How is the process of creating virtual courses at your university?

If you had to describe it in one word... Would it be "agile", "strategic", or rather "slow", "fragmented" or "exhausting"?

If your university still designs virtual courses with endless documents, recorded classes without editing and processes that take months... it's time to rethink.

And we don't say that to make you uncomfortable. We say it because that way of creating no longer connects with today's students.

We are competing with TikTok, YouTube, interactive platforms and experiences that engage from the first second.

A course that does not engage from the beginning... is abandoned. It's as simple as that.

But it's not because students don't want to learn.‍

It is because many universities still believe that creating virtual courses is just "moving content to online format".

And that, in 2025, is no longer enough.

Ideally, the course creation process should be agile , strategic and continuous, so that programs can be designed and updated in real time, according to market needs.

And if we add to that the power of artificial intelligence, we have a great opportunity to speed up design, improve quality and free teams from unnecessary operational work.

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In this article we share with you how we do it from Griky's Course Factory, in 6 clear and actionable steps, designed for universities that want to scale without sacrificing academic quality.

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Step 1: Research and planning

Every quality e-learning course starts with a good question: who is this course for and what do we want them to achieve when they finish it?

Before thinking about platforms, recordings or generative AI, we must stop at the most important thing: deeply understanding the learner and clearly defining the learning outcomes.

This step cannot be skipped or improvised. If done well, the rest of the design flows with coherence and purpose.

Key questions that should guide this stage:

• Who are the students who will take this course? Age, background, academic level, expectations.
• What frustrates them when learning online? What kind of resources do they value most?
• What specific skills do they need to develop and which are transferable to the real world?
• What methodologies are best aligned with this objective? Real cases? Practical challenges? Collaborative projects? Simulations?

Here artificial intelligence can be your best ally for:

• Analyze previous data from similar courses (dropout rates, results, navigation times).
• Identifying gaps between current content and industry trends
• Mapping student profiles and segmenting them for customized routes

But beware: AI does not define the pedagogical approach. That remains a human role, strategic and deeply connected to the purpose of your institution.

This first step is not only about collecting data, but also about making informed, relevant pedagogical decisions that are aligned with today's educational and work environment.

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Step 2: Creation of the structure

A virtual course without structure is like a series without a script: it confuses, demotivates and is quickly abandoned. The course architecture must be designed before creating content.

This step is fundamental. It is not a matter of filling a platform with loose files, but of designing a clear, coherent and results-oriented path.

Before developing any content, it is imperative to map out the complete flow of the course. This includes:

• ‍Moduleswith logical progression: each module should have a sequence that builds on the previous one. Think of it as connected chapters, not isolated units.‍
• Lessons with clear learning objectives: each lesson should answer a specific question: what should the student know or be able to do at the end of this part?‍
• Visual navigation map: helps the learner to locate themselves, understand their progress and know what comes next. This enhances the experience and reduces frustration.
• Moments designed for action: it is not enough to consume content. There must be intentional spaces to reflect, apply and evaluate what has been learned.‍
• Flexibility according to profiles: consider including optional or adaptive paths for different learning paces or styles (this can be enhanced by AI).

When you design a solid structure from the start, you transform the course from a "repository of materials" into a guided learning experience that connects with the learner at every step.

Tip for leaders: A well-structured course does not need to be long, but it does need to be coherent, clear and actionable. Betting on quality in the initial structure avoids reprocessing, reduces abandonment and improves retention.

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Step 3: Content development

Uploading long texts to a platform does not create learning. Content should be clear, relevant, applied and designed to activate the learner.

This is the point where most universities fall short. Why? Because they keep confusing uploading material with designing a learning experience.

Filling the course with PDFs, extensive definitions, dense theoretical frameworks and recorded lectures without editing... is not enough. That's just transposing content, not designing pedagogically.

