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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

Featured Image

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

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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

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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

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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

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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)

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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

Paid Enrollment

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

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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)

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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)

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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

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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)

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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

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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

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Related Documentation

• Products Module
• Payment Gateways
• User Management

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