As our name suggests, we only focus on the best! We only want to share the best online courses and lessons out there and to do that, there is one principle we deeply follow: being unbiased. It helps us assess the offerings along with how the entire learning experience may turn out in a practical manner.
Our unbiased approach is followed by a 9 Step Online Course Review Process.
The 9 Step Online Course Review Process
This is a process of checking listing 9 prerequisites to benchmark when assessing an online course or lesson. The steps shared below have been carefully devised after dedicated research, experiences, and most importantly, admiration for online learning!
- The lecturer or teacher profile
- The course goals and objectives are clearly stated
- The course content covers wide variety of topics (Course Depth)
- Sufficient learning resources materials are provided
- Availability of clear and complete course overview
- Overall students reviews
- Total duration of the course
- The number of students who have already completed the course
- The pricing of the course
Let us walk you through how we go through each step.
1. The Lecturer or Teacher Profile
This is our first observation! Why? Because a great teacher can make the most difficult topics easy to understand and turn a stubborn student into loving the course content. Yes, facts that we have experienced first hand.
2. The Course Goals And Objectives Are Clearly Stated
When a learner is choosing which course to take, they will only select what clicks best to them, and that is exactly what we look for.
Course descriptions and objectives are a way to assess how intense the learning material is, the communication style of the course offered and what to expect in a glimpse.
The fewer questions thought after reading the information provided, the easier to comprehend about the online course.
3. The Course Content Covers Wide Variety Of Topics (Course Depth)
Some online courses will clearly state beginner, intermediate or advanced learner level content while some will not. What we look at is if the learning level is clearly mentioned, does the course depth match the conveyed level?
If the learning level is not mentioned, we assess the lesson topics to better understand course depth. Course depth matters to match learning expectations with reality.
4. Sufficient Learning Resources Materials Are Provided
Video lessons are just not enough sometimes. Depending on the type of online course or lesson you go for, you will need to practice so you can master your concepts.
To do that additional or supplementary resource materials (e.g worksheets, quizzes, practice tests, downloadables) are expected to be offered so you can make the most of your learning experience.
5. Availability Of Clear And Complete Course Overview
Imagine you are a potential online course enrolled. You are clicked by the title of the course, description, and rating, next up is the complete course overview. You want to know exactly what you are going to learn, which is important.
The more clearly course chapters and topics are shared, the easier it is to know if it falls in the right place for the right type of learners.
6. Overall students reviews
Reviews, especially honest ones, make life so much easier. You get to know from existing students what it is like to benefit from the respective online course or lesson. This is a virtual form of ‘’word of mouth’’ by eliminating the personal connection attribute but makes decision-making easier.
7. Total Duration Of The Course
It is important to strike a balance between efficiency and effectiveness. Nobody wants to enroll in an online course that would take them 6 months to complete and bear no fruit in practical learning. At the same time, nobody wants to pay a heavy investment for a basic 1-hour course that does not meet their learning expectations.
8. The Number Of Students Who Have Already Completed The Course
The more students choose the same course, the more likely it is a preferred choice for a common purpose: excel in a certain learning domain. Here is an unbiased approach we want to highlight: sometimes an excellent online course may not have thousands of students perhaps because the course topic is a rare choice but does not mean the course content is not on point.
9. The Pricing Of The Course
Price speaks for itself, but should not mislead. Overpricing exists and can be easily avoided, this is where we come. Course offering + course instructor experience/exposure = determines if course pricing makes sense.
The more famous or valued a course instructor is, the more likely a slight increment is expected can pay off in the long run.