Some courses taught online are instructor-led. This means that an instructor makes assignments, returns grades and even delivers live lectures via the Internet. Instructors often develop direct one-on-one relationships with each student in their class, which makes online training a little more like tutoring than traditional classroom instruction.
Some courses taught online are not instructor-led, but instructors still play a role in teaching them. Instructors work with writers, editors, animators and video professionals to create standalone instructional modules that deliver key ideas and skills. They may also develop tests that asses student understanding or help create printable resources that students can use offline.
To prepare for this job, take some online courses in skills or information you teach. Note how much of the information is covered in an online course, how assignments are given, how test are taken and how media is used.
Much of the content delivered through online training is written. Web pages that review specific ideas, exercises that cover required skills, even scripts spoken by actors in video modules, must all be written first.
Writers often work with teachers and other content experts to develop the text and scripts required for a course. They often start by developing outlines of content that needs to be covered. Then they work with editors to shape the content into short training modules.
Writing for online courses is a specialized skill that takes time to master. To prepare for this job, take several online courses and review the structure of the content presented. Note how modules are connected, how test questions are constructed and how many ways the same content is presented.
Every online training project needs one or more editors. Editors work with writers on the project, as well as actors and instructors, to shape the content that is created to deliver a course.
Editors often start working with writers and content experts to create outlines for the data that will be delivered in a course. They decide the scope and depth of coverage for each topic and may also decide when and how content is delivered. They may decide which content is read, which is spoken, which is animated and which is illustrated using video segments.
To train for a position as an editor in this field, take several online courses from a variety of providers and study the structure of the course. Notice how training from different providers varies in its structure. Notice how many training modules are delivered, and how tests are structured. This will give you some understanding of an editor's role in a project.
Artists and animators can make a lucrative living working in online training. Much of today's instruction must be illustrated in order to be easily understood. Artists and animators work with instructors and other content experts to understand the ideas they must capture. They create sketches to illustrate these ideas and, over time, evolve and refine their work to create the content that finally appears in online training.
To prepare for this position, artists and animators should closely study illustrated and animated content from existing online courses. They should pay particular attention to the size of the content used, its duration if animated, file formats favored and level of visual complexity.
Actors are often hired to deliver lectures and record voice-overs for use in online training. The scripts developed by writers are carefully honed to ensure they are informative, easy to listen to, easy to understand and easy for actors to deliver.
The best training for actors who want to work in online training is to review online video and voice-over content. Classes in acting and voice-over work are also important, as is the ability to work quickly. Often, dozens of video and voice-over modules, representing several hours, are recorded in a single day in online training environments. Actors need to become comfortable with this fast pace to be successful.
Every course delivered over the Interest is supported by thousands of lines of computer code. It handles everything from allowing users to log in to presenting course modules, delivering tests, displaying grades and allowing students and teachers to chat.
Programmers often work with existing content delivery applications, like Moodle or Authorware, to deliver training. They create custom modules to meet specific needs of their team, and they customize existing modules to refine look and behavior.
Programmers who want to work in online training should become familiar with content management systems (CMS) designed for use in delivering courses.
Online training jobs can be found in many ways. Many jobs are posted on Craigslist.com and Monster. You can also look up online training providers in job search engines such as Juju. You will find many have job listings posted directly on their site. Some positions will require you to be onsite, but many will allow you to telecommute.
In most cases, you will need to submit a resume and a portfolio of your work along with your application.