Today, what really works in a virtual course is:

• ‍Storytellingwith intention: It is not just "storytelling": it is using real or fictitious situations that arouse curiosity, present dilemmas and generate an emotional connection with the subject matter.‍
• Real and current cases: real-world examples that the student can analyze, debate or solve. This anchors the content in professional life and generates meaning.‍
• Activities that involve action and reflection: It is not enough to look. Students must do: solve problems, design something, apply concepts, create proposals, write from their perspective, etc.‍
• Open-ended and critical thinking questions: It's not just about selecting the right option. Good questions invite you to interpret, compare, justify, argue, connect ideas.‍
• Microcontent and clarity in writing: Content should be well structured, with subheadings, bullets, examples and clear language. Use AI to improve writing, but not to "vomit" unfiltered theory.‍
• Ongoing formative assessment: Don't wait until the end of the course. Include interactive mini-assessments that allow you to verify understanding, receive feedback and adjust the pace.

Remember, clear, brief and applied content is worth more than 50 pages that no one will read.

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Step 4: Creation of multimedia resources

Today it is a matter of designing brief, visual and intentional resources that really accompany learning.

One of the most common mistakes in universities is to think that creating a virtual course is simply recording a one-hour class and uploading it to the platform. That is not designing digital content. That is replicating the face-to-face model in a virtual environment... without taking advantage of its true potential.

What really works today is creating multimedia resources that are:

• ‍Short, clear and purposeful: Students learn best with 5-7 minute micro-videos, focused on a single idea or concept. No long lectures reading slides. Attention is lost by minute 3.‍
• Visually stimulating and organized: Use animated infographics to explain complex processes, timelines, cause-effect relationships or theoretical models. This allows learning with agility and without cognitive overload.‍
• Multi-format for different learning styles: Not everyone learns the same. Add AI-generated narrations (like ElevenLabs) for those who prefer to listen, review on the go or study offline.‍
• Interactive whenever it makes pedagogical sense: Simulations, decision games, exploratory clicks or interactive questions can make a difference. Not by "making it more modern", but by actively involving the learner.

The most important thing: Each resource should have a clear function within the learning process. It is not about filling space or adding technology for fashion. It is about facilitating understanding, improving retention and activating the learner from the design.

Step 5: Review and adjustments

To publish without testing is to risk learning. Testing a course before launching it is key to validate clarity, usability and real value for the learner.

We do not recommend launching a course "blindly". Before opening it to the whole community, it is essential to do a controlled pilot with a small group of real students or academic testers.

What to observe in that pilot?

• ‍Do youunderstand what is being asked in each activity or assessment? Don't assume that the instructions are clear. Ambiguity generates frustration.‍
• Is the navigation intuitive, is it easy to move between modules, does the student know where he/she is and what is missing?
• Are the activities aligned with the learning objectives, do they make sense, do they invite reflection, application or creation... or just memorization?‍
• Does the learner feel that the content is useful and applicable to them? This is detected through spontaneous feedback, quick surveys or even behavioral analysis on the platform (with AI or user experience tools).

After the pilot, don't just collect feedback. Iterate. Adjust. Improve.

• Modifies confusing instructions.
• Rearrange modules if there are abrupt jumps.
• Simplify content that looks too dense.
• Add examples if there are concepts that are not understood.

And yes, artificial intelligence can also help you at this stage:

• Identifying dropout patterns.
• Measuring dwell times by section.
• Detecting frequent questions or points where the student gets stuck.

The bottom line: The best course is not the one that launches perfectly. It's the one that gets better all the time. Creating with a mindset of continuous iteration is what separates a functional course from a memorable one.

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Step 6: Publication and follow-up

Publishing a course is not the end of the process. It is the beginning of the real cycle of learning and continuous improvement.

Many universities invest time, energy and talent in creating excellent quality virtual courses... but fail in something key: post-launch implementation.

And as the phrase goes, "If you build it, it doesn't mean they will come." If no one knows the course exists, if its value is not well explained, or if progress is not tracked... it's as if it was never created.

Once published, the course needs three things:

1. Clear and effective promotion

It's not enough to just upload it to the platform. It must be communicated with intention:

• Who is the course for?
• What will the person taking it learn?
• How long will it take you to complete it?
• What concrete benefits will you have (professional, academic or personal)?

