Top 12 Course Developer Skills to Put on Your Resume

Crafting a resume as a course developer isn’t just listing tools. It’s proof that you can shape learning into something people actually finish and remember. The right skills do the heavy lifting: they show how you plan instruction, build interactivity, make content accessible, and measure what works. Below, you’ll find twelve core skills employers look for and practical ways to sharpen them, refreshed for today’s platforms and standards.

Course Developer Skills

1. Instructional Design
2. Articulate Storyline
3. Adobe Captivate
4. SCORM Compliance
5. LMS Integration
6. HTML5
7. CSS3
8. JavaScript
9. Camtasia
10. Moodle
11. Learning Analytics
12. UX/UI Principles

1. Instructional Design

Instructional design is the systematic creation of learning experiences that align goals, content, activities, and assessments so learners move from exposure to mastery without guesswork.

Why It's Important

It anchors everything. Clear objectives, purposeful sequencing, and well-chosen strategies turn content into outcomes. Better alignment, better retention, happier learners.

How to Improve Instructional Design Skills

Blend theory with iteration and evidence.

1. Know your learners: Personas, prior knowledge checks, and context interviews prevent mismatches.

2. Write measurable objectives: Use Bloom’s Taxonomy verbs and tie each to an assessment and activity.

3. Structure learning: Use models like Gagné’s events or Merrill’s principles to pace attention, practice, and feedback.

4. Prototype fast: Build small, test with a few learners, fix, repeat. Short cycles beat big launches.

5. Assess often: Formative checks, self-assessments, and reflection prompts surface gaps early.

6. Design for access: Follow WCAG-aligned practices: transcripts, alt text, contrast, captions, keyboard nav.

7. Evaluate outcomes: Use the ADDIE or SAM mindset—analyze, design, develop, implement, evaluate—and loop back with data.

Do the invisible work up front, and everything else gets easier.

How to Display Instructional Design Skills on Your Resume

2. Articulate Storyline

A go-to authoring tool for interactive, responsive eLearning with variables, triggers, states, and quizzes that make content feel alive.

Why It's Important

Rapid development without sacrificing polish. It scales from quick modules to complex branching scenarios that adapt to learner choices.

How to Improve Articulate Storyline Skills

1. Master the core: Triggers, layers, states, variables. Build mini demos to cement each.

2. Create reusable systems: Templates, slide masters, and design systems speed consistency.

3. Branch with intent: Map scenarios first on paper; limit branches to decisions that matter.

4. Polish accessibility: Tab order, alt text, contrast, focus states, closed captions.

5. Optimize performance: Compress media, limit heavy animations, preload wisely.

6. Borrow smartly: Use templates and component libraries, then refine to your brand.

7. Test on real devices: Check touch targets, fonts, and narration sync on phones and tablets.

How to Display Articulate Storyline Skills on Your Resume

3. Adobe Captivate

An authoring tool for responsive courses, software simulations, and scenario-based learning. The latest releases streamline mobile design and interactions.

Why It's Important

It shines for system training: simulations, step-by-step walkthroughs, and assessments that mirror real tasks.

How to Improve Adobe Captivate Skills

1. Start responsive: Design with fluid boxes or responsive projects from the first slide.

2. Use variables and actions: Personalize paths, track progress, and add logic without code.

3. Build clean sims: Record, then refine hotspots, captions, and hints so learners don’t get stuck.

4. Streamline with themes: Create themes and object styles for consistent typography and color.

5. Trim media weight: Compress audio/video, standardize frame rates, and pre-process clips.

6. Check accessibility: Screen reader labels, focus order, keyboard access, transcripts, captions.

7. Iterate with feedback: Pilot with a small cohort and revise before scaling.

How to Display Adobe Captivate Skills on Your Resume

4. SCORM Compliance

Packaging and tracking content so it plays nicely in standards-based LMS environments and records the right data. Today, awareness of xAPI and cmi5 is increasingly expected alongside SCORM.

Why It's Important

Interoperability. Portability. Fewer headaches when content moves between systems or when organizations upgrade platforms.

How to Improve SCORM Compliance Skills

1. Know the specs: SCORM 1.2 vs 2004 (editions, bookmarking, sequencing). Understand runtime data elements.

2. Test early: Use a neutral sandbox to validate launch, suspend data, completion, score, and reporting.

3. Capture the right data: Map objectives to completion criteria. Be explicit about pass/fail, success, and completion.

4. Handle resume data: Keep suspend data lean to avoid limits; store only what you need.

5. Plan for the future: Learn xAPI and cmi5 basics for richer analytics and beyond-LMS tracking.

6. Document settings: Record your publish settings and LMS launch parameters for repeatability.

How to Display SCORM Compliance Skills on Your Resume

5. LMS Integration

Connecting courses, tools, and data with the LMS so learners get seamless access and admins get trustworthy reporting.

Why It's Important

It cuts friction. Single sign-on, clean enrollments, reliable tracking, and simpler maintenance keep learning moving.

How to Improve LMS Integration Skills

1. Use standards: Support LTI (including LTI Advantage 1.3), SCORM, xAPI, and, where needed, cmi5.

2. SSO first: Implement single sign-on through your identity provider to reduce login fatigue.

3. Leverage APIs: Automate enrollments, completions, and user sync with the LMS API where possible.

4. Design mobile-first: Test flows on phones and tablets—logins, deep links, downloads.

5. Harden access: Map roles and permissions carefully; protect PII; follow org security guidelines.

6. Test end-to-end: Pilot with a small cohort; validate reporting fields match business needs.

7. Monitor and iterate: Set up alerts and dashboards for failures, timeouts, and drop-offs.

How to Display LMS Integration Skills on Your Resume

6. HTML5

The backbone markup for modern web content. Semantics, media, and APIs that keep learning modules fast, accessible, and plugin-free.

