this
mean in practice, in terms of conveying and presenting information? Is it a beginners’
or advanced course?

10 How to design an online course STAGE1: Get started 11

 If your project encompasses many objectives, it is helpful to place them in a hierarchical
The “ENGAGED”: The “ENTHUSIASTIC”: list, i.e. by ordering them as primary and secondary.

WHO they are: WHO they are:

33 16 to 30 years old 33 16 to 30 years old CASE STUDY: IMPACT EUROPE’S COURSE OBJECTIVES
33 High school or university education 33 High school of university education
33 Already interested in Green issues 33 Interested in world events As an example, we can share the objectives set for our online course. The primary
33 Not knowledgeable in terms of 33 They wish to be involved with objectives of Impact Europe were:
European policies political issues but don’t know how
33 Active in NGOs/members of 33 Open to Green ideas but don’t 33 Providing accessible and interactive education on the EU (history,
young Green organisations/interns consider themselves as Greens institutions, values, current challenges) and the role of Greens at the European
for Green parties or the European level, as well as on ways in which activists can become engaged in a European
Parliament. WHAT they want: context;
33 To get an idea on how to be part of
WHAT they want: the change they envisage for the 33 Complementing existing national trainings and capacity building with high-
33 To understand the more complex world around them quality and up-to-date content on the European eco-system;
aspects of EU policy 33 Opportunities to get involved, gain
33 Opportunities to discuss their experience and develop themselves 33 Presenting potentially ‘dry’ topics in a modern and user-friendly manner.
ideas and develop arguments to 33 To become active and/or to
consolidate their own opinions enhance their employability In addition, the secondary objectives were:
33 To gain international experience
and contacts 33 Building an alumni network interested in working together on EU issues,
33 To improve their projects and getting involved as part of the Green movement or taking part in other GEF/
employability partners projects;

33 Providing inputs which will contribute to the future reflection on our

Set the course objectives education and training services, by providing insights into the way activists
engage with the content.

The objectives of your online course should further explain the purpose of the
project, serve as a reference point during the rest of the course development,
TIP BOX: ORGANISE A FOCUS GROUP
and provide a benchmark for evaluating the success of your course.
We organised a focus group as a way of brainstorming and gathering feedback with
Therefore, the objectives should be specific: they need to clearly convey what the course is
the project partners who helped us define the course objectives and our target group.
about; and directive: they should serve as instructions for the development of the course.
If you are interested in organising a focus group, gather your partners in a workshop
When defining the main objectives, it is important to have in mind that they should reflect
setting in which they can share their feedback and inputs about the course. Capture
several points, such as:
their ideas by using flipcharts and Post-it notes, and summarise their contributions
in a report.
33 Goals: What is the course meant to provide or achieve?

33 Scope: What is the educational focus of this course, in terms of the topics or issues
it will address?

33 Relevance: Why is this important and what does this course contribute to?

12 How to design an online course STAGE1: Get started 13

 Stage 2: Learning goals

Design the
Learning goals are a set of outcomes learners expect from the learning
experience. Therefore, the main questions here are: what can learners expect
to learn; and how will they benefit from completing your online course?
In general, online learning has the potential as an education tool to:

learning
33 Enhance participants’ knowledge about certain topics;

33 Encourage critical thinking and arguments about specific issues;

experience
33 Provide flexibility and independence in terms of learning time;

33 Put forward new learning formats in an online environment;

33 Give access to additional resources – publications, websites, relevant actors, etc.;

33 Promote other opportunities for further development and involvement in line with
the main objectives of the course;

33 Connect learners and build networks (i.e. alumni).

CASE STUDY: IMPACT EUROPE’S LEARNING GOALS

Before you start producing the actual
content of your course, it is necessary Here are the learning objectives from Impact Europe. By the end of the course,
to establish a framework as a foundation learners will be able to:
on which you can build the learning
33 Better argue their own ideas and views on what is “going on in the world” by
activities and materials.
including a European dimension in formulating their arguments;

The framework of your online course 33 Recognise the role of EU institutions and procedures that work in areas of their
should be derived from the objectives interest;
of the project, the needs of your target
group and the elements highlighted in 33 Acquire better access to resources by knowing where to find further
information on EU issues that interest them;
the following stage.
33 Identify ways to get involved in activities which might change the course of
politics at the European level;

33 Identify opportunities for further personal development and political involvement;

33 Be part of a community of young activists, which will be created as an online

alumni network at the end of the course.

14 How to design an online course STAGE2: Design the learning experience 15

 Learning style EXPERT ADVICE: ED FRASER, ONLINE LEARNING CONSULTANT

“It is worth highlighting some of the costs and benefits of these different approaches.

Synchronous learning allows for a more direct sense of a ‘class’ of learners and is
It might be useful to distinguish the general approach of your online course in more likely to encourage social interaction within the course through comments/
terms of user participation. For example, this could be: discussions. The challenge is making this available to participate in on demand – it
often relies on the course not being available indefinitely. This is the learning style
most commonly applied on MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses).
33 Synchronous learning - in which all learners participate in the course at the same
time, based on the schedule set up when the course is available (i.e. suitable when Asynchronous learning allows for greater flexibility for the individual, but can make
the online course replaces the typical classroom course held in an educational it more difficult to stimulate conversation between learners as they are studying at
institution); different points in time, more difficult to organise group-based tasks, and relies more
heavily on the self-motivation of each learner.
33 Asynchronous learning - a more individual and independent approach, in which
learners are active at different times during the period when the course is available Blended learning can be a happy medium between traditional and online learning styles,
(i.e. suitable when the online course is an independent project or outside the formal and can integrate synchronous activities into an asynchronous course. The greatest
educational setting); cost is logistics and resources, as it requires organising learners to attend a location at
certain times, and the availability of ‘educators’ to support face-to-face experiences.”
33 Blended learning - in which the online course is an additional tool for face-to-face
education (i.e. beneficial when it represents an additional education tool to existing
classroom courses or educational projects).
CASE STUDY: IMPACT EUROPE’S LEARNING STYLE
Besides this general approach, it is beneficial to identify more specific aspects of the learning
style that can ensure the best outcome in terms of user experience with the course. Therefore, Online learning is used by GEF as a tool for capacity building and widening our
the learning style needs to accommodate your target group’s needs, expectations and abilities. reach beyond face-to-face transnational seminars across Europe. Therefore, both
In order to formulate this, several learning aspects have to be strategically planned at this asynchronous and blended learning were applied to Impact Europe. First, the content
stage of the course development, such as: was made available for a specific period of time, during which learners completed
a 10-hour course at their own pace. The duration of the course was determined by
33 Level of difficulty: Should it be designed as a beginner’s or advanced course? the results of a survey in which we asked test learners how much time they would be
willing to spend on such a course.
33 Duration: How long should it take to complete the entire course? How about
individual activities? Secondly, our course is also used as an additional tool in our educational project,
European Green Activist Training, in which the participants join an online course as a
33 Flexibility: How can a user navigate through the course? Is it compulsory to finish preparatory activity for their study tour to Brussels. This project consists of training
one learning activity in order to proceed to the next one, or are learners free to pick sessions for young Green activists in three phases: the first entails national trainings
and choose from the course content? on domestic politics; the second entails taking part in our online course on European
politics; and the third brings together the activists from different countries in Brussels to
33 Formats: What are the most appropriate ways to present course topics? complement their training by experiencing the European political dimension first-hand.

33 Activities: What are the most effective methods to learn about those topics? Moreover, in response to the needs of our target group, we established a learning
style appropriate for beginners and those with a basic level of knowledge about the
33 Language: How best to convey the information and communicate instructions? three themes addressed by the course: the European Union, the Green movement,
and activism. This also influenced the methodology, learning activities and the choice
33 Functionality: What technical features does your course need to reflect user demands? of an up-to-date hosting platform.

33 Visual design: How to present the course in an optimum way?

16 How to design an online course STAGE2: Design the learning experience 17

 Methodology

The next step in developing an online course is to identify the learning

methods that will best suit your learning objectives and your potential course
participants. Here are some useful steps to keep in mind when deciding on the
learning activities:

1 List the learning formats that are the most suitable as learning tools for your target
audience in the context of your course. Here are several examples of formats for
online learning:

33 E-lectures 33 Charts/Slides 33 Essays/written

33 Animated videos 33 Webinars assignments
33 Interviews 33 Games 33 Forum assignments
33 Infographics 33 E-readers 33 Practical assignments
33 Images 33 Quizzes

If you are not sure what type of format is best suited for your audience, you can find
out either by checking other successful courses and digital tools developed for a similar
target group, or by organising a survey among your audience asking them what kind of
content they use online.

