If you’ve ever created an online course from scratch, you’ll know everything that goes into it: scripts, content, exercises, assessments… It can easily take more than 40 hours just for preparation. But what if you could start creating courses with AI and reduce that time to just 4 hours?
Thanks to Prompt engineering for eLearning, a technique for optimising prompts, it is now possible to use artificial intelligence to generate high-quality learning content, tailored and ready to upload to your LMS.
This isn’t about replacing the trainer or facilitator, but about enhancing their work and speeding up the entire process of eLearning content creation.
At Evolmind, we bring you the best AI prompts you can use for creating courses with AI, helping you reduce hours of work without compromising the quality and efficiency of your training programme.
Why is prompt design the new engine of LMS content creation?
When it comes to creating courses with AI using prompts, it’s not just about asking artificial intelligence for something and expecting results. Prompt design is a skill in itself, where the request must be carefully formulated and structured so that AI can turn it into useful learning content.
If you use a generic prompt such as “Create a course on digital marketing”, the AI will most likely generate interesting text and an outline with relevant topics, but it will probably be unstructured, superficial and lacking practical activities.
A well-crafted AI elearning prompts approach must take into account structure, learning objectives, types of activities and the learners’ level, among other factors.
The 10 best AI prompts for creating courses with AI in your LMS
Prompt design is key to obtaining high-quality results. With the right instructions, you can produce complete modules, exercises and assessments in just a few hours.
Here are the best AI prompts for creating courses with AI, designed so you can use them directly in your LMS. Each one is intended to optimise your time, maintain quality and adapt to different types of training and subject areas.
Prompt 1: Structuring a course from scratch
- "Act as an expert Instructional Designer. Your goal is to design the complete structure of a high-quality online course from scratch, intended to be hosted on a professional LMS and to strengthen our brand authority.
- BRAND CONTEXT:
- Sector/Model: [WRITE YOUR COMPANY’S SECTOR HERE]
- Core offering: [WRITE WHAT YOUR COMPANY OFFERS HERE]
- Target client/learner: [WRITE YOUR TARGET LEARNER HERE]
- COURSE TOPIC: [WRITE THE EXACT TOPIC HERE, e.g. “How to digitalise and monetise training within your organisation”].
- TASK:
- Develop the full course syllabus with a structured learning approach. Deliver the following in Markdown format:
- 1. Course promise (elevator pitch): What real transformation will the learner achieve by the end?
- 2. Course structure (minimum 4 logical modules, from fundamentals to advanced implementation).
- 3. Module breakdown:
- Module title (benefit-driven).
- Module learning objective.
- 3 to 5 detailed lessons.
- Suggested format for each lesson (e.g. 5-minute video, downloadable template, checklist, quiz).
- 4. Final project or assessment: A practical proposal for the learner to apply what they have learned."
Prompt 2: Creating scripts for video lessons
- "Act as an expert Educational Scriptwriter and Instructional Designer. Your goal is to write a detailed, engaging and highly retentive script for a video lesson within an online course.
- LESSON CONTEXT:
- Overall course topic: [INSERT GENERAL TOPIC, e.g. Finance for entrepreneurs]
- Lesson title: [INSERT LESSON TITLE, e.g. How to calculate your profit margin]
- Target audience: [INSERT TARGET AUDIENCE, e.g. Content creators with no accounting experience]
- Tone of voice: [INSERT TONE, e.g. Friendly, practical and motivating]
- Estimated duration: [e.g. 3 to 5 minutes / Approx. 500–750 words of narration]
- REQUIRED SCRIPT STRUCTURE:
- Divide the script into the following 5 methodological stages:
- 1. The Hook (0:00 - 0:15): Capture attention immediately by presenting the learner’s problem or pain point, or the key benefit of the lesson. Avoid long introductions.
- 2. The Promise (0:15 - 0:45): Clearly explain what they will learn by the end of the video and why it is crucial for their progress.
- 3. Development (Body): Break the content down into a maximum of 3 key points or actionable steps. Use clear language and avoid unnecessary jargon.
- 4. Practical application: Include a quick example, case study or everyday analogy showing how to apply this knowledge in real life.
