In this much used model we can split the development of online courses into five steps:

This ideal model might suit as a starting point for your work with course development.

Analyze

Identify all aspects which have to be considered: what is the purpose of the course, who is your target group and what characterizes them, which resources are available, which technology is available, any guidelines for this type of course, etc

Design

Plan the structure and organization of the course. Formulate learning outcomes, outline which learning activities you wish to include, determine the form of assessment and how to implement this in your learning platform.

Develop

Plan and develop teaching and learning activities, for example videos, audio files, quizzes, discussions and assignments, and publish on your learning platform.

Implement

Course running, with ongoing teaching, supervision and study administration.

Evaluate

Collection of feedback, aiming to identify areas that need to be changed or improved before the next course run.

In the following we will take a closer look at course design. Content development will follow in part 2, 3 and 4.