2 Having determined the main formats which are likely to keep your learners engaged,
take your time to study them and decide carefully which format best suits each
learning objective in your course. Here is a quick guide to get you started:

18 How to design an online course STAGE2: Design the learning experience 19

 ONLINE LEARNING - LEARNING FORMATS

ACTIVITY
E-LECTURES ANIMATED VIDEOS INTERVIEW VIDEOS INFOGRAPHICS IMAGES CHARTS/SLIDES WEBINARS
FORMAT
Similar to a classroom These are videos which use Video format based on filmed Presentations of facts and Photographs and illustrations Short presentations of facts, Learners participate in live
experience, a speaker presents sequences of images and interviews with relevant data about a certain topic arguments or most relevant interventions (lectures,
chunks of information, directly drawings which create the speakers who are actively that combines short text points about a topic. debates) with expert
addressing the audience. The illusion of movement. involved in the topic of the video descriptions with visuals/ speakers who provide
Description

speaker can be supported by and who can provide practical illustrations, graphs and advanced knowledge or
visual aids (slides/graphs/ experience, critical opinion or diagrams. critical insights into a topic.
images). more advanced insights into the
given topic. These videos can be
presented as a single interview
or a combination of several
speakers.

Audience: this is a rather Animated videos are one of the When the narrators are those This format allows for an Visuals are an impactful These can be used to provide They are a valuable addition
conventional and ‘safe’ way most engaging types of video, who ‘made history’: when effective and engaging way of depicting practical an overview giving the main to other formats that provide
to present content online. as the images shown on screen presenting past events, it can presentation of descriptive examples, case studies and information about a topic, an introduction or general
Thus, they are useful when are created particularly to fit be very interesting to add a topics that are based on inspirational storytelling. combined with stats, graphs information about a specific
When to Use

the audience is also quite the objective and message of personal touch by asking some statistical data and factual They can be used with other and visuals. topic. Webinars can provide
professional or conventional the video. This is a powerful of the main actors involved knowledge. Suitable for formats. advanced and critical
(non-digital native, business, story-telling method which is in the event to tell their own different audiences, as long knowledge from experts and
etc.). suitable for a large variety of experience. Similarly, when as the style and design enhance the interactivity of
Content: best used for content instances. the objective is to inspire your corresponds to their needs. the course.
which is very interesting and learners, pursuing personal
engaging on its own. stories told by those who lived
them is a great tool!

When the course addresses When the audience/subject When the learners still need They are an effective of way They should not be used if These are not effective for They should not be used for
an audience which is less is very formal, animated a foundation/background of providing an overview they do not convey the course conveying inspirational or factual topics (i.e. historic
receptive to a classroom- videos can come across as not information: without the of topics with a lot of data. messages or do not cater for personal storytelling as an overviews) as these can be
like experience (for instance, ‘serious’ enough. appropriate foundation, learners However, they are not its audience. important part of presenting presented in a more engaging
students who are looking to When there are other learning can be confused by the analysis suitable for presenting a topic. Furthermore, way if combined with visuals
When Not to Use

exchange, rather than passively activities best presented and may not understand why critical arguments or younger audiences might (i.e. animated videos).
listen to a ‘professor’). in the form of animations, the speaker is taking a certain personal story-telling. not find them as engaging as
it is advisable to prioritise position. In such cases, either narrated formats (i.e. videos).
When the learning objective which course activities support the interview with
is less focused on obtaining are best presented in this narrated passages which provide
information and more focused way. Animated videos can the necessary knowledge, or
on being proactive and be expensive and time- precede the interview video with
developing soft skills (see consuming, so it is sensible to another explanatory activity
below activities better suited reserve them for those chunks (e-lecture, animated video,
to this). of content which benefit most presentation, etc.).
from animated storytelling.

20 How to design an online course STAGE2: Design the learning experience 21

 ONLINE LEARNING - LEARNING FORMATS

ACTIVITY ESSAYS/WRITTEN FORUM ASSIGNMENTS PRACTICAL

GAMES READERS QUIZZES
FORMAT ASSIGNMENTS ASSIGNMENTS
These include interactive Reading materials about a A way of testing knowledge Assignments in which learners Assignments in which learners are Assignments in which learners need
formats in which learners specific topic. acquisition by the learners. are requested to write their required to post entries in the forum. to conduct additional research on
Description

follow a set of simple rules Presented as a set of questions opinions, arguments or critical the topic or to contribute with new/
in order to find out new that learners have to answer. views on a specific topic relevant additional information relevant to a
information or test their to a part of the course. part of the course.
knowledge of the topic.

They are a fun way to start They can be used for Quizzes should follow the most These should follow other These should be used to stimulate This is a good way of encouraging
learning about something advanced topics that cannot relevant topics or thematic thematic formats (videos, discussions and debates among the individual work and independent
new or to test new be presented in shorter parts in the course, to provide readers, etc.) that provide new learners about the most interesting contributions by the learners. These
When to Use

knowledge following other formats (i.e. animated video). learners with an opportunity insights or a critical perspective topics or questions raised by the can be formulated as research
formats. Also, they can serve as a to assess and improve their about a topic. Essays are a course. This is a very good way to tasks, project proposals, interview
theoretical introduction/ knowledge. good way to encourage critical boost interactivity within the course. assignments, etc.
background to a case study or thinking and to enhance
practical example (presented argumentation skills among
in another format – video or learners.
infographic).

Not to be used for advanced They should be avoided as They should not be used They should not be used if they Should not be used for ‘dry’ or factual They should not be used for
topics as they might have a frequently used learning without providing direct do not contribute to the learning topics, but for more intriguing ones in advanced or expert topics for which
a confusing effect on the format when it comes to feedback on answers given by process. Learners should find which learns can argue and contribute the learners do not have an adequate
When Not to Use

learning process. They younger audiences, as it lacks learners. Feedback is essential them useful for consolidating with their own ideas and opinions. level of knowledge or necessary
should be relatively easy interactivity and engagement. here as it enables learners to their knowledge and critical resources.
and fun, as the aim is make corrections and improve thinking.
to make learning more their knowledge.
interesting. Furthermore,
they must correspond to the
technical capacities of the
learning platform.

22 How to design an online course STAGE2: Design the learning experience 23

 Curriculum
Whichever format you choose, here are some tips to remember:

33 Too much of the same activity can become boring – try to mix and match;

33 Try not to develop videos which take more than 5 minutes to watch, in order to Once you have formulated the learning goals, style and methods, you are ready
keep the audience engaged; to structure the course curriculum, which has two purposes:

33 Allow your learners to go deeper into a subject by adding extra links to discussions
and information.
1 For the user, it serves as a learning plan and navigation through the themes of
your course. Therefore, try to structure it as clearly as possible, with distinct titles
for each step, indicating the topic and type of activity. Feel free to break the course
into segments, in which you group content thematically with relevant activities. Once
TIP BOX: USER PERSPECTIVE again, try to think of the most comprehensive way for a user to go through the course.

Do not forget to take into consideration the needs and expectations of your target
group. At this point, cater for them strategically by using the methods that would
optimally stimulate their learning process. For example, if you are making an online CASE STUDY: USER EXPERIENCE AND MOTIVATION
course for a younger audience – storytelling through animated videos, visually
appealing readers and short video interviews would probably work well, as this The way in which you structure the online course influences how the users navigate
audience tends to like content presented in a brief and entertaining way. through it and shapes their entire learning experience. Thus, we decided to
present the content of Impact Europe in several parts: Warm-up, European Union,
On the other hand, if you are preparing a more specialised or advanced course, the The Greens, Hot Topics and Activism. Each part was presented as one stage of
audience might prefer the content to be presented in a more conventional format. In this a game. Users received a reward - a badge, after completing each stage. The so-
case, videos with experts, longer articles and live webinars would be more appropriate. called ‘gamification’ method turned out to be a great way to boost user motivation.

