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7 Tips on how to curate content for your online course

When managing your online course, there are a lot of things to consider. And the content you provide is your ID and also your projection into the online world. However, it can be hard to constantly create content for your online course. Sometimes it’s better to curate it.

Information is power. Sharing information is even more powerful and online entrepreneurs should know this better than anyone.

You can share content created by others without losing your authentic voice. Curated content saves you time and money and it's already there for you to use. As long as you don't forget to cite your sources, you can share any microlearning materials for your learners to digest. Since everyone's on the run, they will appreciate you giving them chunks of data to understand your topics deeper, even more because they don't have to find them themselves.

7 Tips on how to curate content for your online course

Whether you decide to create your course in such a way that your learners would require to search for more information or you already have your course completed and you have the time to show your learners you want them to have access to the best information there is, you should consider curating content for your online course.

Curated content is great for the learners who always need more explanations, for the ones who don't really have the time to research for further information on the topic of your course, for the ones connected to social media, but also for the ones who would rather check only their emails.

You can reach your learners by providing free data in different formats to suit different preferences and needs. You may choose between direct links to resources, videos, audio files, spreadsheets, infographics comprising the main ideas, webinars or their recordings, e-books sent via social media or email newsletters — to cater for every type of learner.

Whatever your approach is, here are some tips on how to do it right:

  1. Know what your learners need

    As we all know there are different types of learners and they have specific needs. You have to get to know what the needs of your learners are and try to nurture them. You can conduct surveys, social media polls or you can go deeper by checking what their searches are.

    When you are aware of the necessities of your audience, you are able to show them you care by providing meaningful resources and a significant amount of information.

  2. Find reliable sources

    Finding curated content implies effort from your part. You have to be responsible and find relevant and accurate information which your students can rely on. You have to check your data and double check. It's better to rely on official websites, authority websites and blogs, press releases and so on.

    You cannot afford to mislead your audience. Your credibility depends on this. Everything that you offer to your learners should complete your online course and add value to it.

  3. Apply relevancy filters to the curated content

    Not all the data you will find online related to your topic is relevant to your learners. The information you provide has to help them solve a problem or help them achieve a goal. You need to have a purpose in every post or email you send.

    There has to be a certain continuity to this microlearning process. You can ask them to comment on your post, watch a video and answer a question, find an example in an article and many more.

  4. Keep everything organized

    If you create a habit out of providing curated content for your online course, it's better to have it organized. You can sort your resources by topic, categorize ideas, class similar ideas together, create an appendix for each chapter or module of your course. In this way, your learners will be able to navigate easier through all the extra material.

    You should also give an estimate of how much time it would take your learners to go through the data you provide. By doing this, they can plan their study sessions to suit their schedule.

  5. Decide on the best curation method(s)

    Specialists have considered different steps to follow when curating content. I've summarized them into the following pattern CSCSCS or triple CS as follows:

    • C - Collect information on one specific topic in one place;
    • S - Select the relevant information and sources to avoid overloading your learners;
    • C - Categorize the data to show different perspectives of the same topic;
    • S - Synthesize the data to make it easier to digest and more time-efficient to go through;
    • C - Collate the information in different formats according to type which you can include into one infographic inserting links to each of them;
    • S - Share your information with your learners.
  6. Consider automation

    Curated content makes your course more comprehensive as it offers extra content/materials that can be used outside the course.

    By making use of automation you and your learners save time. For example, you can create a template for your resources which can be used time and time again and your learners can have access to extra materials that they don't have to look for.

    You can also use automated notifications to let your students know you have a new resource available.

  7. Don’t stop

    Using curated content should not be a singular event. Make a habit out of searching for resources and keep feeding your learners with microlearning materials.

    Continuity involves stability and organization. This sends a clear message to your learners, that is you are persistent and you care for their growth.

Wrapping up

Curated content means searching for reliable information in the vast waters of information and taking to the surface the relevant one. Be careful not to overwhelm your learners with too much information, but also provide enough so as not to leave gaps in their learning process.

Try to cater the needs of different types of learners by offering a variety of formats for better learning outcomes. Moreover, the accuracy of your information will build trust with your learners and will bring value to your course.

These being said, curating content is the next best thing in terms of online knowledge, which you can access for free, to benefit both yourself and your learners.

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