Gather materials as if you were teaching a face-to-face class. This includes lecture notes, syllabi, handouts, instructions for projects and assignments, books and journal articles.
Organize your course into modules. A module may be a book chapter, a concept or some other logical "chunk" of course material. Make sure the content is roughly equivalent with respect to scope and depth.
Search the web for links to other online courses similar to the one you would like to create. The idea is not to copy, of course, but get some ideas how to structure the course and present the information in a way that best serves the students. Your own institution may have templates for its online courses. It may also have a course to guide instructors through the process of developing online course content.
Remember that good communication is an integral part of an online course. Written instructions should be very clear. Students will need to know how to navigate the course site and access course materials and assignments. They should be able to communicate with one another and they should be able to communicate with you, as the instructor. Foster a supportive online learning community by encouraging positive communication among students. Make sure to provide timely feedback for assignments and respond promptly to student questions or concerns.
Provide detailed information about course objectives, assessments and grading policies. Be sure students know how to log-in to the institution's library, if applicable, and how to contact the help desk for technical support. Test links to online journals and web-based resources. It can be very frustrating to have an assignment due and be unable to access the required reading.
Adapt lecture notes to the online learning environment. Lectures, by definition, are meant to be heard, not read. Students will quickly become bored with long, wordy presentations. Add interest by including links to articles or interactive websites. Use photos, videos and sound clips. Keep the format easy to read by using short paragraphs or bullet points. Consider creating a PowerPoint presentation.