Summary

The author discusses their preferred tools for digital course creation, emphasizing Teachable for hosting and selling courses, Canva for creating visual materials, BigVu for video script teleprompting, and Loom for narrated slideshows.

Abstract

The article "My Favorite Tools for Course Creation" provides insights into the author's experience with digital tools used in the development of online courses. The author, with decades of experience in course creation, has found Teachable to be an effective platform for building a course website, managing subscriptions, and handling payments. Canva is praised for its versatile design templates, which are useful for creating course materials such as handouts and infographics. For video content, BigVu is highlighted for its teleprompter functionality, allowing the author to deliver scripted messages seamlessly. Loom is recommended for its ability to combine slideshows with narration, offering an engaging way to teach concepts. The author values these tools for their specific features that cater to the needs of virtual teaching and content delivery.

Opinions

Teachable is favored for its variety of subscription options, ease of course setup, and the ability to conduct coaching and sell digital products.
The author appreciates Canva for its extensive template library and the ease of customization for educational materials.
BigVu is preferred for its user-friendly script timing options and video editing capabilities, even with the free version.
Loom is seen as a valuable tool for remote teaching and reducing the need for live meetings, with praise for its integration with various presentation software.
The author is open to adopting new technology as long as it meets their specific needs for course creation and delivery.
A drawback mentioned is the learning curve associated with Teachable for those without website setup experience.

My Favorite Tools for Course Creation

I have been creating courses for decades, and I have used a lot of different tools in the process. Teaching virtually really expanded my horizons when it comes to new tech tools. I am always open to trying a new tool as long as it suits my needs.

So, when I started creating my first digital courses, I was open to trying new platforms. But, I wanted tools that had the specific features I was looking to use. During my build, I found several products to be the most helpful.

Teachable

Teachable is a platform designed specifically for course creators. It allows you to create your own website and host your courses. Why did I choose Teachable?

-variety of subscriptions options and one is free

-sets up your course modules and lessons easily

-ability to run coaching through the site in addition to a course

-ability to sell your digital products

-links with Calendly for easy scheduling

-option for course address to be exclusively your brand without Teachable included

In addition, Teachable takes care of all payments. Your learners can pay with credit card or Paypal. And, if you choose to offer it, Teachable will do a recurring payment schedule for clients who choose to pay the full costs of your services over time.

One drawback is that if you do not have experience setting up a website, learning the platform can take some time. Set-up is not seamless like you may find with some platforms that allow you to create a landing page in minutes.

Canva

If you haven’t explored Canva, it’s a must. I use it all the time for a variety of projects. I created my original landing page using one of its templates.

For course creation, Canva excels at providing templates for your handouts, diagrams, infographics, and worksheets. You can choose from very professional to artsy in terms of design. Or, you can create from scratch.

I always have the concept I want to portray in mind when I use Canva. Otherwise, the choices can be overwhelming. For example, I knew I wanted to create a web for one handout in my course. I searched “web” and “mind map” to see what designs I could use.

Canva’s library of infographic templates is extensive. An infographic is a great way to share a lot of information about your concept. I like selecting their templates and plugging in my own information. I can create one in minutes.

BigVu

For my digital course, I knew I wanted to use short videos for the instructional piece. I wrote my script and then practiced. I can work without a script, but I really wanted to ensure that I included all of the important components into my messaging.

I struggled finding a quick and easy way to read my script along with my phone video. So I started searching for apps that provided a teleprompter option. I tried several, and my favorite was BigVu.

Why?

-many subscription options, and I filmed my entire digital course using the free version

-extensive timing options for the scroll of your script

-edits your video based on your words-quick and easy

As I expand my offerings, I can see myself purchasing one of the monthly subscription plans for additional features.

Loom

I started using Loom during the pandemic lockdown. Teaching middle school students from home was horrible, and Zoom was exhausting. Loom offered options for both teaching and relieving my team of meetings.

Loom allows you to easily construct and run a slideshow while narrating to your audience. This can be really helpful when you want to teach learners concepts; it provides a visual connection with your content as opposed to just your video.

Three subscription plans are available, and the free version is great for starting out. You can use several different tools along with Loom. Google Slides, PowerPoint, and Canva are all possibilities.

Of course, we are fortunate to have so many tech tools available in today’s world. When you’re creating a course, though, you want the tools designed specifically for helping you teach or share information.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

If you’re designing a course, I have tools to help. Check out my digital course: Building Your Course Basics.

Or, let me support you with my services: Course Coach