Online education: The foundations of online teaching

Macquarie examines the evolution of online course design before connecting content delivery, digital skills and learning communities. The course considers diverse learner needs and future developments. It suits people working in online education who want to review the experience as a whole, including the skills learners need to participate and the support that helps them continue.

What you will learn

• Explore online course-design approaches.
• Support learners’ digital learning skills.
• Build inclusive and supportive online communities.

Who this suits

People working in online education, the audience identified by the provider, including educators reviewing or redesigning an existing course.

Before you enroll

Begin with an actual learning need and check that the activity and assessment address it. Technology access, learner accessibility and feedback arrangements matter alongside the lesson plan. Use fictional or anonymized learner information for practice, and evaluate a design with learners before treating it as effective.

Coursera offers paid enrollment or subscription access. Check the enrollment screen for assessment and certificate terms, trials and any financial-aid options. Provider access terms can change; review them before paying.

Put it into practice

Map the first week of a fictional online course from a learner’s perspective. Identify an access barrier, an unclear task and a point where feedback is needed.

Source and review

This overview is based on the provider's published information, checked on 12 October 2026. It is an editorial assessment, not a claim that we completed the resource. Time filters are approximate study ranges; projects and exercises can take longer.

View the curriculum and current access options at Coursera.

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