- 5. Closing and CTA: A one-sentence micro-summary and a clear call to action (e.g. "download the PDF below", "complete this exercise", "see you in the next lesson").
- DELIVERY FORMAT (Audiovisual Table):
- Present the script in Markdown format using a two-column table:
- Column 1 (VISUAL / SCREEN): Clear technical instructions (e.g. front-facing shot, supporting B-roll, on-screen text, graphics, transitions).
- Column 2 (AUDIO / VOICEOVER): The exact text the presenter should read, word for word. Include performance notes in asterisks (e.g. pauses for effect, smiles at the camera).
- GOLDEN RULES:
- Write to be HEARD, not read. Use short sentences, conversational connectors ("Now then", "Take a look at this") and maintain a dynamic rhythm.
- Avoid filler. Every sentence must add learning value or improve retention.
- If a concept is too technical or abstract, it must be explained using a visual or everyday analogy."
Prompt 3: Generating assessments and question banks (quizzes)
- "Act as an Educational Assessment Specialist and Instructional Designer. Your goal is to create a rigorous, fair question bank (quiz) focused on validating real learning, avoiding simple memorisation of information.
- ASSESSMENT CONTEXT:
- Module/Lesson topic: [INSERT TOPIC, e.g. Customer retention strategies]
- Target audience and level: [INSERT AUDIENCE AND DIFFICULTY, e.g. Marketing managers / Intermediate level]
- Number of questions: [e.g. 5 to 10 questions]
- Type of assessment: [e.g. Formative (end-of-module reinforcement) or Summative (final course assessment)]
- REQUIRED QUESTION STRUCTURE:
- Design the quiz prioritising the practical application of knowledge. Primarily use:
- 1. Scenario-based multiple choice: Present a short practical case or problem where the learner must make a decision by applying what they’ve learned (1 correct answer, 3 plausible distractors).
- 2. True/False (clear and direct): Key conceptual statements with no room for ambiguity.
- GOLDEN RULES (Assessment quality):
- No trick questions. The goal is to assess, not to mislead.
- Distractors (incorrect answers) must reflect common and realistic learner mistakes or misunderstandings. No option should be obviously absurd.
- All answer options within the same question must have a similar length and grammatical structure to avoid visual clues.
- Use direct language, active voice, and avoid double negatives ("Which of the following is NOT incorrect?").
- DELIVERABLE (Output format):
- Provide the question bank structured as follows to facilitate easy upload into an LMS:
- ### QUESTION [Number]
- STATEMENT: [Question or practical case text]
- OPTIONS:
- A) [Option 1]
- B) [Option 2]
- C) [Option 3]
- D) [Option 4]
- CORRECT ANSWER: [Letter]
- FEEDBACK FOR REINFORCEMENT: [Mandatory 2–3 line explanation detailing why this option is correct and why the others are incorrect. This text will appear after the learner answers, reinforcing understanding]."
Prompt 4: Adapting technical content into clear, simple language (Simplification)
- "Act as an expert Science Communicator, Educational Copywriter and Instructional Designer. Your main objective is to take technical, dense, academic texts or specialised jargon and ‘translate’ them into clear, accessible and easy-to-understand language for a general or beginner audience, without losing the accuracy or rigour of the original information.
- ADAPTATION CONTEXT:
- Main topic / Original text title: [INSERT TOPIC OR TITLE HERE]
- Target audience: [BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHO THIS IS FOR. e.g. Entrepreneurs with no financial background, first-year learners]
- Desired tone: [e.g. Conversational, empathetic, clear and direct]
- Expected output format: [e.g. 800-word online course lesson, short video script]
- ORIGINAL TEXT (Technical source to process):
- """
- [PASTE THE TECHNICAL TEXT, PAPER, ARTICLE OR DENSE NOTES YOU NEED TO SIMPLIFY HERE. IT CAN BE LONG.]
- """
- TRANSFORMATION INSTRUCTIONS AND STRUCTURE:
- Process the provided text by applying the following 5 communication techniques:
- 1. The relevance hook (“Why this matters”): Start by immediately explaining what problem this concept solves in the reader’s daily life or why it is worth learning.
- 2. Mandatory analogy or metaphor: You must take the core concept (or the most complex one) and explain it using an everyday-life analogy that the target audience can instantly understand.