CASE STUDY: METHODOLOGY OF IMPACT EUROPE

2 In your case, the curriculum serves as a plan of content production in the next stage.
For each step in the course, identify the format for presenting it, related activities
for the users, and duration. Also, add the specific collaborators, additional resources and
Based on the analysis of the needs our target group (people aged 16-25), we kept
two main elements in mind when we chose our content formats – engagement deadlines. In this way, you can create the content production plan. Important advice here
and interactivity. This meant that the course content had to be presented in a way is to allow yourself to be flexible, as things might change along the way.
that stimulates active learning and enables interactions within the course. Thus,
we presented the content mainly through interviews and animated videos and
added an interactive forum to facilitate debates and exchanges between learners.
Here is a curriculum sample from two learning stages in the Impact Europe course:

24 How to design an online course STAGE2: Design the learning experience 25

 CURRICULUM SAMPLE : IMPACT EUROPE - ONLINE COURSE FOR GREEN ACTIVISTS

COURSE OBJECTIVE: Providing accessible and interactive education

on the EU (history, institutions, values, current challenges).

LEARNING GOAL ACTIVITY FORMAT

STAGE 2 33 Participants get introduced to the topic of this stage, with a presentation of some 33 Watch a video which serves as a fun teaser of learners initial knowledge about 33 Animated video
European Union interesting facts about the European Union (EU). the EU. It consists of five questions on funny and interesting facts about the True or false
EU, followed by correct answers.

33 Participants get to understand the big idea behind the EU and gain insights into its 33 Watch an engaging video, explaining why we needed the EU in the first place, 33 Video A brief history
historical development. and how its form and aims developed from the Coal and Steal Community to of the EU
the Treaty of Lisbon.

33 Participants learn the main facts about the EU as it is today. 33 Get to know the main facts about the EU, its members, budget and other 33 Infographic EU
important aspects through a detailed infographic. today

33 Participants test their knowledge about the historical development of the EU. 33 Take a quiz about the content provided in the previous video on the history of 33 Quiz
the EU.

33 Participants learn more about the role of the main EU institutions : the European 33 Watch a video describing the role of main EU institutions. 33 Animated video
Parliament, the European Commission and the European Council. Who does what in
the EU

33 Participants learn about the legislative process in the main EU institutions. 33 Watch a video illustrating the legislative process amongst the main EU 33 Animated video
institutions. How European law
is made

33 Participants test their knowledge about the main institutions in the EU and their 33 Take part in a quiz about the content provided in the previous videos about 33 Quiz
legislative process. the institutions of the EU and their legislative process.

33 Participants gain critical insights into the institutional struggles within the EU 33 Learn from an interview with MEP Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA) about critical 33 Video interview
from an expert perspective. views on the current institutional struggles within the EU and the Greens’ European Union: A
approach to these. critical view

33 Participants find out more about the reforming potentials of the EU from the 33 See an interview with MEP Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA) with critical insights 33 Video interview
perspective of a political expert and and get inspiration from seeing the EU into the reforming potential within the EU and the role of politicians, social Who can save
through a critical eye. movements and activists for the future of the European project. Europe

33 Participants form their own arguments about the relevance of the EU and how it 33 Participants formulate their own view of the EU and share their reflections on 33 Forum assignment:
can be improved for the better future of Europe. what a better EU would look like. This way, they contribute to a collaborative Your European
Charter for the future of the EU. Union

26 How to design an online course STAGE2: Design the learning experience 27

 CURRICULUM SAMPLE : IMPACT EUROPE - ONLINE COURSE FOR GREEN ACTIVISTS

COURSE OBJECTIVE: Providing accessible and interactive education about the role
of Greens at the European level.

LEARNING GOAL ACTIVITY FORMAT

STAGE 5
33 Participants learn about 33 Watch a video that 33 Video A brief history
Greens
the historical development illustrates the history of of the Greens
in Europe
of the Greens in Europe the Green movement while
and the most relevant highlighting its milestones
milestones of the through interviews and
movement. archival footage.

33 Participants learn about 33 See an animated video 33 Animated video

the European Green explaining the role of Who does what
family and the roles of Green actors on the
its members: the Green European level.
European Foundation,
the Green Group in the
European Parliament, the
European Green Party and
the Federation of Young
European Greens.

33 Participants test their 33 Take part in a quiz about 33 Quiz

knowledge about the the content provided in the
Green movement and previous videos about the
the key Green actors in history of the Greens and
Europe. their main representatives
on European level.

33 Learners actively discover 33 Participants identify the 33 Forum assignment

Green actors in their own main Green actors in their Greens in your country
country by conducting country - the national
desk research. Green party, foundation,
young Greens and other
organisations. A short list
of Green actors is posted
in the Forum.

28 How to design an online course 29

 Technical and design requirements TIP BOX: ACCESSIBILITY PRINCIPLE

 he most important principle to consider regarding technical and design requirements

T
is accessibility. Here are a few questions to ask when developing a user-friendly course:

In addition to outlining the curriculum of your online course, its functionality 33 Have you chosen an accessible medium?
and visual features need to be added to the framework. These requirements
will guide the next steps in the development process: the choice of platform to 33 C
 an the course be accessed using a screen reader for learners who have a
host your course and the entire content production. visual impairment?

33 If there is animated content, is it easy to read and understand?

33 Functionality: The online course must be hosted with a set of technical
features that enable the learning approach and methodology for your course. 33 Do videos include subtitles/transcripts from the speakers?
Most importantly, the digital platform that hosts your course needs to be able to
accommodate the formats and activities included in the curriculum. Bear in mind the 33 A
 nd ultimately, are there any elements that distract from the learning
needs of your target group and their preferences when it comes to using the internet. experience – if so, how can these be mitigated?

33 Visual design: The visual appearance of the course needs primarily to enhance
the user’s comprehension and readability of the course and its activities.

Online platform
Furthermore, it can be used as a tool to give extra stimulation to the learning
process via materials presented in an engaging and up-to-date graphic design.

TIP BOX: CREATE A STYLE GUIDE FOR YOUR COURSE The next step at this stage is to decide where to host your online course. You
will need a digital platform that can accommodate the standards you have
To make your course more visually coherent, we recommend creating a style guide in established in the previous steps, such as the learning style, methodology,
which you set out the colours, fonts and other visual elements that are applied to all technical and design requirements. In other words, the platform must enable
the materials throughout the course. This will have a significant impact on the overall the presentation of the course curriculum according to your criteria. Finding an
appeal of the course and will strengthen its visual identity. ideal host is not always easy, so it is important to be aware of host limitations in
terms of capacities for customisation and technical possibilities.

To help your selection process, we recommend conducting an analysis of the multiple e-learning
platforms available by assessing their performance in relation to a set of criteria, such as:

33 Functional features for users: The possibility to download the content, the
content formats supported by the platform (video, quizzes, assignments upload,
slides, etc.), interactivity, usability on a variety of screens (tablets, mobile, etc.);

33 Functional features for admin: User-friendly back-end, hosting and upload of

learning formats (video, images, audio, readers, etc.), access to data about learners
and learning progress, etc.;

33 Customisation and upgrade: Possibility to change functional options and adjust

them to the needs of your course;

33 Design elements: Possibility to customise colours, fonts and other visual elements.

30 How to design an online course STAGE2: Design the learning experience 31

 CASE STUDY – IMPACT EUROPE SELECTION RESULTS EXPERT TIPS: GILLES MATTELIN, INTUO, CO-FOUNDER & COO

How can the hosting platform contribute to the success of an online course?
After a careful analysis, we decided to host our online course on a platform
provided by INTUO.IO, as it proved to be the optimal choice in terms of design “The learning platform must accommodate the users’ needs. INTUO’s learning platform
and usability for our needs. The criteria we took into consideration included: uses an attractive user-friendly interface which motivates individuals to start learning.
They can do this whenever they want, wherever they want, at their own pace.
33 What skills are required by the GEF team for managing the course?
Furthermore, the learning platform should provide access to data behind the course.
33 Can the project team manage the platform without requiring specialised The INTUO platform allows for very detailed analytics and insights into the students’
training? results. Instructors can see precisely how long they have spent on the learning material,
on each slide and even when and where the student paused or rewound a video. Thus,
33 Is the platform flexible in terms of its functionality and design? engagement in the course can be closely monitored and feedback can be given in
a timely manner.”
33 Does the platform offer an intuitive user interface for both developers and
learners? What features of the hosting platform are important from the users’ perspective?

