This week, we look at learning management systems and building an online course in WordPress.

Our WordPress panel this week:

Chris Badgett: https://lifterlms.com

Kim Shivler: https://howtobuildanonlinecourse.com

Sallie Goetsch: https://wpfangirl.com

Jonathan Denwood: https://www.wp-tonic.com/

John Locke: https://www.lockedowndesign.com/

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Table of Contents for Episode 190

0:00 Podcast intros.

2:21 WordPress News Story #1: 10up Releases WP Docker, an Open Source Docker Configuration for Local WordPress Development

5:30 WordPress News Story #2: Shopify Discontinues Its Official Plugin for WordPress

13:35 Main Topic: Learning Management Systems in WordPress

13:40 What is an LMS? How does it differ from an online course or a membership plugin?

18:36 How much goes into planning the material for an online course?

23:16 Technology is hard because planning the content for students is hard.

26:35 What part(s) of your course should you write first? The answer might surprise you!

32:02 Building in motivation to finish a course. Why gamification is not as important as creating meaning. The importance of community during a course. Mapping fluency to reality in a course.

37:56 Making sure that different learning styles are in the lessons. Following up with a sense of community - why this is the X Factor in the success of an online course.

39:27 How long should each course segment be? How do you determine what each student should be able to do at the end of a learning module? What is the sweet spot for learning modules?

42:50 Estimating what students will be able to do in a certain time frame.

45:11 IS it more difficult to move beginners or intermediate learners forward? Knowing who you are building the class for. Scaling engagement.

55:19 Podcast outros.

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Links mentioned during the show:

Docker

Safe Redirect Manager

Self-Determination Theory

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

The Dip (Seth Godin)

LMSCast

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Find bonus content for this episode on the WP-Tonic website:

https://www.wp-tonic.com/podcast/learning-management-systems-wordpress/

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Subscribe to WP-Tonic on iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wp-tonic-wordpress-podcast/id893083124?mt=2

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WP-Tonic is both a WordPress maintenance and support service, and the publisher of a weekly WordPress business podcast.