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Courses Module ​

The Courses module allows you to create and manage online courses with lessons, content, student enrollment, and progress tracking. This comprehensive guide covers all course management features.

Table of Contents ​

  1. Overview
  2. Accessing Courses
  3. Creating a Course
  4. Course Content Structure
  5. Sections (Modules)
  6. Lessons
  7. Content Items
  8. Course Enrollment
  9. Student Progress Tracking
  10. Course Reviews
  11. Instructors
  12. Frontend Display

Overview ​

Features ​

  • ✅ Create comprehensive online courses
  • ✅ Hierarchical content structure (Sections → Lessons → Content)
  • ✅ Multiple content types (video, text, files, quizzes)
  • ✅ Student enrollment (free and paid)
  • ✅ Progress tracking
  • ✅ Course reviews and ratings
  • ✅ Instructor management
  • ✅ Course categories
  • ✅ Secure media streaming
  • ✅ Certificate generation

Admin Routes ​

  • Course List: /admin/courses
  • Create Course: /admin/courses/create
  • Edit Course: /admin/courses/{id}/edit
  • Categories: /admin/course-categories
  • Sections: /admin/courses/{course}/sections
  • Lessons: /admin/sections/{section}/lessons
  • Content Items: /admin/lessons/{lesson}/content-items

Frontend Routes ​

  • Course Catalog: /courses
  • Course Detail: /courses/{slug}
  • Learning Dashboard: /learning/courses/{slug} (authenticated)
  • Free Enrollment: /courses/{course}/enroll/free

Accessing Courses ​

From Admin Panel ​

  1. Log in to admin panel
  2. Navigate to Learning → Courses
  3. Or go directly to: /admin/courses

Permissions Required ​

  • View Courses: view courses permission
  • Create Courses: create courses permission
  • Edit Courses: edit courses permission
  • Delete Courses: delete courses permission

Creating a Course ​

Step 1: Access Create Page ​

  1. Go to Courses → Create New Course
  2. Or navigate to: /admin/courses/create

Step 2: Basic Information ​

Course Title ​

  • Name of the course
  • Required field
  • Make it descriptive
  • Example: Complete Web Development Bootcamp

Slug ​

  • Auto-generated from title
  • Can be edited manually
  • Must be unique
  • Used in course URL
  • Example: complete-web-development-bootcamp

Short Description ​

  • Brief course overview
  • Shown in course listings
  • Recommended: 150-200 characters
  • Example: Learn web development from scratch

Full Description ​

  • Detailed course information
  • Use rich text editor
  • Include:
    • Course objectives
    • What students will learn
    • Prerequisites
    • Target audience
    • Course structure

Step 3: Course Media ​

  1. Click Set Featured Image
  2. Upload or select image
  3. Recommended size: 1200x675px
  4. Used in:
    • Course listings
    • Course detail page
    • Social sharing

Course Preview Video ​

  1. Upload preview video
  2. Or embed YouTube/Vimeo URL
  3. Shown on course page
  4. Helps students preview course

Step 4: Course Pricing ​

Pricing Options ​

Free Course:

  • Toggle Free Course
  • No payment required
  • Students enroll directly

Paid Course:

  • Set course price
  • Use decimal format (e.g., 99.99)
  • Currency set in settings
  • Payment processing required

Sale Price (Optional) ​

  • Discounted price
  • Shows as "on sale"
  • Sale badge appears

Step 5: Course Settings ​

Status ​

  • Published: Visible on website
  • Draft: Saved but not published
  • Archived: Hidden from listings

Course Level ​

Options:

  • Beginner: For newcomers
  • Intermediate: Some experience needed
  • Advanced: For experienced learners
  • All Levels: Suitable for everyone

Course Duration ​

  • Estimated course length
  • Example: 10 hours, 6 weeks
  • Helps students plan

Language ​

  • Course language
  • Default: Site default language
  • Can specify different language

Step 6: Category Assignment ​

Select Category ​

  1. Choose existing category
  2. Or create new category
  3. Can assign to multiple categories
  4. First category is primary

Common Categories:

  • Web Development
  • Design
  • Marketing
  • Business
  • Photography
  • Writing

Step 7: Instructor Assignment ​

Assign Instructor ​

  1. Select instructor from dropdown
  2. Or create new instructor
  3. Instructor profile linked
  4. Shown on course page

