What is an Online Course? Definition Explained

What is an online course?

An online course can be defined as a virtual learning experience organized into a course format. Courses can vary in their type, from informal to formal, and cover many different topics. Plus, they can be used as preparation for an online exam or simply for fun!

Online courses can be:

• Instructor-led or self-paced.

• Short and focused or in-depth and comprehensive.

• Text-based, video-based, or interactive.

• Part of a broader training program.

Online courses are commonly delivered via a Learning Management System (LMS), which stores content and tracks learner progress.

Learn more about a learning management system.

Types of online courses

Online courses can take many forms, depending on the purpose, audience, and content.

1. Self-paced courses

Learners progress through the material whenever it fits their schedule. Ideal for compliance training, onboarding, and continuous development.

2. Instructor-led courses

Learners follow a schedule, attend virtual sessions, and complete assignments with live support.

3. Blended courses

A combination of online and in-person elements, often used for corporate training or academic programs.

4. Microlearning-based courses

Courses made up of short, targeted modules that can be completed in a few minutes. Read more about microlearning.

5. Certification courses

Train users toward a certification or qualification, typically with assessments and proof of completion.

Hw to create an effective online course

1. Start with clear learning objectives

Learning objectives guide your content and help learners understand what they’ll achieve. Keep them specific, measurable, and aligned with real-life skills. Using frameworks like Bloom’s Taxonomy (e.g., analyze, apply, evaluate) can help you define the right level of learning. Ask yourself ‘What should learners be able to do after completing this course?’

2. Know your audience

An effective online course starts with understanding your learners. Consider their background, skill level, and motivations to ensure the content feels relevant and accessible. Whether you are designing for employees or customers, creating courses to their needs increases engagement and impact. Segmenting learners when necessary, such as offering different tracks for beginners and advanced participants, helps maintain the right level of challenge and support.

3. Structure your content logically

Break your course into small, focused modules, allowing learners to progress at their own pace. Short lessons (5–10 minutes) help prevent overload and improve retention.

A simple structure works well: introduction → modules → activities → assessment → completion.

4. Use engaging learning materials

Mix text, images, videos, and short interactive elements to keep learners active rather than passive. Real examples, quick scenarios, and short quizzes help reinforce key concepts and make learning more practical.

5. Add assessments that support learning

Use quizzes or assignments to check progress and strengthen knowledge. Align them with your objectives and offer instant feedback so learners can improve. Provide instant feedback to reinforce learning.

6. Ensure accessibility

Design your online courses with diverse learning styles in mind, such as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Add captions to your course videos, alt text to images, and mobile-friendly layouts.

7. Use the right tools

A user-friendly LMS makes it much easier to build, organize, and deliver your course. With Easy LMS, you can structure modules, add quizzes, automate certificates, and track progress in one place.

Examples of online courses

Online courses can cover almost any topic. Common examples include:

• HR consultancy courses: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), talent acquisition strategies, and interview techniques.

• Compliance training: GDPR, cybersecurity, data security, and managing data breaches.

• Professional skills: Time management, communication, and leadership.

• Language learning: Vocabulary building and grammar practice.

The benefits of online courses

Still doubting if online courses are for you? This learning method has the potential to be more effective than the traditional one! Check out some of the reasons why:

Self-paced approach

One significant benefit of online courses is that they empower participants to take charge of their own learning. This approach empowers them to take courses at their own pace and ultimately achieve better results.

Improved engagement

We live in a digital age where long-form text is not enough to keep a participant engaged in the learning material. Online courses give you the ability to incorporate multimedia, such as images and videos, into your content. This, in turn, creates an engaging learning environment and ultimately leads to better knowledge retention rates. For instance, the Research Institute of America found that e-learning can increase retention rates by 25% to 60%.

Improved efficiency

Are your employees struggling to work efficiently? Research shows that companies that include online courses gain 26% higher revenue per employee. Greater efficiency often correlates with more job satisfaction. This will likely contribute to a lower turnover rate, as employees will feel satisfied and confident in their ongoing education.

How to use Easy LMS to create effective online courses

Easy LMS gives you everything you need to design engaging, scalable online courses. With the course builder, you can add text, images, video, audio, and quizzes to create interactive lessons. The academy feature organizes courses into clear learning paths, while exams and certificates help measure progress and motivate learners. Built-in analytics and reporting enable you to track completion rates and performance, allowing you to continuously improve your training.

Easy LMS supports scalability with branded academies and white‑label options, making it simple to deliver consistent learning across teams or customers. Try a free trial and experience how simple and effective online course building can be.

Useful resources

1. Mighty

2. eLearning Industry

3. Thinkfic

4. Times Higher Education