Online learning is on the rise. For many years there has been much talk about how traditional colleges and universities were doomed because they don’t offer their students what they want in the 21st century. There has also been a lot of discussion about how online learning is the future of education, and that institutions will soon face extinction if they don’t change course. This talk isn’t just coming from regular folks who are interested in education; it’s coming from some very wealthy people.
The reason for this prediction is because institutions offering education have not done enough to adapt their courses to be more relevant for today’s students. More importantly, higher institutions of learning continue to churn out graduates who are unemployable because they lack critical thinking skills.
If you’re thinking about creating an online course, this article will give you some good reasons why now is a great time to do it. Not only will we look at the trends and numbers that show where the world of online courses is going, but we’ll also take a look at some specifics that might help convince you that now is a great time to jump in.
It’s Profitable
Some would argue that you shouldn’t do something just because it’s profitable, but sometimes that is a great place to start. If the market rewards you for doing something, then it means that there is demand for what you’re offering. In this case, if people are willing to pay money to take your course, then it shows that they understand the value of what you’re teaching them and they want more knowledge about your topic.
Of course, profits aren’t made only by creating better content; they’re also made by growing an audience which can be done through social marketing tools like Facebook ads, guest blogging on relevant blogs with targeted traffic, or by implementing other forms of personal branding. More importantly, selling online courses to businesses can be one of the best ways to make some money and promote your business at the same time. Especially if you create something that can be bundled into their current product or service offerings.
The thing about selling digital products is that you don’t have to print them out, package them nicely in plastic cases, and ship them off to stores. It doesn’t cost much money to make an e-book compared to printing hundreds of hard copy books either.
It’s More Popular Than Ever
While online courses have been popular for a while now, 2015 saw an explosion in terms of growth. Now we’re seeing that not only traditional universities and institutions are offering their material online; we’re seeing that individual instructors at these schools are starting to offer their own courses too. This means you can increase your market by tapping into the networks of other educators who already have established followings. If you’ve always wanted to teach but didn’t want to go through traditional channels because it would be time-consuming and expensive to get certified, then creating an online course is a great way for you to spread your message.
The popularity of online courses is increasing because people are busy, and it’s easier for them to learn something new by taking a course online. They don’t have to wake up early, go to the classroom, listen to the professor drone on about stuff they won’t use in their lives, or take away from time that could be spent working at their job or spending time with family. The way we work has changed dramatically over the past 20 years too, so education has had to change with it.
People now take vacations when they want instead of when it’s mandated by an employer. We’re controlling our own careers instead of having one company dictate where we go and what we do for 40 hours out of every week. And if someone doesn’t like their current profession, they can go back to school and get a completely different degree instead of having to resign themselves to working in the same position for the rest of their lives.
It’s The New Normal
While there is a lot of talk about the end of traditional universities, it’s important to realize that things aren’t going well for brick and mortar schools either. In fact, one report from the National Association of College Stores shows that over 90 percent of college bookstores are now losing money. This means students are finding other ways to get course material including piracy as well as seeking out lower-cost options like used books and even renting them from sites like Amazon or Chegg.
As things continue down this path, an increasing number of average consumers will start feeling the pinch as tuition fees keep rising faster than inflation. If you’re looking for a good place to start a career in education, then offering free or low-cost online courses can quickly increase your brand awareness and get new students to sign up for your premium products and services.
It’s Easy To Learn
The tools available today make it easy to create an online course. Software like Adobe Spark Post makes it simple to produce videos, presentations, and more without spending a lot of money on expensive editing or design software. Thanks to the new release of real-time collaboration features in Google Docs, you can give your course material away for free while still offering great customer service with help desk support.
The best part is that if you know how to type up a document you have most of the skills needed to create a high-quality online course. All you need is great content! If you’re going down this route, don’t worry about producing perfect videos the first time around. Just focus on getting your video out there and learning from feedback received from users.
Conclusion
There are several different reasons to consider making an online course. First, you can earn money while reaching more students than ever before. Second, doing so is easy. Third, it’s safe and secure with great tools available for free on the Internet. Lastly, there’s no shortage of people who need help learning new skills or improving upon existing ones. If any of these reasons seem interesting to you, then why not start creating your own course right now?
About the Author
Blake Kohl is an ed-tech enthusiast with a passion for writing on emerging technologies in the areas of corporate training and education. With years of experience in the freelance writing industry, Blake has become proficient in creating content that captivates the audience, drives growth, and educates.
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