Instructor Features:

  • Instructor profile
  • Bio and credentials
  • Other courses
  • Student reviews

Step 8: SEO Settings ​

Meta Information ​

  • Meta Title: Search engine title
  • Meta Description: Search result description
  • Keywords: Relevant keywords

Step 9: Save Course ​

  • Save Draft: Save without publishing
  • Publish: Make course live
  • Save & Add Content: Continue to content builder

Course Content Structure ​

Hierarchy ​

Courses use a three-level structure:

Course
├── Section (Module)
│   ├── Lesson
│   │   ├── Content Item (Video)
│   │   ├── Content Item (Text)
│   │   ├── Content Item (File)
│   │   └── Content Item (Quiz)
│   └── Lesson
│       └── Content Items...
└── Section
    └── Lessons...

Content Types ​

Within Lessons:

  • Video: Video content
  • Text: Written content
  • File: Downloadable files
  • Quiz: Assessment questions
  • Assignment: Student assignments

Sections (Modules) ​

Creating Sections ​

Route: /admin/courses/{course}/sections

  1. Go to course edit page
  2. Scroll to Course Content section
  3. Click Add Section
  4. Enter:
    • Title: Section name
    • Description: Section overview (optional)
    • Order: Display order
  5. Click Save
  6. Section created

Managing Sections ​

Edit Section ​

Route: /admin/sections/{section}/update

  1. Click Edit on section
  2. Modify title or description
  3. Click Update
  4. Changes saved

Delete Section ​

Route: /admin/sections/{section}/destroy

  1. Click Delete on section
  2. Confirm deletion
  3. Warning: All lessons in section are deleted
  4. Section removed

Reorder Sections ​

Route: /admin/courses/{course}/sections/reorder

  1. Drag sections up/down
  2. Or use arrow buttons
  3. Order saved automatically
  4. Sections reordered

Lessons ​

Creating Lessons ​

Route: /admin/sections/{section}/lessons

  1. Go to section
  2. Click Add Lesson
  3. Enter:
    • Title: Lesson name
    • Description: Lesson overview (optional)
    • Duration: Lesson length (optional)
    • Order: Display order
  4. Click Save
  5. Lesson created

Managing Lessons ​

Edit Lesson ​

Route: /admin/lessons/{lesson}/update

  1. Click Edit on lesson
  2. Modify lesson details
  3. Add content items
  4. Click Update

Delete Lesson ​

Route: /admin/lessons/{lesson}/destroy

  1. Click Delete on lesson
  2. Confirm deletion
  3. Warning: All content items are deleted
  4. Lesson removed

Reorder Lessons ​

Route: /admin/sections/{section}/lessons/reorder

  1. Drag lessons up/down
  2. Or use arrow buttons
  3. Order saved automatically

Content Items ​

Creating Content Items ​

Route: /admin/lessons/{lesson}/content-items

  1. Go to lesson
  2. Click Add Content
  3. Select content type:
    • Video
    • Text
    • File
    • Quiz
  4. Configure content
  5. Click Save

Content Types ​

Video Content ​

Options:

  • Upload Video: Self-hosted video
  • YouTube URL: Embed YouTube video
  • Vimeo URL: Embed Vimeo video
  • Other URL: Embed from other sources

Settings:

  • Video title
  • Description
  • Duration
  • Autoplay (optional)
  • Controls

Security:

  • Videos streamed securely
  • Access requires enrollment
  • Download protection

Text Content ​

Features:

  • Rich text editor
  • Formatting options
  • Images and media
  • Code blocks
  • Lists and tables

Use Cases:

  • Lesson notes
  • Reading materials
  • Instructions
  • Summaries

File Content ​

Supported Formats:

  • PDF documents
  • Word documents
  • PowerPoint
  • ZIP archives
  • Other files

Settings:

  • File name
  • Description
  • Download limit (optional)
  • Expiration (optional)

Security:

  • Files stored securely
  • Access requires enrollment
  • Download tracking

Quiz Content ​

Features:

  • Multiple choice questions
  • True/False questions
  • Short answer questions
  • Essay questions

Settings:

  • Question text
  • Answer options
  • Correct answer
  • Points/score
  • Time limit (optional)

