How to Create an Online Course with Free Tools | Tutor LMS Free Course Tutorial | Step by Step

How to Create an Online Course in WordPress Using Free Tools

Getting Started with WordPress

• The tutorial begins by emphasizing the need for a fresh installation of WordPress and logging into the admin dashboard.

• The presenter mentions using the Bloxy theme, which is free and offers various starter sites, specifically highlighting the "Biz Consult" starter site.

Installing Tutor LMS Plugin

• To create a course, the video introduces Tutor LMS as a key plugin, noting its popularity with over 100,000 active installations.

• After installing and activating Tutor LMS, users can access options like courses, orders, coupons, etc., through the plugin menu.

Creating a New Course

• The course builder interface opens when creating a new course. Users can add titles and descriptions here.

• General options allow selection of difficulty levels (beginner to expert), public visibility settings for enrollment without restrictions, and Q&A features.

Course Settings and Features

• Visibility settings include options for public access or password protection; scheduling features are available but require the pro version.

• Users can upload featured images and intro videos from various sources including YouTube or Vimeo after saving their draft.

Finalizing Course Details

• In settings under the course tab, users can select preferred video sources before saving changes.

• Pricing models are discussed; courses can be set as free or paid with options for regular pricing and sales prices. Categories and tags can also be added.

Building Curriculum Structure

• Moving on to curriculum creation involves adding topics where lessons will be structured.

• Users can create multiple topics within their curriculum framework by adding titles and summaries for each topic.

How to Create Lessons and Quizzes in Tutor LMS

Adding Lessons

• To begin adding lessons, open the desired topic and click on "lesson" to access the lesson builder. Enter a name for your lesson and add content.

• Media files can be incorporated into lessons, including videos. Uploading a video transforms the lesson into a video lesson, which is common in modern online courses.

• You can add videos from platforms like YouTube by pasting the URL into the designated field after selecting "add from URL."

• A preview feature allows users or guests to view lessons without enrolling in the course; however, this feature is only available in the pro version of Tutor LMS.

• After creating your first lesson, you can continue adding more lessons under the same topic and rearrange them using drag-and-drop functionality.

Incorporating Quizzes

• The quiz system enhances course engagement and allows evaluation of student learning. Access it by clicking on the quiz button to open the quiz builder.

• In the quiz builder, you can set a title and summary before adding questions. Various question types are available: true/false, multiple choice, open-ended, essay, fill-in-the-blanks.

• Multiple choice questions are popular; options include adding images and specifying correct answers. You can also enable multiple correct answers if needed.

• Additional settings allow you to make answering compulsory or randomize answer choices. Points can be awarded for each question with an option to display them.

• Basic settings include time limits for quizzes and feedback modes (e.g., reveal mode). Advanced settings offer features like auto-starting quizzes without user initiation.

How to Create a Course in Tutor LMS

Adding Questions and Assignments

• You can randomize question order and set character limits for different types of answers. After adding questions, click the save button to confirm your additions.

• The interactive quiz feature is available through H5P elements, with tutorials provided in the video description for further learning. Additionally, there are detailed guides on creating quizzes in Tutor LMS.

• The assignment feature is exclusive to the pro version, allowing you to add assignments that students can submit as part of their course curriculum.

Course Details and Publishing

• In the additional tab, you can specify what students will learn, target audience, course duration, materials included, requirements, and instructions. Note that certificate options are not available in the free version.

• Advanced features like course prerequisites and live class scheduling are only accessible with Tutor LMS Pro; however, users on the free version should focus on available options before publishing their courses.

• Before finalizing your course publication, it’s recommended to save it as a draft first and then preview how it will appear from the front end before clicking publish.

Upgrading to Tutor LMS Pro

• Upon upgrading to Tutor LMS Pro, new features become available including course bundles and grade books which enhance functionality significantly compared to the free version.

• The add-ons section provides various enhancements such as social login options and multi-instructor assignments among others that were previously labeled as pro features during course creation.

Content Management Features

• With Tutor LMS Pro, you can schedule content availability based on dates or enrollment timeframes and unlock content sequentially after completing prerequisites—features popular among users for structured learning paths.

• AI integration allows for automatic generation of content like titles and descriptions by connecting with an OpenAI account; this streamlines content creation processes significantly.

Final Steps: Adding Courses to Your Website

• To make courses accessible on your website's main menu, navigate through appearance settings in your dashboard where you can add a course list page directly into your menu structure for easy access by users.

Pricing Plans for Tutor LMS

Annual Plans Overview

• The annual plans consist of three tiers: Individual, Business, and Agency.

• The Individual Plan costs $199 per year, allows usage for one site, and includes access to all pro add-ons, features, unlimited courses and users, pro themes, AI studios, priority support, and updates for one year.

• The Business Plan is priced at $399 per year and supports up to 10 sites.

• The Agency Plan is available for $799 annually and can be used on unlimited sites.

Lifetime Plans Overview

• Transitioning to lifetime plans: the Individual Plan is offered at a one-time payment of $499 for one site.

• The Business Plan under the lifetime option costs $999 and can be utilized on 10 sites.

• The Agency Plan is priced at $1,999 with a capacity of up to 50 sites.