Pros & Cons
There are excellent reasons why you might want to create your own courses, and equally excellent reasons for purchasing or licensing them from a provider. In some cases, programs choose to purchase or license core courses but develop their own particular electives to meet unique needs. The following table shows the pluses (+) and minuses (–) of both approaches:
| Issue | Build | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Initial cost |
– Large upfront investment prior to enrolling students. |
+ Multiple license models can allow for low initial costs. |
| Ongoing Cost |
+ Ongoing costs limited to course maintenance and updating. |
– Depending on the licensing model(s) selected, ongoing costs can be nearly as much as initial costs. |
| Content & Design Flexibility |
+ School has total flexibility over content, instructional design. – Ongoing course maintenance and revisions required at local level. – High cost of multi-media development may limit design options. |
+ Some licensing models allow for course customization. – Ability to customize courses in content or design is inherently limited. |
| Decision Making |
– Every component of the course needs to be thoughtfully designed. |
+ Decisions about most details are already made. Decision-making process is limited primarily to which courses will be licensed using which licensing models. |
| Timeline |
– Roughly 12-18 months to develop a course. |
+ A large number of courses readily available. |
| Skill Development |
+ Develops district skills in content writing, online instructional design, technology and other skills. |
– May develop online instruction skills. Does not generally develop writing or design skills. |
| Risk |
– Higher risk in that the larger initial investment does not guarantee a successful course will be produced. |
+ Lower risk due to lower initial costs, the ability to start with just a few enrollments, and ability to switch course vendors if necessary. |
| Curriculum Uniqueness |
+ Any imaginable course can be developed. |
– Courses available are those designed for large, nationwide consumption. Options in some elective areas can be quite limited. |
| Copyright Ownership |
+ District/school owns the course, can re-sell it and market it as a unique offering. |
– District/school does not own the copyright and generally cannot redistribute or re-sell. |
| Professional Development |
– Requires wide-ranging professional development on content, design, technology, and instruction, including W3 design standards. |
+ Professional development is focused on instruction and the nuances of the particular course. |