Course Quality Checklist

This article includes a checklist of the minimum requirements a course must have in order for it to be published on the Swing platform. In addition, it also includes guidelines and resources instructors can use to improve the quality of their courses, and enhance the learning experience of students!

The minimum course requirements checklist

Below is a checklist of the minimum standards a course must have in order for it to be published on the Swing platform. 

  • At least 30 minutes of video content
  • At least 5 separate lectures
  • Valuable educational content 
    • Choose your course topic
    • Define your ideal learner audience
    • Create your learning objectives
    • Outline your course
    • Practice activities and assessments
    • The value of scripting
    • Create accessible and inclusive learning content
  • HD video quality (720p or 1080p)
    • Note: Videos exceeding an aspect ratio of 16:9 will automatically be re-modified to 16:9 by our system. If the resulting quality of the video is poor, the video may be rejected by our Quality Review Team.
  • Audio that comes out of both channels and is synced to video
  • Audio quality that is not distracting to students

    • Distortion: An electrical static sound caused by having the gain turned too high.

    • Background hiss: A raspy noise within your audio track. 

    • Left speaker: Audio might come out from the left speaker only if settings do not specify that it should be in stereo.

    • Low volume: Volume is inaudible unless the user turns their device settings very high

    • Inconsistent volume: Sudden changes in volume levels within a lecture or across the course.

    • Muffled sound: Unclear speech due to audio response settings or sound mixing.

  • A unique course landing page
    • A course image in line with Swing image standards
      • Image file format:The file format must be .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .bmp, or .png
      • Image dimensions: Always design your master course image at the following pixel dimensions. The main design needs to live within the content safe area for maximum visibility.
      • Minimum required dimensions: 750 x 422 pixels
      • Maximum required dimensions: 6000 x 6000 pixels
      • Uniqueness:To avoid confusion, each Swing course must have its own, unique image. The same image cannot be used for more than one course. 
      • Relevance: A good course image enables the viewer to predict what the course is about. Make sure that the image relates to the course content.
      • Appropriateness: Images should be oriented towards general audiences, and free of inappropriate or offensive content.
      • Resolution:Images should be clear, non-pixelated, and free of distortion.
      • Simplify: One of the most important factors of a successful course image is simplicity. Limit the number of visual elements and detail to drive better comprehension. Too many unique elements and too much visual detail will compete for attention and create confusion.
      • Textual information such as the name of the course is not permitted within the course image. Only limited exceptions are allowed, such as logos. Logos should not overlay the photo or make the layout muddy.  
      • You may use your own company logo (John Smith, Inc) in your course image.  Make sure your logo is legible, on brand, has adequate negative space, and is within the content safe area.  Do not add any frames, borders, strokes or letterboxing
  • A course title and subtitle that includes relevant keywords
    • Focus the title/subtitle on what students will learn and how they can apply the skill, instead of making salesy, big promises that can come across as scammy to students.
    • Make the title specific.
    •  What level of student is this for?
    • What level of skill is the course?
    • What type of course within a given field is it?
    • What will the student be able to do or understand after taking this course?
    • Use titles with 60 characters or less.
  • A course description with more than 200 words
  • A completed intended learners section
  • A complete instructor bio and profile picture.

Copyright Guidelines

1. What is protected under copyright law? 

Copyright protects original works of authorship as soon as it is fixed into a tangible form of expression, such as books, exams, music, videos, software code, or photographs.

In the context of Swing courses, when you create a course, which might involve writing an original script, filming and editing video content, or coming up with practice exam questions, you obtain the copyright for all those original pieces of work at the moment of creation.

2. Can I use third-party content in my Swing course?

Instructors should aim to obtain permission from the copyright owner before using copyright protected material in a Swing course. In some cases, permission is not required as it may qualify as fair use. Fair use is a legal doctrine in the United States that  allows non-copyright owners to use copyright protected content in very limited cases for specific situations, such as to provide commentary or criticism, conduct research, or teaching purposes. 

If you have any questions regarding the legality of using copyright protected content, we suggest you consult with an attorney.

3. How do I get permission to use someone else’s copyright protected material?

The easiest way to check whether it is ok for you to use somebody else's content in your course is to contact them directly and ask for their permission.

4. What happens if Swing receives a Copyright Infringement complaint against my course?

If we do receive a valid and complete Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Takedown Notice, we are required by law to process it  promptly and to remove the reported content from the platform immediately.