- 3. Breakdown into key steps or components: Divide the dense information into a numbered list or bullet points with a maximum of 3 to 5 key ideas. Use subheadings (H2/H3) framed as questions the reader would naturally ask.
- 4. “Quick glossary” (jargon translation): If technical terms are essential, include them but immediately provide a simple definition in brackets or in a small highlighted box.
- 5. Actionable closing (“What now?”): Finish with a practical conclusion or a clear next step. What should the reader do with this information?
- GOLDEN RULES (What NOT to do):
- Avoid unnecessary passive voice (“It has been demonstrated that…”). Use active voice instead (“Researchers demonstrated that…”).
- Avoid long, dense paragraphs. No paragraph should exceed 4 lines.
- Do not oversimplify to the point of sounding childish. Simplifying means using clear language to explain complex ideas, not talking down to the reader.
- Maintain rigour: If the text includes figures, key percentages or study names, keep them, but provide context (“a 10% increase” → “a 10% increase, meaning 1 in every 10 people”).
- DELIVERABLE:
- Provide the transformed content in Markdown format, logically structured and ready to be published or recorded, strictly following the requested output format."
Prompt 5: Creating practical case studies and storytelling
- "Act as an expert in Educational Storytelling and Case Method Design. Your goal is to create a case study or immersive story that illustrates a theoretical concept, allowing the learner to see the real-world application of knowledge and challenging them to make decisions.
- CASE STUDY CONTEXT:
- Topic or concept to teach: [INSERT TOPIC, e.g. Social media crisis management]
- Learning objective: [INSERT WHAT THE LEARNER SHOULD UNDERSTAND, e.g. Apply a containment protocol within the first 2 hours]
- Learner profile (target audience): [INSERT TARGET AUDIENCE, e.g. Junior Community Managers]
- Sector or scenario context: [e.g. A fast-food restaurant chain]
- Desired format: [e.g. Text for LMS, narrated script, or interactive “choose your own adventure” scenario]
- REQUIRED CASE STRUCTURE (Narrative arc):
- Develop the story following these 5 stages:
- 1. Context and protagonist (Setup): Introduce a protagonist the learner can relate to. Describe their role, environment and the “normal” situation before the problem arises.
- 2. Inciting incident (Conflict): Introduce the problem, either abruptly or gradually (depending on the topic). It must be a realistic challenge directly linked to the learning objective.
- 3. Turning point (Decision moment): Lead the protagonist into a situation where they must apply the course theory to move forward. (Optional: pause the story here and ask the learner what they would do).
- 4. Resolution (Application): Describe step by step how the protagonist applies the concepts, tools or frameworks from the course to solve the problem. Show the process, not just the final result.
- 5. Debrief (Takeaways and reflection): Extract 3 key conclusions from the story. Include 2 open-ended reflection questions for the learner to answer in a forum or workbook.
- GOLDEN RULES OF EDUCATIONAL STORYTELLING:
- No “perfect heroes”: The protagonist should hesitate, make a minor initial mistake or feel real pressure from their environment. This builds empathy.
- “Show, don’t tell”: Instead of saying “they were stressed”, describe it (e.g. “they had 15 missed calls from the client in under an hour”).
- Extreme realism: Avoid overly simple or “fairy tale” resolutions. Outcomes must be proportional to the actions taken based on the course theory.
- Dialogue: Where relevant, include at least one short dialogue that illustrates tension or character dynamics.
- DELIVERABLE:
- Provide the case study formatted in Markdown, using H2 and H3 to structure sections, italics for thoughts or dialogue, and bold text to highlight key theoretical concepts applied in the story."
Prompt 6: Designing interactive learning activities
- "Act as a Learning Experience Designer (LXD) and Educational Activities Creator. Your goal is to design practical, interactive and challenging activities that require the learner to apply what they have learned, ensuring knowledge transfer to real-world situations.
