Course Description

Transform any subject into a structured, high-impact online course by combining traditional research methodologies with modern AI tools.

This course guides you from your initial idea to a fully realised learning experience using the 'Hourglass Methodology'. This systematic approach moves from broad ideation through focused consolidation to expansive application, ensuring your educational product is both rigorous and engaging.

The course is structured around the three critical phases of the 'Hourglass Framework':

The Top Section: Ideation & Strategy 

  • Widen your perspective through brainstorming and strategic planning.
  • Leverage AI agents to create a rich 'Topic Pool' - your reservoir of potential themes.
  • Transform general ideas into specific research questions that address real learning gaps.


The Middle Neck: Consolidation & Methodology 

  • Enter the 'Narrow Neck', where critical decisions happen.
  • Evaluate AI-generated sources against academic journals and industry data for quality and credibility.
  • Organise AI outputs into coherent course structures while mastering citation techniques for academic rigor.


The Bottom Base: Implementation & Impact 

  • Transform complex research into high-impact visuals and marketing-ready assets using AI design tools.
  • Scale your training with AI-driven video production for global reach.
  • Validate learner skills through interactive assessments and practical simulations.


The AI Toolstack provided will allow you to gain hands-on experience with a curated selection of industry-leading AI tools:

Research & Ideation: Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Perplexity AI, Google Gemini, and Consensus.

Structure & Design: Coursebox AI, MindMeister AI, Gamma.app, and Canva Magic Studio.

Production & Assessment: HeyGen, Synthesia, ElevenLabs, Quizgecko, and Nolej.

Longevity & Growth: Chatbase for custom AI tutors and Typeform AI for student feedback.

What you will learn

  • Master a Proven Scientific Framework

    Master a systematic framework to transform "good chaos" into structured, high-impact learning, moving with precision from broad ideation to rigorous, research-backed syllabus design.

  • Architect Your Digital Faculty: Advanced AI Integration

    Go beyond simple prompts to build an ecosystem of AI agents that automate deep literature reviews, primary source interrogation, and 24/7 autonomous student support.

  • Global Production: Scalable Expert Presence

    Leverage AI avatars and voice cloning to produce professional-grade video lectures at scale, bypassing traditional studios to reach a global audience in multiple languages instantly.

Course curriculum

  1. 01

    • Introducing the Hourglass Framework by Dr. Maria Makaronidou

    • Quiz 1

    • end of v.1.1
  2. 02

    • Consolidation & Methodology

    • Quiz 2

    • exit v1.2
  3. 03

    • AI tools Table presentation - part 1

    • Quiz 3

    • exit v2.1
  4. 04

    • AI tools Table presentation - part 2

    • Quiz 4

    • exit v2.2
  5. 05

    • Engagement, Implementation & Evaluation

    • Quiz 5

    • exit 3.1
  6. 06

    • Usefull links (AI tools table)

Who is it for

  • Educators & Subject Matter Experts: Professionals ready to automate the "heavy lifting" of course creation without sacrificing academic or technical quality.

  • Innovators in Learning: Creators looking to transform their expertise into a professional, self-evolving digital legacy.

  • Efficiency-Driven Architects: Anyone seeking a systematic, AI-powered framework to move from a raw idea to a global-scale educational product.

Course Instructor

About your Instructor

Dr. Maria Makaronidou is a Forest Engineer and Environmental Scientist who earned her PhD in Environmental Science from Lancaster University (2020), focusing on the local climate effects of solar parks. She also holds an Integrated Master in Forestry and Natural Environment from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), specialising in forest infrastructure and ArcGIS. Currently, she serves as an AI-Learning Design and Strategy Consultant at GOVADI, developing geospatial courses for the geo.university platform. Her extensive academic career includes serving as an Associate Lecturer and Tutor at Lancaster University (2015–2019), where she led along with class lectures, field research in Mediterranean ecosystems and workshops on energy metrics. From 2025 to the present, she continues her teaching as an Adjunct Lecturer at AUTh, instructing courses on Snow Science, Hydraulics, and Environmental Geotechnical works. Simultaneously, she is a Scientific Associate at the Athena Research Center, managing European projects like SciLake and EOSC-EVERSE. Her expertise spans Agrivoltaics, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), and the application of AI and Big Data in environmental configurations. Further, Maria is a member of the EOSC expert group and the Geotechnical Chamber of Greece. Her research is widely published, covering microclimatic variability and the ecological footprint of infrastructure.

Maria Makaronidou

Senior Instructor

Course Instructor

About your Instructor

Dr. Maria Makaronidou is a Forest Engineer and Environmental Scientist who earned her PhD in Environmental Science from Lancaster University (2020), focusing on the local climate effects of solar parks. She also holds an Integrated Master in Forestry and Natural Environment from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), specialising in forest infrastructure and ArcGIS. Currently, she serves as an AI-Learning Design and Strategy Consultant at GOVADI, developing geospatial courses for the geo.university platform. Her extensive academic career includes serving as an Associate Lecturer and Tutor at Lancaster University (2015–2019), where she led along with class lectures, field research in Mediterranean ecosystems and workshops on energy metrics. From 2025 to the present, she continues her teaching as an Adjunct Lecturer at AUTh, instructing courses on Snow Science, Hydraulics, and Environmental Geotechnical works. Simultaneously, she is a Scientific Associate at the Athena Research Center, managing European projects like SciLake and EOSC-EVERSE. Her expertise spans Agrivoltaics, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), and the application of AI and Big Data in environmental configurations. Further, Maria is a member of the EOSC expert group and the Geotechnical Chamber of Greece. Her research is widely published, covering microclimatic variability and the ecological footprint of infrastructure.

Maria Makaronidou

Senior Instructor

Some more information

  • Certificates of Completion

    After you successfully finish the course, you can claim your Certificate of Completion with NO extra cost! You can add it to your CV, LinkedIn profile etc.

  • Available at any time! Study at your best time.

    We know hard it is to acquire new skills. All our courses are self paced.

  • Online and always accessible

    Even when you finish the course and you get your certificate, you will still have access to course contents! Every time an Instructor makes an update you will be notified and be able to watch it for FREE.