Creating Lessons in the Training Module

Lessons are the fundamental content units within courses, delivering training material to learners through diverse formats including text, files, videos, embedded content, and assessments. Creating lessons within course chapters enables administrators to construct comprehensive learning experiences that accommodate different learning styles, content types, and instructional approaches while maintaining organized course structure.

Lesson creation involves selecting appropriate content types, configuring lesson metadata, and positioning lessons within chapter structure to support logical learning progression. The Training Module supports six primary lesson types—Text, Upload, Embed, YouTube/Vimeo, Quiz, and Import—each serving distinct instructional purposes and enabling varied content delivery methods that align with learning objectives.

Requirements

To create course content, users must be assigned a security role with one of the following permissions:

Administrator System Role

Access Level: Training Manager, Manage Courses

Prerequisites for Lesson Creation

Before creating lessons, ensure:

Course exists with saved course record

At least one chapter is created within course for lesson organization

You have access to content materials (files, videos, text) for lesson development

Learning objectives are defined to guide appropriate lesson type selection

Accessing Lesson Creation

1. Navigate to the Training module from your portal navigation menu

2. Click the Courses tab in the primary navigation

3. Click the course name containing chapter where lesson will be created

4. Ensure Contents tab is selected (default view)

5. Locate the chapter where lesson should be added

6. Click the three-dot actions menu on the right side of the chapter

7. Select lesson type from Add Content section of chapter actions menu

Lesson Types Overview

The Training Module supports six lesson types, each serving specific instructional purposes and content delivery requirements.

Text Lessons

Purpose: Deliver formatted text content with headings, lists, embedded links, and images

Best For: Explanations, instructions, policies, procedures, reference materials

Content Support: Rich text formatting, hyperlinks, embedded images, tables, lists

Upload Lessons

Purpose: Deliver file-based content including documents, presentations, media, and xAPI packages

Best For: Downloadable resources, presentations, PDFs, media files, external authoring tool content

Supported Formats: Images (.jpg, .gif, .png), Documents (.pdf, .doc, .docx), Presentations (.ppt, .pptx), Spreadsheets (.xls, .xlsx), Media (.mp3, .mp4), Text (.txt), Data (.xml), xAPI/Tin Can packages (.zip)

Embed Lessons

Purpose: Integrate external HTML content including iframes, widgets, and interactive elements

Best For: Third-party tools, simulations, custom interactive content, external applications

Content Support: HTML code, iframes, JavaScript widgets, external embeds

YouTube/Vimeo Lessons

Purpose: Embed video content from YouTube or Vimeo platforms

Best For: Video tutorials, demonstrations, recorded presentations, expert interviews

Platform Support: YouTube and Vimeo video hosting services

Quiz Lessons

Purpose: Assess learner knowledge through interactive questions and answers

Best For: Knowledge checks, chapter assessments, final exams, certification tests

Question Support: Multiple-choice, keyword, free text, file upload, info pages

Import Lessons

Purpose: Reuse existing lessons or quizzes from other courses through link or clone

Best For: Standardized content, content consistency, efficient course development

Import Options: Link (shared content) or Clone (independent copy)

Creating Text Lessons

Text lessons deliver formatted content through rich text editor supporting comprehensive text formatting and embedded media.

Text Lesson Creation Workflow

1. Click chapter actions menu (three-dot icon) on chapter where lesson should be added

2. Select Text from Add Content section

3. Enter Name (required) for lesson title displayed in course navigation

4. Enter Description (optional) providing lesson overview or context

5. Select Language matching course language for interface consistency

6. Enter lesson content in Content rich text editor using formatting tools

7. Click Save to create lesson and add to chapter

8. Click Cancel to discard lesson creation without saving

Rich Text Editor Features

Text Formatting: Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, font colors, highlighting

Structure: Headings (H1-H6), paragraphs, line breaks, horizontal rules

Lists: Bulleted lists, numbered lists, indentation controls

Links: Hyperlinks to external websites or internal resources

Images: Embedded images from uploaded files or external URLs

Tables: Structured data presentation with rows, columns, and formatting

Alignment: Left, center, right, justified text alignment

Text Lesson Best Practices

Break long content into logical sections with headings for improved readability

Use lists and tables to organize information clearly and efficiently

Include hyperlinks to external resources or related course materials

Embed images to illustrate concepts and maintain learner engagement

Keep paragraphs concise to support scanning and comprehension

Use formatting consistently across text lessons for professional presentation

Creating Upload Lessons

Upload lessons enable file-based content delivery, supporting diverse formats from documents to media files and xAPI packages.