- ACTIVITY CONTEXT:
- Topic or concept just covered: [INSERT TOPIC, e.g. SWOT analysis for small businesses]
- Target audience and level: [INSERT TARGET AUDIENCE, e.g. Local entrepreneurs / Beginner level]
- Learner submission format: [e.g. Fillable PDF template, forum participation, quick mental exercise, document upload]
- Estimated completion time: [e.g. 15–20 minutes]
- REQUIRED ACTIVITY STRUCTURE:
- Develop the activity following these 4 mandatory components:
- 1. The “Why” (Activity purpose):
- A brief explanation (1–2 sentences) directed at the learner explaining exactly what they will achieve by completing this exercise and how it will benefit them in a real-world context.
- 2. Step-by-step instructions (The “How”):
- Break the task down into a maximum of 3 to 5 clear, actionable and numbered steps.
- Use direct action verbs (e.g. “Open the template”, “Write 3 weaknesses”, “Compare with your competitor”).
- If the activity requires external tools (software, templates, websites), clearly indicate this.
- 3. Deliverable or expected outcome (The “What”):
- Define what the final result should look like. What should the learner have in front of them upon completion? (e.g. “You should have a document with 4 completed sections, each containing at least 2 points”).
- 4. Self-assessment rubric or “success checklist” (The “Feedback”):
- Provide 3–4 quick Yes/No questions so the learner can evaluate their own work before considering it complete (e.g. “Is your weakness an internal factor you can control?”, “Is your threat an external market factor?”).
- GOLDEN RULES OF INTERACTIVE DESIGN:
- No “filler exercises”: Every activity must generate a tangible result that the learner can use immediately after completing the course.
- Progressive difficulty: Start with a simple step to build momentum (“quick win”) and gradually increase complexity.
- Absolute clarity: If instructions need to be read more than twice, they are too complex. Simplify.
- Use examples: Always include a short, worked example showing what a completed step should look like.
- DELIVERABLE:
- Present the activity design in structured Markdown format, using ordered lists for steps, bold text to highlight action verbs, and a table or checklist-style format for the self-assessment section."
Prompt 7: Executive summaries for microlearning
- "Act as a Microlearning Specialist and Educational Content Curator. Your goal is to distil extensive information or complex lessons into ultra-concise, high-impact summaries designed for fast consumption, maximising retention in minimal time.
- MICROLEARNING CONTEXT:
- Original lesson topic: [INSERT TOPIC, e.g. Cialdini’s principles of persuasion]
- Target audience: [INSERT TARGET AUDIENCE, e.g. Time-poor B2B sales professionals]
- Source material: [Paste here the text, transcript or key points of the full lesson to summarise]
- REQUIRED SUMMARY STRUCTURE:
- Design the microlearning piece following this 4-block structure:
- 1. Hook / Big promise (1 sentence):
- An impactful opening sentence that immediately answers the learner’s question: “What will I gain from reading this right now?”
- 2. The “gold nugget” (Core concept):
- Summarise the main idea in a maximum of 3 bullet points or a 2-line explanation. Remove all storytelling, secondary context or justifications. Get straight to the point.
- 3. Express application (Action):
- Provide one immediate action step. What is the first thing the learner should do with this information today? (e.g. “Review your last sales email and add urgency in the postscript”).
- 4. Memory anchor (Takeaway):
- Finish with a memorable sentence, a short formula or an acronym that helps the brain retain the lesson easily.
- GOLDEN RULES OF MICROLEARNING:
- Economy of language: If you can say it in 5 words, don’t use 10. Remove unnecessary adverbs and filler introductions.
- Extreme scannability: The text should be readable at a glance. Use bold text for key ideas and bullet points to break up content.
- “Single concept” rule: A microlearning piece should not attempt to teach multiple ideas at once. Focus on one concept and teach it exceptionally well.
- DELIVERABLE:
- Present the summary in Markdown format. Use emojis strategically (without overusing them) to guide the reader visually. The final text should not exceed 150–200 words in total."
Prompt 8: Generating glossaries and key concepts
- "Act as an Educational Lexicographer and Instructional Design expert. Your goal is to analyse the content of a course or module and extract technical terms, acronyms or key concepts to create a highly clear, well-structured and easy-to-reference glossary.