Why It's Important

Consistency across browsers and devices. Cleaner structure. Better accessibility hooks. Multimedia without extra fuss.

How to Improve HTML5 Skills

1. Think semantic: Use the right elements—header, nav, main, section, article, footer—for meaning, not looks.

2. Embed media well: Use native audio/video with captions, transcripts, and fallback text.

3. Forms that guide: Lean on input types, labels, and validation attributes to reduce errors.

4. Use relevant APIs: Canvas for drawing, Drag and Drop, Fullscreen, and media events where they add value.

5. Accessibility first: Landmarks, alt text, ARIA only when required, logical focus order.

6. Componentize: Break content into reusable snippets for easier maintenance.

How to Display HTML5 Skills on Your Resume

7. CSS3

Modern CSS for layout, design, motion, and responsiveness. Grid, Flexbox, variables, and media queries bring structure and style without heavy code.

Why It's Important

Clear visuals reduce cognitive load. Good spacing and contrast drive comprehension. Responsive layouts meet learners where they are.

How to Improve CSS3 Skills

1. Own layout: Get comfortable with Flexbox for components and Grid for pages.

2. Design tokens: Use CSS variables for colors, spacing, and type scales to stay consistent.

3. Responsive from the start: Mobile-first media queries, fluid typography, and container queries where available.

4. Accessible color: Meet contrast ratios; avoid color-only cues.

5. Motion with care: Use prefers-reduced-motion, gentle transitions, and purposeful animations.

6. Performance matters: Prune unused styles, minify, and keep specificity low.

How to Display CSS3 Skills on Your Resume

8. JavaScript

The behavior layer for interactivity, logic, and data handling in web-based courses and learning tools.

Why It's Important

From responsive interactions to adaptive feedback and custom tracking, it powers what static pages can’t.

How to Improve JavaScript Skills

1. Master the core: Scope, closures, async/await, modules, and the DOM.

2. Build small tools: Tabs, accordions, quizzes, timers—no frameworks—then refactor.

3. Test your code: Write unit tests for logic and edge cases; lint for consistency.

4. Handle data: Fetch API, JSON parsing, debouncing/throttling, error handling.

5. Accessibility in JS: Manage focus, ARIA states, and keyboard controls.

6. Practice regularly: Use challenge platforms (Exercism, LeetCode) and code reviews to level up.

How to Display JavaScript Skills on Your Resume

9. Camtasia

Screen recording and video editing for clean tutorials, demos, and explainers that look professional without a production crew.

Why It's Important

Video is still the fastest way to show, not tell. Polished clips boost clarity and reduce support requests.

How to Improve Camtasia Skills

1. Capture clean audio: Use a quality mic, reduce room noise, and normalize levels.

2. Edit with purpose: Cut tight, use callouts sparingly, animate to direct attention—not to decorate.

3. Use b-roll and zooms: Focus on key UI areas and pace to match narration.

4. Caption everything: Accurate captions and transcripts boost accessibility and search.

5. Template your brand: Intros, lower thirds, and end screens as reusable assets.

6. Export wisely: Balance resolution, bitrate, and file size for your delivery platform.

How to Display Camtasia Skills on Your Resume

10. Moodle

An open-source LMS with deep flexibility for courses, assessments, analytics, and integrations.

Why It's Important

It adapts to many learning models—self-paced, blended, cohort-based—and can be customized to fit complex organizational needs.

How to Improve Moodle Skills

1. Design for clarity: Use sections, labels, and activity names that reduce clicks and confusion.

2. Go responsive: Theme and test for mobile; optimize images and simplify layouts.

3. Engage with interactivity: Leverage quizzes, forums, H5P, and completion rules to drive participation.

4. Assess with intent: Use rubrics, question banks, and conditional release aligned to objectives.

5. Track and act: Use reports and analytics to spot at-risk learners and tweak pacing.

6. Maintain and secure: Keep plugins updated, back up routinely, and audit roles/permissions.

How to Display Moodle Skills on Your Resume

11. Learning Analytics

Collecting and interpreting learner data to improve design, personalize pathways, and prove impact.

Why It's Important

It turns guesses into decisions. You learn what works, for whom, and where friction hides.

How to Improve Learning Analytics Skills

1. Set clear questions: Define what you want to know before you collect anything.

2. Choose the signals: Completion, attempts, time-on-task, assessment scores, discussion activity—pick metrics tied to objectives.

3. Instrument well: Use SCORM data, xAPI statements, or cmi5 events to capture meaningful actions.

4. Visualize: Dashboards that highlight trends, outliers, and progression tell the story fast.

5. Close the loop: Act on insights—revise content, adjust practice, change feedback timing—and measure again.

6. Protect privacy: Follow data policies, minimize PII, and secure your storage.

How to Display Learning Analytics Skills on Your Resume

12. UX/UI Principles

Designing interfaces that are easy to navigate, readable, and inclusive—so learners spend energy learning, not hunting for buttons.

Why It's Important

Good UX lowers cognitive load. Clear hierarchy, predictable patterns, and accessible choices keep learners in flow.

How to Improve UX/UI Principles Skills

1. Research first: Quick interviews, surveys, and usability tests reveal real obstacles.

2. Map navigation: Information architecture with shallow hierarchies and consistent menus wins.

3. Meet accessibility: Contrast, captions, keyboard support, descriptive alt text, and error prevention.

4. Design responsively: Grids, flexible media, and component patterns that adapt gracefully.

5. Speed matters: Optimize assets; reduce blocking scripts; lazy-load where sensible.

6. Iterate with evidence: Heatmaps, task success rates, and feedback loops drive continuous improvements.

How to Display UX/UI Principles Skills on Your Resume