33 Can it host a variety of assignments, including video, e-lessons, quizzes? “It is all about motivation! As a student, you are not always eager to start learning.
However, the INTUO platform implements gamification elements that help to motivate
33 Is it accessible on various devices (computer, phone, tablet)? students. Badges are awarded after they have completed a stage, and when they
have successfully followed the course they are awarded official certificates. These
33 It is possible to assess data about the interaction of participants with the certificates look impressive on a CV.
content?
In addition, providing a variety of content has significant effects. The INTUO platform
33 Is it possible to integrate GEF’s visual identity into the platform? offers the users a unique way to learn. The content provided can be anything from
videos and slides to extensive quizzes and pictures. Via this interactive method,
33 Is the navigation through the course flexible for learners – course outline, table students’ engagement levels are reportedly much higher than for offline learning.
of contents, glossary, FAQ, ability to jump anywhere in the course?
It is also about other features that facilitate the learning experience. Through INTUO,
33 What are the costs and human resources necessary for its set-up and every student has access to the courses’ library. INTUO has implemented a smart filter
maintenance? through which the students can look for specific courses based on language, topic or
date. Most importantly, a student has a detailed overview on his/her own progress
and growth. Users can see which skills they have acquired over time, identify where
there is still room for improvement and can subscribe to specific courses accordingly.”
TIP BOX: TEST THE PLATFORM

It is recommended that you really get to know the platform you are using – play
and experiment with its functionality before you complete your course design.
For example, if the platform uses preset terminology to structure the course (for
instance, you could be talking of stages, chapters, levels, etc.) you should adhere to
this terminology rather than using alternative language as learners may be confused
by multiple structures and find it more difficult to navigate through the course.

32 How to design an online course STAGE2: Design the learning experience 33

 Course availability TIP BOX: COURSE FACILITATION

An important consideration when deciding on the duration of your course is facilitation.

You could make your course available for a longer period of time, but if you plan to
actively participate in discussions, mark assignments or monitor/moderate content,
Once you establish the course framework, you must decide when and how it will then this could mean a significant time commitment with higher operating costs.
be made available to the users. There are several important questions to consider:
Conversely, some learners are happier to have access with lower facilitation than to
33 Duration: When and for how long will the course be open? have no access at all. A balanced approach can be achieved by actively facilitating
your course for a limited period of time, then reducing that facilitation the longer
33 Access: Who will be able to participate? Will it only be available to the main target the course is open.
group (via a selection process) or to the general public, too?
Our advice: find the right balance, keeping in mind your learners and your organisation’s
33 Fees: Will the course be free? resources. Use the final course survey to ask participants whether they would have
liked more or less moderation during the learning experience.
33 Testing: Do you want to test the course before its official launch? Would you test a
part or all of it?

CASE STUDY: IMPACT EUROPE’S AVAILABILITY Payment options

The complete version of our online course was available to the general public for four
months. To establish a wide reach, we kept it open as a free course for anyone interested
in learning about the European Union, the Green movement and ways to become more At GEF, we have decided to offer our courses for free, at least during the first year,
politically active. However, we implemented a testing phase before the official launch to attract as many learners as possible. However, when designing your course, you
of the course in which we sampled a part of it and received feedback from potential might consider requesting a participation fee. Different platforms offer different
users. This process proved to be highly beneficial as we managed to improve the course fee structures for course participants. Many have a free option but may also
and incorporate users’ inputs into the content production. operate the following business models, either separately or in conjunction, as part
of a ‘premium’ offer:

33 Pay for certification: All course elements are free, but learners pay if they want
to evidence their achievement/completion;

33 Pay for assessment: Course elements are free, with the exception of a test/
assignment task, which may be marked by the partner or an examining body;

33 Pay for access: Learners pay to access the course materials, either at the point of
entry, or to continue accessing the course after a limited time.

Some platforms also offer learners a ‘subscription’ model, whereby they can take multiple
courses with full access, assessment and certification for a monthly fee.

34 How to design an online course STAGE2: Design the learning experience 35

 Stage 3:
CASE STUDY: IMPACT EUROPE’S CONTENT PRODUCTION

Content development can be organised in various ways, according to the budget and
capacities within an organisation or team. For instance, the GEF team worked with an

Content
external team of online learning specialists, professional video-makers, animators,
voiceover companies and designers to deliver a 10-hour course. Collaboration with
such specialists makes the production process more efficient and enhances the
overall quality of the learning material, although it also requires a substantial volume
of resources. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the costs of different providers

production
while planning your project’s budget.

Here are some tips to keep in mind during content development:

33 Course objectives and learning goals: Make sure that the topics, themes and
issues you are working on are consistent with the course objectives throughout this
stage. Your objectives will serve as a reference point and can provide a focus for
decision-making.
Once the framework of your course
is complete, you can start creating 33 Target group: Always keep the user perspective in mind and the specific needs of
the actual content. Below, we will the audience you want to reach. Try to envision how they might experience each
activity you are creating and how they would benefit in terms of acquiring new
share our team’s experience in
knowledge or skills.
developing the entire curriculum
for Impact Europe, which involved 33 Curriculum: Use this as a plan for production of the activities on your course. Set
producing a variety of formats deadlines and assess progress for each step along the way.
and activities in order to offer a
stimulating learning environment. 33 Limitations: Consider what you aspire to achieve regarding the functionality and
quality of your online course, while also bearing in mind the limitations in terms of
resources, capacities and technical possibilities.

Once you have outlined your curriculum, you can start implementing the course activities.
For each activity, we recommend you start with a script; once this is complete, present it
in an appealing format (reader, video, infographic, forum, etc.) that would be most suitable
for your learners.

36 How to design an online course STAGE3: Content production 37

 Script writing
33 Research: Make sure you acquire a proper level of knowledge and critical insights
into the topic of the script. To get all the facts straight, consult the experts in the
subject who can provide you with advice and additional resources.

33 Read it out loud: To make sure the information you want to provide with your
Writing a script is the first step in developing most of the activities for online script is well structured and comprehensive, we recommend reading each script
learning. Depending on the activity, scriptwriting can entail a variety of out loud to another team member. This exercise leads to additional editing and
creative and academic work, such as writing, researching, editing, summarising, elimination of previously unnoticed mistakes. The process improves not only the
interviewing, proofreading, etc. Here are three common forms of scripts: quality of writing, but also the auditory perception of the content you are trying to
convey. This is especially useful if the script is used as a narrative for a video. In
the case of video production, always try to remember that you are writing for the
33 Instructions: Clear guidelines on how to complete a step in the course (i.e. forum learner’s ear.
debate on a specific topic or an essay assignment);
33 Proof-read everything: Once the script is finalised, make sure it is proof-read by
33 Interviews: A set of questions prepared in advance for the interview participant(s) another person to avoid any mistakes.
to guide the flow of information to be presented;

33 Narratives: Complex description of a topic or an issue which may require a

significant amount of research and acquiring a thorough knowledge of the subject

Video production
(i.e. texts for videos and readers).

To start, we will focus on the narrative form as the basis for producing videos and
readers. Here is a list of guidelines to consider before and during scriptwriting:

33 Set a purpose: Start by setting out the objectives you want to accomplish with Videos probably represent the most impactful learning format for online
each script. Make sure they reflect the course objectives and learning goals. The courses. They have the capacity to transmit both theoretical knowledge and
script goals can include providing new knowledge about a specific topic or issue, practical skills in an engaging manner. If you want to stimulate the learning
creating a call for action, training for a skill, or simply informing participants. process, videos are a great way to capture learners’ attention. They enable
active learning based on visual and auditory cognition. Put simply, it is often
33 Remember your audience: Keep the user perspective in mind when writing any much more fun to learn by watching and listening compared to just reading.
script. Think of the language, style and tone of communicating information that When deciding if the video is the right format, take into account both the
is the most appropriate for your target group. For example, in case of a younger subject matter you want to teach and the target group you want to reach. For
audience, your style of writing should be engaging and more informal, whilst for more extensive topics, it is also effective to offer additional reading material
an expert audience, use a more serious, yet conversational tone. The tone of voice after the video presentation.
in an online course can be effectively used to establish the voice of the course
‘educator’ or ‘presenter’. When teaching a large online group, creating an illusion
of the teacher’s presence gives the learner a sense of a personal connection with Different video formats can be used for online learning. Here, we provide advice on making
them, helping them to feel less ‘isolated’ in their learning experience. animated videos and video interviews as the main formats we produced for Impact Europe.
But first, here are a few tips on how to accomplish an effective and coherent ‘look and feel’
33 Think about duration: Depending on the format, consider how long the script in your videos to bear in mind before the actual production process starts:
should be. For example, extensive scripts are more suitable as readers, while shorter
ones are more easily transformed into videos. In our experience, videos should
ideally be three minutes long, with a maximum of five minutes. If your story cannot
be told in five minutes, we strongly recommend splitting it into two videos.