- GLOSSARY CONTEXT:
- General course topic: [INSERT TOPIC, e.g. Cryptocurrency investment]
- Audience level: [INSERT LEVEL, e.g. Complete beginners]
- Number of terms to extract/define: [e.g. Extract the 10 most important terms / Define this list of 5 words: …]
- Source material (optional): [Paste the lesson text here if you want the AI to extract terms automatically, or leave blank if you provide the list]
- REQUIRED STRUCTURE FOR EACH CONCEPT:
- For each term, generate the following 3 elements:
- 1. Term (A.K.A / Acronyms): The name of the concept along with its acronyms or common synonyms in brackets.
- 2. “Jargon-free” definition: A 2–3 line explanation using plain language. Avoid using other complex terms to define a complex concept.
- 3. Example or usage context: A short sentence showing how the term is used in real life or in a practical industry scenario.
- GOLDEN RULES FOR THE GLOSSARY:
- No circular definitions: You cannot use the same word (or its direct derivatives) to define the term (e.g. Wrong: “Profitability is the ability to be profitable”. Correct: “It is the financial gain obtained after deducting expenses”).
- Logical order: Present the terms in strict alphabetical order to make them easy to find as reference material.
- DELIVERABLE:
- Present the glossary in Markdown format using the following visual structure for each term:
- ### [Term] *(Acronyms/Synonyms)*
- **What it is:** [Clear and direct definition]
- **Example:** *"[Real-life usage sentence]"*
- ----"
Prompt 9: Translating and localising eLearning content
- "Act as an eLearning localisation expert and professional native translator. Your goal is not to provide a word-for-word translation, but to fully ‘localise’ the learning content. This means adapting language, cultural references, examples, metrics and tone so that it resonates naturally with learners in the target region, while preserving the original learning objective.
- LOCALISATION CONTEXT:
- Source language: [e.g. English (US)]
- Target language and region: [e.g. Spanish (Mexico) / Spanish (Spain) / Portuguese (Brazil)]
- Target audience in the new market: [e.g. B2B sales professionals]
- Content format: [e.g. Video script, reading article, quiz]
- Desired tone: [e.g. Professional yet approachable, addressing the learner directly]
- ORIGINAL TEXT TO LOCALISE:
- """
- [PASTE THE TEXT, SCRIPT, CASE STUDY OR MATERIAL TO TRANSLATE HERE]
- """
- REQUIRED LOCALISATION STRUCTURE:
- Process and adapt the text by strictly following these guidelines:
- 1. Contextual translation: Produce fluent, natural text in the target language, respecting the specified tone.
- 2. Adaptation of examples and metaphors: If the original text uses cultural references, local jokes or metaphors (e.g. baseball jargon) that are not common in the target region, replace them with local equivalents (e.g. football) that convey the same meaning.
- 3. Conversion of standards: Automatically adapt currencies (e.g. dollars to euros/pesos where appropriate), measurement units (imperial to metric) and date/time formats.
- GOLDEN RULES OF ELEARNING LOCALISATION:
- No “Spanglish” or literal translations. The text should read as if it were originally written in the target country.
- If the text is a video script: Maintain similar sentence length and reading timing so that voiceover aligns with on-screen timing (synchronisation).
- Terminology consistency: If you translate a key technical concept in a certain way at the beginning, keep it consistent throughout the text.
- DELIVERABLE:
- Provide the fully localised text in Markdown format. At the end of the document, include a brief section titled "📍 Localisation notes" (maximum 3 bullet points) explaining any cultural, formatting or terminology adaptations made and why those decisions were taken."
Prompt 10: Automated feedback for open-ended assignments
- "Act as an expert Virtual Tutor and Academic Evaluator. Your goal is to review a learner’s open-ended response or project, assess it against a specific rubric, and provide constructive, empathetic and highly actionable feedback that encourages learning and critical thinking.
- ASSESSMENT CONTEXT:
- Module/Course topic: [INSERT TOPIC, e.g. Leadership and team management]
- Assignment brief: [INSERT WHAT WAS ASKED OF THE LEARNER, e.g. “Describe how you would resolve a role conflict between two senior employees using the XYZ framework”]
- Assessment criteria (rubric): [INSERT WHAT AN EXCELLENT RESPONSE SHOULD INCLUDE. e.g. 1. Uses correct terminology. 2. Proposes a realistic solution. 3. Identifies the root cause of the problem.]
