How to create an online certification program

A strong certification program can be a powerful tool for establishing your authority and providing valuable skills to your audience. While you could build a custom system from scratch, using a dedicated platform like ClassMarker simplifies the process, allowing you to focus on what matters most: your content.

ClassMarker is an online quiz maker and assessment platform that is particularly well-suited for creating certification programs. Here's a step-by-step guide to building your program using its robust features.

Step 1: Design Your Certification Program's Core Content

Before you even log into ClassMarker, you need a clear vision for your program.

• Define Learning Objectives: What specific skills or knowledge will a certified individual have? This will dictate your exam questions.

• Outline Your Curriculum: Plan the modules and topics. While ClassMarker focuses on the assessment side, you'll still need to create the training materials (videos, documents, etc.) that your students will study before taking the exam.

• Structure the Assessment: Decide on the number of questions, the types of questions (multiple choice, true/false, short answer, etc.), and the required pass mark.

Step 2: Build Your Exams in ClassMarker

This is where ClassMarker's features come to life.

1. Create Your "Tests": In ClassMarker, the term "test" is used to refer to an exam or quiz. You'll create a new test for your certification exam.

2. Add Questions to Your Question Bank: ClassMarker's Question Bank is a powerful feature. You can add all your questions here and categorize them by topic. This is a huge time-saver because you can reuse these questions across multiple tests. It also allows you to create randomized tests, which is a great way to maintain exam integrity. You can also include images, videos, or audio within your questions to make them more engaging.

3. Configure Test Settings: This is crucial for a professional certification. You can set:

   • Time Limits: To ensure the exam is challenging and timed.

   • Attempts Allowed: For certifications, you might allow only one or two attempts.

   • Pass Mark: Set the required percentage a student needs to pass.

   • Feedback: Decide whether students see their results immediately or only after you've reviewed them.

Step 3: Design Your Custom Certificates

A key part of a certification program is the certificate itself. ClassMarker's certification features are a major selling point.

• Enable Certificates: Within your test settings, you can choose to automatically issue a certificate upon completion.

• Design Your Certificate: ClassMarker provides a drag-and-drop editor to create professional-looking certificates. You can:

  • Add your own logo and branding.

  • Choose from various background templates.

  • Dynamically include the student's name, test name, score, and the date the exam was taken.

  • You can even add a unique serial number to each certificate for verification purposes.

• Set Expiry Dates: For certifications that require renewal, you can set an expiration date.

Step 4: Manage Access and Deliver Your Program

Once your exam is ready, you need to provide a way for your students to take it. ClassMarker offers a couple of options for this.

• Assign via "Links": This is the simplest method. You get a direct link to your test, which you can share with your students. You can embed this link on your website or in an email to students.

• Assign via "Groups": If you have a larger program and want to manage a group of students, this is the better option. You can create user accounts for your students and assign them to a group, giving them a private login to access the test. This also allows you to track individual progress more easily.

• Embed on Your Website: ClassMarker provides code to embed the exam directly into your website, creating a seamless experience for your students.

Step 5: Market and Sell Your Certification

With your certification program built on ClassMarker, you can now focus on the business side.

• Integrate with Your Website: Use ClassMarker's API or Zapier integrations to connect your certification program to your existing website, learning management system (LMS), or e-commerce platform. For example, you can create a Zapier "Zap" that automatically grants a student access to your ClassMarker test after they make a purchase on your website.

• Promote the Value: Your marketing should highlight the benefits of your certification. Showcase testimonials from students, share what skills they've gained, and demonstrate how the certification has helped them in their careers.

By leveraging ClassMarker's powerful features, you can create a professional, secure, and automated certification program without needing to be a coding expert. This allows you to scale your knowledge and build a recognized credential in your field.