38 How to design an online course STAGE3: Content production 39

 33 Voiceover: To transform a script into an impactful voiceover recording, select
TIP BOX: ENSURE QUALITY
actors whose voices are suitable for the purpose of your videos. The tone of their
voice can impact the perception of the material among the target group, so do not
A word of caution - while videos can often be a very engaging experience, they can
forget to take into account the user perspective when selecting actors. Voiceover
also have the opposite effect if executed poorly or unnecessarily, and can be difficult
companies usually provide actors with different voices, so try to select those that
to rectify once produced. The first question you should always ask your team before
best fit your course needs. Another option is for the course educator to record
producing a video is why learners would benefit from the content being presented
voiceovers, provided he or she is comfortable with doing this. Learners may
as a video, rather than a text article, audio file, or another cheaper method.
identify positively with a consistent, familiar voice throughout the course.

Video look & feel Animated videos

If your online course uses video as the major learning format, we recommend Animations are a great way to present the thematic content of your online
paying attention to the videos’ look and feel elements so as to create a course in a short and entertaining format. They work successfully as a learning
coherent and impactful visual identity. Here are several aspects to consider material for different audiences, providing the visuals and tone of the narration
before you go into production: are customised to their needs.

33 Style guide: Make sure you incorporate the colours, fonts, illustrations or any Here is the process we followed when developing an animated video:
other visual elements in the visuals and animations produced for the videos.

33 Create an intro and outro slide: This is an easy way to connect all the videos
featured in your course. Use the intro slide to indicate the name of the course and
1 Develop script: Most activities for an online course start with a script, which contains
the detailed information on what the learners will hear. Think of including the animator
in the process of writing the script. This can contribute to a more successful outcome, as
to include other visual elements (images, illustration, logos). Combine it with a the animator will understand better what the video is about, as well as be able to provide
short musical jingle to make it more distinctive. Use the outro to include any other creative input which could determine the final format of your script. As soon as the text
relevant information – such as partners’ logos, funding source, relevant websites or is written, make sure it is proofread by a native speaker.
content references.

33 Background music: This is an important feature in video editing, as it

contributes significantly to the flow and tempo of storytelling. Make sure you
2 Read out loud: We recommend reading every script out-loud with your team before
recording the voiceover. You will immediately realise what is boring, unclear, or
simply too complicated.
select the background music carefully, with the following criteria in mind:

33 Audience: as always, keep the user perspective in mind and how the music can
contribute to their auditory experience of the video;
3 Record voiceover: The video can be narrated by someone in your team, or by a
professional voice actor. Depending on the budget available, and unless someone
in your team is experienced in narrating videos, we recommend going for the voice actor
option, as it will add a professional touch to the final video. Don’t forget about the gender
33 Rhythm: find tunes that match the pace in which you want the information to perspective: including female voice actors is a very important aspect and often ignored!
be presented in the video; avoid melodies that do not match the tempo of the
narrative or speakers in the video;

33 Intensity: make sure that the tune does not disturb the narrative, but enhances
the overall dynamics of the video.

40 How to design an online course STAGE3: Content production 41

 TIP BOX: SPEAKING RATE EXPERT ADVICE: PAUL STELLINGWERF & MICHIEL VAN HAREN,
THATEXPLAINS.COM ANIMATIONS AND EDITING
Be aware that the length of the script corresponds to the duration of the voiceover
and therefore will affect the length of the video. Taking into account that the average Why are animated videos relevant material for online learning?
speaking rate is about 150 words a minute, you can simultaneously plan the final length
of your script and the duration of voiceover. For example, if you want a 3-minute video, “These days, videos and animation are all around us, and growing ever-more popular.
your script should not exceed 450 words. Over 4 billion videos are watched on YouTube every day and we are no longer limited
to watching video content on a TV or computer. With smartphones and tablets, we
can have video content available to us anywhere we go, at any time.

CASE STUDY: IMPACT EUROPE’S DIVERSE NARRATORS And animated videos are not just great for entertainment, but are also a tool for online
learning. With a well-thought-out animation, it is easier to explain complex subjects
As our course included a variety of animated videos, we decided to make it more than with just text and still images. Well-designed animations capture the audience’s
dynamic by working with more than one narrator. We wanted a gender balance, so attention and hold it, and it has been shown that people retain information more easily
we included both female and male voices with a tonality appropriate for the subject if presented (audio-)visually. So, animation is memorable, seizing the attention and
matter and our target group. This also made the process of watching all the videos enhancing the participation of your audience.
more stimulating for the learners.
You can use animation as an introduction to a specific subject, or to reinforce key
points of information explained in text. You can add interaction to an animation,
asking questions and giving your audience time to think about what they have just

4 Draw the storyboard: Based on the script and voiceover recording, the animator can
create an initial sketch of the animation, called the storyboard. It usually comprises
draft images for each screen that will follow the narration in the final video. A great
seen and heard.”

How can you create impactful animations for online learning?

advantage of this is that you are briefed about the general directions the animation will
take, and you have the possibility to provide feedback and your own inputs in advance. “A good animation starts with a good script. Try to keep it short and to the point: 1
to 3 minutes is a good ballpark figure; although, of course, it depends on the subject.
Animation should put across key points, and generally should not go into too much
detail. Animation is time-intensive to produce, which is another reason for keeping
your script to the point. Remember: a picture is worth a thousand words.

An animation will often be combined with a voiceover, although it is also possible to

work with (animated) titles to reinforce key points, as well as adding subtitles to make
the animation more accessible. Use of music and sound effects can further enhance
an animation, but can also distract if overused. If you are using voiceover, always make
sure it is clear and easy to follow, and does not get drowned out by music.

It is advisable to already work with the team producing the animation in the scripting
phase. In this way, visualisation ideas can be generated early and the script can be
optimised to work with the animation.”

5 Animation: Based on the storyboard, the animator creates the animation with a
voiceover narration.

42 How to design an online course STAGE3: Content production 43

 Interview-based videos

Filmed interviews are a useful way to present advanced topics, specific

issues or practical case studies with experts who can share their opinions
and experience regarding the subjects you want to teach the learners about.
Furthermore, in our experience, interviews can be framed in several formats,
with distinctive effects:

33 Critical analysis: An effective way for conveying certain topics based on the
expertise of the interviewee(s), combined with general facts;

33 Opinion piece: A way of portraying an issue from the perspective of a specific

expert;
TIP BOX: ANIMATION AND YOUR STYLE GUIDE
33 Storytelling: Where the opinions of several interviewees are used to build a story
around a topic;
If you develop a style guide with colours, fonts and other visual elements for your
online course, make sure you communicate these with the animator and apply them
33 Debate: When different opinions are combined to depict a variety of perspectives
in the animations. This creates visual coherence between the videos and contributes
on the same issue.
to a distinctive visual identity of the course.

The process of producing any interview-based video comprises the following phases:
CASE STUDY: COMBINING ANIMATION WITH FILMED MATERIAL (HISTORY
OF EUROPEAN UNION AND THE GREENS)

The great thing about animations is that they can be combined with filmed or archive 1 Preparation: Once you know the aim, topic and format of the interview, invite the
potential speakers to participate and brief them about the purpose of the video and
your online course in general. Try to convince them of the importance of their participation
material to deliver compelling stories. For example, the storyboard for our videos about
the historical development of the European Union and the Green movement were as a valuable contribution to your course. You will also need to organise the filming day
based on a timeline which combined an animated overview and filmed interviews with them, which means you will need to set up:
with the relevant actors and archival footage from specific events.
33 Date: Schedule the filming date with participants and your filming team. We
suggest scheduling as many speakers as possible on the same day as this will lower

6 Final edits: Once the initial version of the animation has been completed by the
animator, give your feedback and suggestions for improvements so that the final
edits can be done. At this point, it is good to check if the background music fits the tempo
your costs and increase the efficiency of the filming;

33 Place: Arrange a space in which the interview will be filmed in advance, in case
of the animation. you need to get permission or coordinate with the location providers;

7 Subtitles: Once the animation has been finalised, the subtitles can be added. If the
voiceover for your video is in English, we recommend adding subtitles in the same
language, as this can be very useful for learners lacking full proficiency in English.
33 Script: While contacting speakers and organising the filming setting, note down
any questions that will guide the information flow provided in the video.