Upload Lesson Creation Workflow

1. Click chapter actions menu on chapter where lesson should be added

2. Select Upload from Add Content section

3. Click Add File button to open file selection dialog

4. Select file from computer (supported formats include images, documents, presentations, spreadsheets, media, xAPI packages)

5. Name field auto-populates with filename (edit if desired for clearer lesson identification)

6. Enter Description (optional) explaining file content or usage instructions

7. Select Language matching course language

8. Click Save to create lesson with uploaded file

9. Click Cancel to discard lesson creation without saving

File Size Limitations

Images (JPG, PNG, GIF): Maximum 20MB per file

Tin Can/xAPI Files (ZIP): Maximum 2GB per file

Other Files (PPT, DOC, PDF, etc.): Maximum 200MB per file

Supported File Formats

Images: .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif for visual content and graphics

Documents: .pdf, .doc, .docx, .txt for text-based materials

Presentations: .ppt, .pptx for slideshow content

Spreadsheets: .xls, .xlsx for data and calculations

Media: .mp3, .mp4 for audio and video content

Data: .xml for structured data

Interactive: .zip (xAPI/Tin Can format) for external authoring tool content

Other: .swf for legacy Flash content (browser-dependent)

Upload Lesson Best Practices

Name files descriptively before upload to ensure meaningful lesson titles

Optimize file sizes to minimize download time for learners

Test uploaded files to verify they display or download correctly in learner view

Use xAPI/Tin Can packages for content created in external authoring tools (Articulate, Captivate, etc.)

Include file format in lesson description when multiple formats might confuse learners

Consider accessibility when uploading files (provide alternative formats when appropriate)

Creating Embed Lessons

Embed lessons integrate external HTML content, enabling third-party tools, simulations, and custom interactive elements within courses.

Embed Lesson Creation Workflow

1. Click chapter actions menu on chapter where lesson should be added

2. Select Embed from Add Content section

3. Enter Name (required) for lesson title

4. Enter Description (optional) explaining embedded content purpose

5. Select Language matching course language

6. Paste HTML embed code in Embed Code field

7. Click Save to create lesson with embedded content

8. Click Cancel to discard lesson creation without saving

Embed Code Sources

Third-Party Tools: Interactive simulations, games, assessments from external platforms

iframes: Embedded websites or web applications within course content

Widgets: Custom JavaScript components providing interactive functionality

External Content: Content hosted on external servers but displayed within course

Embed Lesson Best Practices

Test embedded content thoroughly to verify functionality within course environment

Ensure embedded content is responsive and displays correctly on different devices

Verify external content sources are reliable and will remain accessible to learners

Use HTTPS URLs for embedded content to ensure security and compatibility

Provide fallback instructions if embedded content fails to load for learners

Consider browser compatibility when embedding complex interactive content

Creating YouTube/Vimeo Lessons

Video lessons embed content from YouTube or Vimeo platforms, providing engaging multimedia learning experiences.