Course Enrollment ​

Free Enrollment ​

Route: /courses/{course}/enroll/free

Process:

  1. Student visits course page
  2. Clicks "Enroll Free" button
  3. If not logged in, prompted to login/register
  4. Enrollment confirmed
  5. Access to course content granted

Process:

  1. Student visits course page
  2. Clicks "Enroll Now" or "Buy Course"
  3. Redirected to checkout
  4. Completes payment
  5. Enrollment confirmed
  6. Access granted

Enrollment Management ​

Admin Can:

  • View enrolled students
  • Manually enroll students
  • Remove enrollments
  • View enrollment statistics

Student Progress Tracking ​

Progress Features ​

Route: /learning/courses/{course}/lessons/{lesson}/progress

Track Lesson Progress ​

  1. Student views lesson
  2. System tracks:
    • Time spent
    • Content viewed
    • Completion status

Mark Lesson Complete ​

Route: /learning/courses/{course}/lessons/{lesson}/complete

  1. Student completes lesson
  2. Clicks "Mark Complete"
  3. Progress updated
  4. Next lesson unlocked

View Course Progress ​

Route: /learning/courses/{course}/progress

Displayed:

  • Overall progress percentage
  • Completed lessons
  • Remaining lessons
  • Time spent
  • Last activity

Progress Dashboard ​

Features:

  • Course completion
  • Lesson-by-lesson progress
  • Time tracking
  • Achievement badges (if enabled)
  • Certificates (if enabled)

Course Reviews ​

Student Reviews ​

Route: /courses/{course}/reviews/store

Students can:

  1. Complete course (or partially)
  2. Leave review
  3. Rate course (1-5 stars)
  4. Write written review
  5. Submit review

Managing Reviews ​

Admin Can:

  • View all reviews
  • Approve/reject reviews
  • Edit reviews
  • Delete reviews
  • Respond to reviews

Review Display ​

Shown:

  • Star rating
  • Review text
  • Student name
  • Review date
  • Helpful votes (if enabled)

Instructors ​

Instructor Profiles ​

Route: /instructors/{slug}

Features:

  • Instructor bio
  • Credentials
  • Profile photo
  • Social links
  • Other courses
  • Student reviews

Assigning Instructors ​

  1. Edit course
  2. Select instructor
  3. Instructor linked to course
  4. Shown on course page

Frontend Display ​

Course Catalog ​

URL: /courses

Features:

  • All published courses
  • Category filtering
  • Search functionality
  • Course cards with:
    • Featured image
    • Title and description
    • Instructor
    • Price
    • Rating
    • Student count

Course Detail Page ​

URL: /courses/{slug}

Features:

  • Full course information
  • Course curriculum
  • Instructor information
  • Reviews and ratings
  • Enrollment button
  • Related courses

Learning Dashboard ​

URL: /learning/courses/{slug} (authenticated)

Features:

  • Course content
  • Progress tracking
  • Lesson navigation
  • Content player
  • Notes (if enabled)
  • Certificates (if enabled)

Best Practices ​

Course Creation ​

  1. Plan Structure:

    • Outline course content
    • Organize into sections
    • Break into lessons
    • Plan content types

  2. Quality Content:

    • High-quality videos
    • Clear instructions
    • Engaging materials
    • Regular updates

  3. Student Experience:

    • Clear navigation
    • Progress indicators
    • Easy access
    • Mobile-friendly

Content Organization ​

  1. Logical Flow:

    • Start with basics
    • Progress to advanced
    • Build on previous lessons
    • Clear learning path

  2. Varied Content:

    • Mix video and text
    • Include exercises
    • Add quizzes
    • Provide resources

  3. Regular Updates:

    • Keep content current
    • Fix errors
    • Add new content
    • Update materials

Troubleshooting ​

Course Not Displaying ​

Solutions:

  1. Check status (must be Published)
  2. Verify category is published
  3. Clear cache
  4. Check frontend settings

Content Not Loading ​

Solutions:

  1. Verify student is enrolled
  2. Check content permissions
  3. Verify media files exist
  4. Check file permissions

Progress Not Tracking ​

Solutions:

  1. Verify tracking is enabled
  2. Check student enrollment
  3. Clear cache
  4. Verify database connection

Last Updated: [Date will be updated during final review]

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