44 How to design an online course STAGE3: Content production 45

 TIP BOX: HOW TO WRITE GOOD INTERVIEW QUESTIONS TIP BOX: NAME TAGS

Formulate the interview questions strategically in order to achieve the best outcome Editors should add name tags to indicate the name of each speaker and their role. The
for the video. Try to anticipate what questions would prove most impactful in terms template of the name tags should also reflect the colours and fonts of your style guide.
of the answers you want to include in the video. Note them down and use them as a
reminder during the interview. Furthermore, be ready to be flexible, as changes and
other interesting questions might arise during filming.

Designing e-readers
CASE STUDY: IMPACT EUROPE’S INTERVIEWS ON THE EUROPEAN UNION
PDF readers are a good solution for presenting extensive topics or as
We included an expert interview with a Member of the European Parliament during additional material relevant to other activities in the course. Furthermore, they
which we gathered more relevant material than expected. To make the most out of are a budget-friendly format that can serve as a substitute for videos. In our
this, we decided to split the interview material into two videos: experience with developing Impact Europe, we encountered several types of
e-readers based on their relevance as a learning material:
1. Critical analysis of the current role of the EU institutions from a Green perspective;

2. Opinion piece on the reforming potentials of the EU from the speaker’s view-point. 33 Main presentation: This can serve as a thematic overview of a certain topic or
issue;

33 Additional material: This can be an accompanying learning resource for other

2 Filming: Try to make each filming session as efficient as possible by collaborating

with the filming team. They can help you get the most out of the location and speakers
for the content of each video. It is crucial to do your best to get from the speakers all the
course activities (i.e. as a case study following a short video, which gave a general
introduction of the topic);

information necessary for the video. Feel free to ask them to repeat parts in which they 33 Optional reading: More extensive publications relevant to the content of the
might be confused or make mistakes. The editing process can help later on, but receiving online course, offered to those interested in finding out more;
a clear presentation is a great start.
33 Infographic: A special form of reader that summarises statistical and general

3 Transcribing: The next step is to transcribe the filmed material into the video
transcript. This involves watching the raw filmed recordings and selecting the segments
that should be included in the video. During this process, it is very useful to note down
facts about a specific topic through a combination of short descriptions, graphs and
visual illustrations. As with videos/animations, before including an infographic
make sure you are in agreement on what you would like the infographic to achieve.
both the text of the speech and the exact timings of the selected segments. In this way, Consider whether the information you would like to present can be shared in a
you will create an overview which will serve as an editing guide. You may be able to simpler, more accessible format.
outsource this activity to third-party organisations as this can be a time-intensive task.

4 Editing: Send the editing guide to the film editor and brief him/her on what you want
to achieve with the format and style of the video. Once you receive the initial version
of the video, provide feedback and inputs for improvements or suggestions for segments
to be changed or removed. In this process, it is important to be ready for adjustments and
compromises in order to make sure that the material you have fits accordingly. Another
important part in the editing process is to pay attention that the selected background
music is a good fit for the video.

46 How to design an online course STAGE3: Content production 47

 When creating e-readers, we recommend taking the following elements into consideration:

33 Structure and flow: Structure the information in a logical and comprehensive

way. Divide the presentation by using multiple subdivisions with titles, paragraphs
and bullet points. Try to put yourself in the mind of the learner encountering
the topic for the first time. Make sure the e-reader has a good flow in terms of
presenting facts, arguments and critical overviews.

33 Visuals: Accompany the text with appropriate or powerful visuals. Try to make
experiencing the e-reader more engaging and stimulating by combining the text
with visuals that enhance the story.

33 Visibility and readability: Ensure the optimal and easy use of the e-reader from
the user’s perspective in terms of the size and colours of fonts. Make sure that the
reader is viewable on various devices.

33 Visual identity: Apply your style guide and establish visual coherence among
e-readers and other learning formats.
EXPERT ADVICE: NUNO PINTO DA CRUZ, VISUAL DESIGN

Why are infographics useful material for online learning?

“Infographics are powerful tools that can convey complex information by using
graphics to enhance the ability of the human visual system to see patterns and
Forum and user interactivity
trends. Fifty percent of the human brain is dedicated to visual functions, and images
are processed faster than text.

As an image is worth a thousand words, graphic designers use infographics to quickly

To enable user interactivity within your online course, set up a forum function on
communicate a message and to simplify the presentation of large amounts of data,
the digital platform hosting the course. A forum can also be provided through
often by using visual metaphors and an iconic language.
external sources, but we recommend having an integrated forum option as this
enables the learning process to take place within a single learning environment. In
In the context of online learning, infographics may help the user to understand and
our experience, this is highly desirable from the user’s point of view.
identify information in an efficient and gratifying manner. They may also provide an
entertaining and lively tone in the learning process.”
Different platforms will present ‘forums’ in different ways. INTUO uses a traditional style,
whereby the area for discussion is separated from the core course content, while other
How are impactful infographics designed?
platforms (FutureLearn, iVersity) have a more ‘social’ learning ethos and include the option
to comment directly within course content/steps rather than in separate forums.
“Patterns, trends and correlations that might go undetected in text-based data can be
exposed and recognised more easily with data visualisation. Graphics reveal data. The
Besides facilitating interactivity in online learning, the forum has multiple functionalities.
designer’s main task is to find the adequate visual system to display it.
You can use it as:
Also, in order to work, an infographic should be visually engaging and captivating
33 Space for assignments: As a place to submit essays and research-based tasks,
– the displaying of the information must be pleasant to the user’s eye. Like a comic
with the possibility of providing direct feedback;
book author, the graphic designer creates a coherent and intelligible visual language
that must take into account a subtle balance between text and image. Typography,
33 Space for discussions: A great way to organise and facilitate debate among
colour, patterns and illustrations are just some of the instruments the designer can
participants about specific issues and to foster critical thinking and exchange of ideas;
use for infographics.”

48 How to design an online course STAGE3: Content production 49

 33 Space for community building: Use the forum as a place where participants
CASE STUDY: IMPACT EUROPE’S QUIZ TIPS
can get to know each other. Set up collaborative assignments in which they can
learn together in an online environment.
Quizzes do not only test the knowledge but can also facilitate retention of the most
relevant information among the learners. Therefore, it is important to allow them to
Here are some technical aspects to keep in mind when setting up a forum:
retake the same quiz in order to find the correct answers and achieve positive results
in the end. Based on the feedback from our learners, we learned that direct feedback
33 User interactivity: Enable the personification of learners by including their
is essential for quizzes. We provided direct comments after each answer, with positive
name and (optional) profile picture. Set up comment and feedback options to allow
reinforcement for correct answers and the possibility to access the correct one in
discussions and conversations within the forum;
the case of incorrect answers. Also, the users have different preferences in terms of
how long a quiz should be. So try to strike the right balance between the number of
33 Attachment upload: Allow users to submit their assignments when required;
questions and the key lessons to be learned from a given activity.

33 Back-end and admin flexibility: Make sure you have control over the forum
structure and entries, and the possibility to remove spam posts is also very useful. 33 Short essays: Encourage critical thinking and argumentation skills among
learners by giving them short written assignments in which they have to reflect on
the most important issues, questions or dilemmas relevant to the learning content.
Furthermore, facilitate analytical and research skills by setting assignments in
CASE STUDY: IMPACT EUROPE’S INTEGRATED FORUM which the learners need to contribute to a specific topic with additional findings
and insights relevant to the course. Ask the learners to share their short essays
As a direct result of our learners’ feedback, we upgraded our online course with an on the forum and to comment on others in order to enable discussions and
integrated forum feature. In collaboration with the INTUO team, we incorporated all interactivity in the learning process.
the technical aspects listed above in order to provide the optimal experience both
for the users and our team as admins. 33 Projects: Set up assignments in which learners can formulate project proposals
and plans for action relevant to the course content. In this way, you can empower
participants to think of ways to address a variety of issues and become aware of
their own potential in change-making.

