The content creation phase for your elearning course is one of the crucial parts that will help it succeed. There are two ways to write the content of your online course. One is for the text that will be shown on the screen or flashed in the presentation that contains the bulk of the lesson. The other writing requirement will be for the narrative of your course – at least his is true for courses that are asynchronous in nature. Usually, these two have to be written harmoniously with each other.
The script for the narrative is probably where the bulk of writing will take place. The text will only compliment what will be narrated throughout the elearning course. What you will write as the visual text that will be flashed on the screen will be explained further by the narrative. This is why you need to make sure that the script you will write during the content creation of the course will be done correctly. Here are some tips that you can use.
- Start by planning what you will write. Begin with an outline that will give you something to follow as you write your script. You can use the same outline to identify what will be placed as the highlight text on your elearning course. This outline will help you align the content and objectives of your course. As you are planning your outline, you can brainstorm how you can best present the knowledge that you wish to impart to the learners. Not only will this give you direction, it will also make things clear and organized.
- Write a simple yet straightforward script. Unless it is really necessary, you need to keep your words simple. If you have to use words that are too technical, make sure that you explain what it is in simple terms before loosely using it throughout the narrative. Although the writing of the content creation will be mostly in the script, it is still just a background noise for the learners. You want them to concentrate on the screen and the highlighted words that you will place there.
- Make it fun and entertaining. Although the voice over in the elearning course is just the background of what is being displayed on the screen, you still have to make it fun and entertaining. You want it to be simple, that is true, but you should not make it boring. A fun and entertaining narrative will help keep the attention of the learners to your course. Feel free to make the script light – but still serious. When we say light, it has to be written in such a way that will make the voice-over a bit animated. Feel free to inject funny anecdotes – as long as it will still be relatable and relevant to the course. It helps to use an active voice so it can be as engaging as possible.
- Match the tone of writing with the listeners. If the course is meant for managers and upper level executives, you have to make sure that the tone of your narrative is at par with them. This tone will have to be set during content creation. In case the course is meant for young adults, the tone can be a bit lighter and fun.
Once you have written your script for the narrative, you may want to read it out loud to check if it sounds as good as you intend it to be. Listening to yourself while reading the script you wrote during content creation will also allow you to decide how you want the content to be delivered.
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