- Tone of feedback: [e.g. Encouraging, professional, direct yet friendly (addressing the learner informally)]
- LEARNER SUBMISSION TO EVALUATE:
- """
- [PASTE THE LEARNER’S RESPONSE, ESSAY OR PROJECT HERE]
- """
- REQUIRED FEEDBACK STRUCTURE (Sandwich method):
- Write your evaluation addressing the learner directly, structured as follows:
- 1. Greeting and initial validation (Top layer):
- Acknowledge the learner’s effort and highlight an interesting idea or original approach in their response. Always begin on a positive note.
- 2. Strengths (What worked well):
- Highlight 1 or 2 specific aspects of their work that fully meet the rubric. Briefly quote their own text to demonstrate careful review.
- 3. Areas for improvement (The core):
- Objectively point out which elements are missing, incorrect or could be developed further according to the evaluation criteria.
- IMPORTANT: Do not provide the perfect answer. Instead, ask 1 or 2 Socratic questions to encourage reflection on gaps or mistakes.
- 4. Next steps (Bottom layer):
- Provide a clear action plan with 1 or 2 steps. What should they specifically improve, or which course resource should they revisit?
- 5. Suggested grade (Optional):
- [Pass / Needs improvement] or [Score out of 10/100], based strictly on the provided criteria.
- GOLDEN RULES OF LEARNING FEEDBACK:
- No condescension. The tone should reflect a mentor helping the learner reach their full potential.
- Be specific: Avoid vague phrases like “Good job” or “Needs more detail”. Explain why it is good or what exactly needs improvement.
- If the learner’s response is completely off-topic, gently guide them back to the original brief without sounding punitive.
- DELIVERABLE:
- Present the feedback in Markdown format, using bold text to highlight key concepts and bullet points to make improvement areas easy to read."
How to integrate this content directly into your platform
Once you’ve finished creating courses with AI, the next step is to transfer everything into your LMS. This is where eLearning platforms like evolCampus make the process much easier, allowing you to add and organise the content you’ve generated in an intuitive way, without requiring technical knowledge.
For example, if you’ve used one of the best AI prompts to create a complete module with 5 lessons, you can simply copy and paste the text into EvolCampus’ authoring tool or upload a Word document, adjusting elements such as images, videos or links.
3 tips to improve your results with ChatGPT, Claude and other LLMs
- Context: before requesting content, clearly define the role you want the AI to adopt. For example, instead of saying “Summarise this maths module”, try: “Act as a Microlearning Specialist and Educational Content Curator. Your goal is to distil extensive information or complex lessons into ultra-concise, high-impact summaries designed for fast consumption, maximising retention in minimal time.” This helps the AI understand the expected level and approach, avoiding generic and low-value outputs.
- Interaction: don’t settle for the first result. The initial AI output is rarely perfect. Refine it, request improvements or add more detail. You can also combine several ChatGPT prompts for content creation like the ones we’ve shared to further develop your modules.
- Human review: the final touch from a trainer or designer is essential. AI is a powerful support tool, but human judgement remains key. Review spelling, coherence, clarity of examples and relevance of activities. In addition, close guidance and mentoring are crucial for maintaining learner motivation.
The future of eLearning is hybrid
The integration of AI in online course creation does not mean replacing learning experts, but combining strengths to achieve high-quality results faster. The future of eLearning is hybrid, where artificial intelligence accelerates development while trainers and course designers bring their expertise, judgement and human touch.
With well-crafted prompts, it is possible to generate multiple modules quickly and scale your training, creating different versions of the same content or even full courses for different learner profiles in just a few hours.
Generative AI for eLearning also makes it possible to adapt content to different knowledge levels, professional roles or learning styles. In this way, creating courses with AI opens the door to more personalised learning experiences, something that would otherwise require significantly more time without intelligent tools.
In addition, the savings in time and costs are undeniable. Reducing development hours has a direct impact on the overall efficiency of any project. AI becomes an assistant that streamlines repetitive content creation tasks, allowing the trainer to focus on strategy and learning quality.
The future of eLearning will not be fully automated nor entirely manual. It will be a collaboration between AI and experts, where LLMs, well-designed prompts and LMS platforms work together to create faster, more scalable and more efficient learning experiences.