Checking learners’ knowledge CASE STUDY: GRADUATION PROJECT - MY ACTIVISM PLAN

In Impact Europe’s final assignment, we set up a form for participants to fill in, in which
they had to reflect on the last stage of the course – their active role as citizens in
shaping a better future for the European project and formulating their own activist
Another important aspect of online learning concerns the activities that allow commitment. In this way, they were able to position themselves directly in the political
learners either to test their knowledge, form new opinions and arguments, or context of our online course and frame their own response to it.
to use new skills, based on the content provided by your course. Here are our
suggestions on how to assess the learning process:

TIP BOX: PEER ASSESSMENT

33 Quizzes: A basic way to test learners’ understanding of the topics and the most
important lessons presented throughout the course. Set up a quiz after each If you would like learners to ‘peer review’ one another’s assignments, or offer some kind
major thematic activity in your course. Make it dynamic by including different of public feedback/critique, give them a rubric: a set of criteria to help them construct
types of questions, such as multiple choice, open answer, true or false, etc. When their feedback and to better justify their responses. This not only helps the reviewer to
formulating questions, try to stimulate thinking without being too complicated. give more effective and constructive feedback, but it also sets reasonable expectations
The quiz should reflect the key lessons provided in the learning material. for the writer of the essay as to what kind of feedback they can expect to receive.

50 How to design an online course STAGE3: Content production 51

 Stage 4: Why test?

Test &
The main benefits from testing an online course include:

33 Getting feedback: Firstly, testing provides you with direct feedback from the
users. You can tailor the testing process, in terms of the content you want to

improve
preliminary test. Therefore, you can include specific activities and formats and
check the platform’s user-friendliness and the visual appeal of the course.

33 Knowing your audience: Secondly, testing allows you to get to know your
potential audience better while continuing to develop the course. Invite potential
learners to take part in the course sample and ask them directly about their
preferences and experience with it. You can find out more about who they are by
setting up surveys and questionnaires.

33 Improving the course: Finally, testing gives you a chance to improve the course
Before officially launching your online before its official launch. It provides valuable information that can guide the
course, you might consider testing it. process of developing the rest of the course in the right direction, according to
We strongly recommend implementing your target group’s demands.
this as a way of ensuring the overall
quality and the responsiveness of your
course to the target group’s needs.
Testing enables preliminary feedback How to test?
from the potential learners and is a good
opportunity to detect any technical
issues with the platform.
If you are interested in conducting a test of your upcoming online course, here
are some suggestions to take into account while planning such a process:
This information is highly beneficial
in order to improve the course
before its launch. Here are some 33 Objectives: As always, start by setting out what you want to achieve with the test
recommendations based on our or what aspects of the course you need to assess based on the feedback of potential
learners.
experience with testing Impact Europe.
33 Timing: Plan the testing well in advance. It should be organised as soon as enough
content has been developed. Ideally, you should allow substantial time for the testing
period, the subsequent analysis of the results and their application. This means it
is important to plan the testing phase in parallel with developing the curriculum.

52 How to design an online course STAGE4: Test & improve 53

 33 Course sample: There is no need to test the entire course. Instead, provide a part CASE STUDY: TESTING IMPACT EUROPE
of it as a test sample. Try to strategically plan the content to be included in the test.
Make sure you combine a variety of activities and formats in order to find out if their Before officially launching our online course, we tested a sample of the content
quality is suitable for your audience. during two rounds of testing among potential learners selected through our partner
networks (youth and national Green organisations across Europe). This enabled us
33 Get data: Set up online surveys to collect feedback as data that you can analyse to get feedback on specific aspects of our course, such as its content, functionality
and interpret at a later date. The surveys should be concise and dynamic. Make sure and design. We used this information to improve the course platform, add more case
you include different question formats. Each question should have a specific goal in studies and increase user interactivity. The test results included:
terms of the information you want to acquire. Ask participants for both quantitative
and qualitative feedback (ratings of activities and written inputs). To ensure testers’ 33 Ensure maximum readability and visibility of the learning platform and learning
responsiveness to the test, we recommend integrating the survey as the final part of materials;
the course sample.
33 Include additional case studies and practical examples of the topics
33 Communicate with the testers: You can find testers in your network or through an discussed during the course;
open call for participation. Look for participants who match the profile of the target
group. On receiving their contact details, send them invitations directly via email. 33 Integrate the forum within the course platform to improve interactivity and the
The style of communication should reflect the context of your online course and learning experience while carrying out assignments;
the style of its audience. It is also useful to send reminders to the testers during the
testing period to ensure their full participation. Motivate your testers by explaining 33 Introduce direct feedback in the quizzes;
the benefits of your course and by giving them an opportunity to complete the entire
course for free as soon as it has been launched. 33 Improve the quality of specific activities and formats based on learners’
preferences.
33 Benefit from results: Use the data sets from the surveys to analyse the ratings and
feedback from the testers. It is useful to present them in a report in which you highlight
the key findings and numerical data with graphs. Furthermore, use the results as your
own guide for course improvements. The report can also be used to brief the service
providers or project partners about the course progress. Asking testers to report on
any technical issues they identify is a good way to ensure the developers have enough
time to fix them before the launch.

TIP BOX: ONGOING TESTING

Testing does not begin and end before the course goes live – you can continue testing
how well a course is performing by surveying learners at different points in the course,
so they can evaluate their experiences and offer feedback. One of the advantages of
online courses over conventional curricula is that you can improve your course content
immediately, based on the feedback you receive from learners. If you run a course
more than once, there is an expectation that each run will improve upon the previous
one to some degree.

54 How to design an online course STAGE4: Test & improve 55

 Stage 5:
Stage the launch

Launch &
Before you announce and start promoting the course, a few steps must be
completed in order to successfully stage the course launch.

promote
33 Course title: Give your course a name! Try to make it catchy, yet comprehensive.
Ideally, the title should capture the essential purpose or description of your course
in just a few words. A good way to gather ideas about possible names is to organise
a brainstorming with your team. You might also consider consulting specialised
communications agencies to help you out.

CASE STUDY: ASK YOUR AUDIENCE FOR NAME SUGGESTIONS

We actually asked our audience during the testing phase to suggest names for the
course. We included this question as a part of the feedback survey at the end of the
Now we come to the most exciting
test. Having taken their ideas into account, we were pleased to name the course
stage in developing an online course ‘Impact Europe: Online Course for Green Activists’.
– once the content is ready, it is time
to launch and promote your course.
33 Course access: Set up the necessary channels for accessing the course. If
registration is obligatory, create the registration form and make sure that it
works. If there is an application process, allow enough time for the submission of
applications and selection of participants.

33 Evaluation and feedback: If you plan to evaluate the course based on learners’
feedback, we recommend you prepare the feedback form and add it as the final
step in order to complete the course. In this way, you can avoid any lack of
responsiveness and ensure the evaluation is based on full participation. There are
more tips about the evaluation process in the next stage.

33 Final check: Implement a final technical check and make sure everything on
the platform works smoothly. One way of doing this is to pretend you are a new
user and to test it out yourself. Alternatively, you can ask an external person to
go through the course and report back on any issues. This is especially important
if you do not initiate any other tests prior to the launch. Where possible, we
recommend an external quality assurance. Sometimes this can be provided via
the online learning platform, although it may also be by a third party. While these
people may not be subject matter specialists, they are able to offer advice on
pedagogical and structural issues, plus an objective perspective on course quality.

56 How to design an online course STAGE5: Launch & promote 57

 Announce the course Promotion

To officially launch your online course, make a captivating announcement that Once the course has been launched, it is important to consider ways it can reach
will be used to promote it online and across your network. There are different the desired audience. Here are some suggestions as to how this can be achieved:
ways to compile such a text, but we recommend it includes the following
elements:
33 Visual materials: Make posters and flyers that illustrate the visual identity and
key information relating to your course. Distribute these online and at places and
33 Context: Convey the objectives of your course and place it in a wider framework events where they might attract the attention of your target group.
in which you explain its educational, political or social relevance;
33 Online promotion: In order to plan the online promotion efficiently, prepare
33 Selling points: Promote the main learning outcomes as the key benefits for a strategy in advance which outlines the objectives and key messages for all
potential learners. This is the crucial marketing aspect of your course which can communications on social media and other internet channels (websites, newsletter,
enhance its attractiveness; etc.). Provide information about your online course on your organisation’s website.
Make sure that the announcement is visible on the site’s front page and that it
33 Timing, availability and accessibility: Make sure you explain when and includes links to registration. Furthermore, promote it frequently on social media.
how the course will be available. It is important to announce the time period Send out calls for participation and use the course content as teasers. Include the
during which the participants will be able to complete the course and its deadline. selling points of your course and engaging visual materials as posts on Facebook,
Furthermore, give details on how it can be accessed and if there are any fees; Twitter and Instagram.