YouTube/Vimeo Lesson Creation Workflow

1. Click chapter actions menu on chapter where lesson should be added

2. Select YouTube/Vimeo from Add Content section

3. Click YouTube or Vimeo tab based on video platform

4. Enter video ID in Id or Search Videos field, or search by video title

5. Click Preview Video to verify correct video selection

6. Enter Description (optional) providing video context or key takeaways

7. Select Language matching course language

8. Click Save to create lesson with embedded video

9. Click Cancel to discard lesson creation without saving

Finding Video IDs

YouTube: Video ID appears in URL after "v=" parameter (e.g., youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID)

Vimeo: Video ID is the numeric value in URL (e.g., vimeo.com/VIDEO_ID)

Video Lesson Best Practices

Preview videos before adding to course to verify appropriate content and quality

Use video descriptions to highlight key learning points or prerequisite knowledge

Consider video length when integrating into courses (shorter videos often more effective)

Verify videos are set to public or unlisted (not private) to ensure learner access

Include transcripts or captions when possible to support accessibility

Test video playback in learner view to confirm proper embedding and display

Importing Lessons from Other Courses

Lesson import enables content reuse across courses through linking or cloning, supporting consistent content delivery and efficient development.

Import Lesson/Quiz Workflow

1. Click chapter actions menu on chapter where lesson should be added

2. Select Import Lesson/Quiz from Add Content section

3. Enter lesson name or course name in search field to locate existing content

4. Review search results showing lesson names, associated courses, and content types

5. Click checkbox beside desired lesson or quiz to select for import

6. Click Link to create shared lesson where future updates affect all linked courses

7. Click Clone to create independent lesson copy unaffected by original changes

8. Click Close to cancel import without adding lesson

Link Versus Clone Decision for Lessons

Choose Link when:

Lesson represents standardized content requiring consistency across courses

Content updates should propagate automatically to all courses sharing lesson

Maintaining single source of truth simplifies version control

Multiple courses deliver identical content to different audiences

Choose Clone when:

Lesson provides starting point for customized content variation

Course requires modified version without affecting original

Content independence necessary for different requirements

Experimental modifications should not impact established courses

Best Practices and Recommendations

Lesson Type Selection

Match lesson type to content format and learning objective for optimal effectiveness

Use text lessons for explanations requiring formatted content and embedded media

Use upload lessons for downloadable resources and external authoring tool content

Use video lessons for demonstrations, tutorials, and visual instruction

Use embed lessons for interactive content requiring third-party tools

Use quizzes strategically to assess knowledge at appropriate learning milestones

Content Development

Define clear learning objectives before creating lessons to ensure focused content

Keep individual lessons focused on single topics or concepts

Balance lesson complexity with learner capacity and available learning time

Use varied lesson types to accommodate different learning styles and maintain engagement

Test all lessons in learner view before course publication to verify proper display and functionality

Content Organization

Order lessons within chapters to build knowledge progressively

Group related lessons in chapters for logical content organization

Use lesson descriptions effectively to set expectations and provide context

Maintain consistent naming conventions across similar lesson types

Consider adding estimated completion time to lesson names for time management support

Content Quality

Review lessons for accuracy, clarity, and alignment with learning objectives

Edit lesson content regularly to maintain currency and relevance

Gather learner feedback to identify content improvements

Update file-based lessons when source materials change or improve

Verify all hyperlinks in text lessons remain active and relevant

Troubleshooting Tips

Cannot Add Lesson to Chapter

Verify you have Manage Courses permissions at appropriate scope level

Confirm chapter exists in course before attempting lesson creation

Check that course sharing settings allow your content modifications

Refresh browser page if chapter actions menu appears unresponsive

File Upload Failing

Verify file size does not exceed maximum limits for file type

Confirm file format is included in supported format list

Check internet connection stability during upload operation

Try uploading smaller file or different format if upload consistently fails

Embedded Content Not Displaying

Verify embed code is complete and correctly formatted HTML

Check that external content source allows embedding in iframes

Confirm external URLs use HTTPS protocol for security compatibility

Test embedded content in learner view to verify display and functionality

Video Not Playing in Lesson

Verify video ID is correct for selected platform (YouTube or Vimeo)

Confirm video privacy settings allow public or unlisted access (not private)

Check that video still exists and has not been removed from platform

Test video playback in learner view using different browsers

Imported Lesson Missing Content

Verify you selected Clone option if independent content copy was desired

Confirm original lesson contained content at time of import operation

Check permissions allow access to content within imported lesson

Review search results carefully before importing to verify correct lesson selection

Video: creating course content

See more:

• Uploading Lessons from Authoring Tools

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