Essentials of Online Course Design: A Standards-Based Guide

Essentials of Online Course Design, Third Edition, takes a fresh, thoughtfully designed, step-by-step approach to online course development. Although online learning proliferates across today’s K-12, higher education, and business sectors, creating online courses can still evoke a good deal of frustration, negativity, and wariness in those responsible for their quality and functionality. This book provides readers with a set of standards based on best practices in the field of online learning and teaching. Pedagogical, organizational, and visual design principles are presented and modeled throughout the book, and users will quickly learn from the guide’s hands-on approach.

The guide’s key features include:

· a practical approach informed by theory

· clean interior design that offers straightforward guidance from page one

· clear and jargon-free language

· examples and screenshots from learning management systems to clarify and support the text

· a checklist of online course design standards that readers can use to self-evaluate

· a companion website with examples, adaptable templates, interactive learning features, and other resources: http://essentialsofonlinecoursedesign.com

This thoroughly revised third edition incorporates new content on live video instruction, updated technology terms and software applications, increased coverage of digital accessibility strategies, refresh examples and references, and more. Readers of this highly popular book will find that preparing for online teaching can be a satisfying and engaging experience.

• Publication date: 7 May 2026
• Page count: 328
• Dimensions: Height 261 mm; Width 188 mm; Thickness 22 mm
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Format: Hardback
• ISBN-13: 9781032644318