33 Audience: Describe the intended audience for the course. Mention any 33 Network support: Identify the key partners and organisations which might be
requirements for participation (i.e. age restrictions) or if it is open to everyone. interested in helping you promote the course. Furthermore, try to find individuals
Provide the links for registration or the sign-in page. As always, try to keep the in your network who may have access to channels for spreading information about
user perspective in mind and think of the information a new user would need to the course among the target group.
access your online course easily;
33 Paid marketing: If your budget allows, you might consider outsourcing the
33 Other elements: In addition, you can include any other distinctive features that promotion of the course to an external agency specialising in marketing and public
might contribute to increasing the reach of the course and interest among its relations (PR).
target group. For example, this might include providing the course free of charge,
adding some new learning methods (games, interactive videos), contributions from
famous speakers, rewarding its successful completion (diplomas, books), access to
other courses or opportunities, etc.

58 How to design an online course STAGE5: Launch & promote 59

 Communication with learners CATEGORY PROGRESS MESSAGES

Starters 0-10% 33 Welcome to the course.

(Learners who joined, 33 Provide motivation to continue
are not active) – highlight the key benefits of the
A significant process which follows the launch and promotion of your online course.
course is communication with the learners. Here are some recommendations 33 Deadline reminder.
for setting up a regular emailing routine:
Active learners 10-60% 33 Provide positive acknowledgement
of their progress in the course.
33 Email list: Create an email list with all the contacts of those who signed up for 33 Remind them of deadlines and
the course in order to send out general notifications about it, such as potential potential rewards.
extensions of the deadline, technical updates or any other relevant news. Make
sure to keep this list updated with new participants and their contact details. Super active learners 61-89% 33 Praise their progress in the course
and remind them that they are
33 Direct contact: Provide an email address through which the learners can contact almost finished.
you in case they have any questions or issues to report. In this way, your team can 33 Motivate them to complete the
directly provide support on an individual basis. course.
33 Remind them of deadline and
33 Customised communication based on progress: An efficient way to motivate rewards.
learners to complete the course is to send out reminders based on their progress,
using the data on the learning progress provided by the hosting platform. Then, Graduates 90-100% 33 Congratulate the learners.
customise messages to different categories of learners and create corresponding 33 Provide potential rewards.
emailing lists. Write these messages in a positive and supportive tone. Let the 33 Include the relevant follow up
learners know about their progress in the course and remind them of the deadlines. information.
In addition, try to motivate them to complete the course by highlighting the key
learning benefits or possible rewards (i.e. diplomas, access to an alumni network or
other opportunities).
TIP BOX: DIPLOMAS
33 Graduation: A special moment in communicating with learners is when they
complete the entire course. Make sure to congratulate them and thank them A great way to reward those learners who complete the online course is to award a
for their participation. This is also a good occasion to reward them (i.e. with a final diploma which officially confirms their successful participation. In the case of
diploma) or to provide them with other relevant information (i.e. access to an Impact Europe, this also proved to be a great motivation among the learners, as the
alumni network, social media groups, upcoming opportunities and projects, etc.). diplomas were signed by the Co-Presidents of the Green European Foundation and
the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament.

CASE STUDY: COMMUNICATION WITH IMPACT EUROPE LEARNERS

Between January and May 2017, we reached an audience of 505 learners (the total
number of those who signed up to the platform). The hosting platform enabled
us to track their progress and, based on this, to communicate with them regularly.
We divided the learners into several categories according to their earning progress.
Each category had a corresponding emailing list and a customised message (please
see in the next table). It is possible to automate parts of this process by triggering an
automatic email when a learner achieves a certain level of progress or is inactive for a
certain length of time.

60 How to design an online course STAGE5: Launch & promote 61

 Stage 6:
Course evolution

Follow up
To properly assess the success of your course and to take lessons from it for
creating other courses in the future, it is important to pay proper attention to
the evaluation process. Once the curriculum has been finalised, make sure you
set up evaluation surveys as an integrated activity of the online course. In this
way, you can ensure responsiveness from learners and gain insights into the
successes and failures of the course based on their feedback. The evaluation
process can provide different insights, depending on what you need to find
out. Based on our experience when evaluating Impact Europe, we recommend
focusing on the following aspects:

1 Learners’ profile: If you want to establish the demographic and behavioural

characteristics of your audience, the best way is to ask them directly. One way of
doing this is by adding an introductory survey at the beginning of the course in which
you ask the learners to anonymously provide information about their age, origin,
residence, education, employment, attitudes, preferences, etc. Analysis of this data will
provide for an exhaustive insight into your audience.

2 Learning experience: In order to evaluate the quality of your course, it is

important to set up a feedback survey at the end, in which you allow the learners
to rate each course activity and to provide written inputs on specific aspects, such
as its functionality and visual design. In this way, you can get both quantitative and
qualitative data (ratings and written feedback) which you can present as key findings
in the final report. This is especially beneficial if you need to share the results with
project partners, or if you are interested in producing other online courses in the
future.

3 Learning outcomes: Besides the course content, the quality of the learning
process can also be evaluated by carrying out a survey among the learners on the
impact on their knowledge of specific course topics and issues addressed. This will
allow you to assess whether or not the learning goals of your course have eventually
been accomplished. This can be done by asking learners to rate their knowledge on
specific topics when starting and when having completed the course.

62 How to design an online course STAGE6: Follow up 63

 Alumni network
33 Make it participatory: If there is strong interest among the learners in
contributing to your online course, why not involve them in the process of keeping
it updated and interesting? This can be done by setting up a volunteer group who
can contribute with ideas for new content or even be given the responsibility of
facilitating discussions in a forum.
You might consider using audience access to your online course to create an
alumni network. Such a group can provide multiple possibilities for fostering 33 Develop new courses: If your course proves to be a success and you want to
links with the audience your course has reached. Here are the main benefits continue in the same direction, consider drawing up other online courses. For
of inviting learners to become alumni: example, this could be an advanced version of the previous course, a specialised
course based on a relevant part of the previous course, or it could be an entirely
33 Maintaining the audience: Your organisation can benefit by keeping up different course.
contacts with the audience reached via the course. You can promote your
work among them and invite them to join relevant projects, events or future There are numerous possibilities and we hope that this guidebook proves useful if you
online courses. Thus, alumni can serve as a steady pool of potential users and decide to pursue one of the above-mentioned scenarios.
participants for your organisation.

33 Boosting motivation: Providing access to an alumni network can be

motivational and can enhance the attractiveness of the course. Therefore, make
CASE STUDY: RESULTS OF IMPACT EUROPE
sure you explain the precise benefits you would provide for alumni members.
During the first 4 months since the launch of Impact Europe, the course has reached
33 Community building: Setting up social media groups for alumni members is
out to 505 learners, and the feedback received was overwhelmingly positive, with
a great way to encourage further exchanges between the learners beyond your
more than 90% of the learners finding the course “good” and “very good”. On top of
course. To facilitate this, try to organise events or online debates in which the
this, evaluation surveys revealed that the main learning objectives have been achieved
alumni can meet and interact.
in the case of over 80% of the learners.

This has reinforced our belief that online learning can be used as a tool for advancing
political activism and engagement of citizens with European politics. As for GEF’s
future plans, we have decided to keep promoting Impact Europe, aiming to reach

New scenarios between 1500-2000 learners in the first year.

Engaging in the development of an online course can support your organisation’s

mission. We hope that this guide serves as an inspiration during your own development
process and we wish you a successful online learning project!
If your online course is open for a long period of time, try to think of ways to
keep it interesting and relevant. Here are some ideas you might consider: If you have further questions or would like to exchange with the authors, don’t hesitate
to contact the Green European Foundation (you can find our contact details on the
following page).
33 Keep it up to date: If your course addresses ongoing issues, make sure that the
content is updated regularly with the latest information.

33 Update content: Besides the latest novelties, you might even consider
introducing new formats or activities to keep your audience’s attention. For
example, you could schedule occasional live webinars with relevant speakers.

33 Carry out projects: Start a project based on the course content in which
you invite the learners to participate. This could be a small event or a large
transnational initiative, depending on the scope of the course.

64 How to design an online course STAGE6: Follow up 65

67
 CAPACITY BUILDING

Contact us: Connect with us:

Visit our website to find out more about us

gef.eu
GREEN EUROPEAN FOUNDATION
Rue du Fossé 3, L-1536 Luxembourg Follow our social media to stay informed about our
latest activities and events taking place all over Europe
Brussels Office: 15, rue d'Arlon,
B-1050 Brussels
GEF_Europe
t: +32 (0) 2 234 65 70
e: [email protected] GreenEuropeanFoundation

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68 How to design an online course