Courses
What is a Course?
Courses are the main containers for learning content.
Each Course contains an ordered curriculum of learning modules, which can be organized into sections to create a clear structure for learners.
Courses can be assigned directly to learners or combined with other Courses into a Learning Path.
Course curriculum
A Course curriculum determines the content a learner works through and the order in which it appears.
Standard module types include:
- Lessons for written, video and other learning content
- Quizzes for assessed questions and knowledge checks
- SCORM for externally authored SCORM learning packages
- Surveys for collecting learner responses and feedback
Shapeshift also supports Webinars, although these typically require additional configuration or customization for the way your platform delivers live learning.
Modules can be arranged into sections to organize longer Courses into logical topics or stages.
Course progression
Courses can use either free or linear progression.
With free progression, learners can access available modules in any order.
With linear progression, learners must work through the Course curriculum in sequence. A learner must complete the current module before progressing to the next.
Course completion
A Course is completed when the learner has completed the modules required by their enrollment.
Shapeshift tracks module-level progress as the learner works through the Course and uses this to determine their overall Course progress and completion.
Because enrollments retain the curriculum assigned to the learner, changes to a Course do not necessarily alter the requirements for learners who were already enrolled. This helps preserve historical completion records when Course content changes over time.
Course certificates
Courses can be configured to award a certificate when the learner completes the Course.
Course certificates are separate from Learning Path certificates. Where both are enabled, a learner can receive a certificate for completing an individual Course as well as a certificate for completing the overall Learning Path.
Courses and Learning Paths
Courses can be combined into Learning Paths to create larger learning journeys.
A learner can also be enrolled directly onto a Course without being enrolled onto a Learning Path.
Where Courses are made available to an Organization, they can also be used by Organization Owners to create Learning Paths where this functionality is enabled.