Use all available channels: Institutional mail, social networks, intranet, student, faculty and alumni community.
And if you have internal ambassadors, activate them. Word of mouth is still powerful.

Progress monitoring

Follow-up is not only administrative, it is pedagogical.
You need to know:

• Where do students drop out?
• What content is not being completed?
• What activities generate the most participation?
• Who needs support and when?

Use automated reports, AI dashboards or platform analytics to get a clear and actionable snapshot of student behavior.

💡 Tip: do not wait until the end of the course to intervene. Adjustments should be in real time.

Continuous improvement

The publication is only the first version. A quality course is constantly adjusted according to:

• The data collected
• Student feedback
• Changes in the context or industry developments

Quarterly or semi-annual review: add new cases, update content, improve resources, modernize visual presentation.

Tip for leaders: Install a culture of continuous improvement in academic teams. Publishing is not "closing a project", but opening a cycle of permanent evolution.

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Content virtualization errors that slow everything down from the start

Virtualizing is not replicating. It is redesigning with intention. These mistakes, if not corrected from the beginning, affect the quality, engagement and real impact of e-learning.

There are decisions that seem small, but have a ripple effect on the entire educational experience.

These are the most common mistakes made when virtualizing courses... and the ones that do the most damage:

• Copying and pasting face-to-face classes in digital format: Uploading the same PowerPoint presentations and printed guides does not work. The virtual environment needs more dynamic structures, adapted language and active formats.
• Recording endless lectures without editing: 40-minute videos reading slides don't teach. They only bore. Video should be at the service of learning, not a literal transfer from the classroom.
• Using AI without pedagogical criteria: AI can generate content in seconds... but without a solid instructional design, it only delivers generic texts, without depth or real connection with the student.
• Filling with materials without a clear path: Having "a lot of content" is not the same as having a good experience. If the student does not know where to start, what is mandatory and what is complementary, he/she is lost.
• Ignoring the student's experience: Designing only from the teacher's role is a mistake. We must think about how the student navigates, what he/she feels, what he/she needs and what motivates him/her to continue.

Our best advice: Before virtualizing any course, validate that the approach is aligned with the learner, with pedagogy and with a quality digital experience.
It's not about moving, it's about transforming.

So what makes a virtual university course work?

• Strategic planning
• Actual instructional design
• Content that connects
• Visual and brief resources
• Practical evaluations
• Continuous improvement based on data
• Intelligent use of AI (with intention, not for fashion)

If you are leading academic content at your university, you don't need to make a radical transformation overnight.

But you can start by improving the way courses are designed today.‍

A single course done well can change more than a new platform or an expensive system.

At Griky we know how to do it.
That's why we created the custom course factory, to help you design and produce virtual courses with speed, pedagogy and without overloading your team.

¿Qué parte de este proceso necesita más atención en tu universidad?
Contact us. We design it to your needs.

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Frequently asked questions from university leaders about creating virtual courses

1. How long should it take to create a well-made e-learning course?

It depends on the scope, but with a clear structure, pedagogical support and AI tools, you can design a functional course in 3 to 6 weeks. The important thing is to have an agile and repeatable process.

Can artificial intelligence replace the instructional design team?

No. AI is a support tool, not a substitute for pedagogical judgment. It helps speed up tasks such as writing, research, translation and idea generation, but the design is still human and strategic.

3. Do I need to train all my teachers before I start?

Not all at the same time. Ideally, start with teachers who are already open and form small pilot teams. This generates trust, rapid learning and internal ambassadors.

What if I don't have an in-house instructional design team?

You can rely on strategic allies like Griky. Our Course Factory accompanies universities throughout the entire process: from design to publication, integrating AI, pedagogy and operational agility.

5. How do I measure if a virtual course is working?

Not only with ratings. Use indicators such as:

• Completion rate
• Participation in activities
• Time spent on the platform
• Qualitative feedback from students
• Abandonment analysis by section

6. What do I do if I already have virtual courses, but they are outdated?

You can update them by modules, integrating new resources, more active evaluations and shorter formats. You don't need to redo everything from scratch. The key is to iterate with intention.

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