Technology advancement has moved learning online and teachers and students are always looking for ways to get the best experience. Through the use of digital tools, physical locations are becoming less important in the learning process, as teachers can deliver lessons to students who live thousands of miles away, as long as there are digital devices with stable internet.

While digital learning is acclaimed to be an easy way out especially with the comfort and flexibility that comes with the use of technology, there are still some challenges faced by teachers in preparing and delivering an effective digital lesson. These challenges can be in the form of choice of tools, knowledge of the online learning environment, ensuring students’ engagement, time management, and so on. The greatest challenge an online education provider faces is how to replicate the face-to-face interaction and in-person discussions that in-person classrooms can easily provide.

Traditionally, teachers have always mitigated the risks of not achieving learning objectives by using well-designed lesson plans to facilitate learning in the classrooms. For many teachers, these are step by step guides that serve as a framework for learning. As a result of its importance, the lesson note has been considered as the most important document in the learning process.

However, the value of lesson plans is being eroded as teachers are moving to digital learning. Due to the flexibility that technology offers, many teachers are not seeing the need to plan their lessons anymore. They jump on learning calls without identifying learning objectives, stating teaching aids, or defining the steps they will take on, and in the end, they are not able to deliver the lessons effectively. It has been proven through research that going to the classroom without a lesson plan is harmful to both the teachers and their students.

In this course, we will be exploring the concept of lesson planning, its importance, and how to prepare one that will be an effective guide to facilitating a great lesson online.