Create Learning Paths

Create a sequence of lessons to help learners achieve deep understanding of a given subject or knowledge domain

Hannah Walt avatar
Written by Hannah Walt
Updated over a week ago

In This Article


What Is a Path?

Paths provide a series of lessons for users to follow in a set order. Content creators can combine relevant lessons and paths into one place for an automated learning process.

A good way to think of a path vs. a lesson is the path is the book and the lessons are the chapters within the book. πŸ“š


How to Create A New Path

To create a path, navigate to the Content tab, select New Content, then select New Path.

πŸ’‘ Tip: Lessons must be published before they can be added to a path.

After selecting New Path, the path edit page opens prompting the creator to insert a pathname and include lessons, other paths, certifications, or a placeholder if the content has not been built yet. Once the needed content is input select Save Draft.

All paths are initially saved as drafts. This allows time for the content builder to build out a path without it being accidentally assigned to users.

On the Content page, the path appears in the Draft state.

The content builder is able to publish the path at any point in time, but once published a path cannot go back into the draft state.

πŸ’‘ Tip: If a path has been published but is still in development, add "draft" to its title. This will let others know it's not ready to be assigned.


Types of Path Content

  • Lesson: The backbone of Seismic Learning; a discrete amount of training content.

  • Placeholders: These are a step to add denoting a piece of content needing to be added at later date. Paths cannot be published if placeholders are still included.

  • Path: Nest child paths into a parent path.
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  • Certifications: Similar to paths, but once completed the user receives a certification.

πŸ“ Important! Learning does not currently support branching paths.


Wait Steps and When to Use Them

Wait Steps are not shown as an item to include upon creation of a path, but can be added in throughout the editing process.

Wait steps sit between other pieces of content (lessons, nested paths, certifications) as barricades essentially. A wait step either locks or hides the next piece of learning content for a specified period of time after the previous item has been completed or from when the path was originally assigned.

The path editor has the option of toggling whether to make content locked or hidden.

From a learner's perspective, locked content appears grayed out while hidden steps are not visible at all.

Wait steps can help influence a learner's pace as subsequent steps can remain locked or hidden for a certain amount of days, weeks, or months until previous steps are completed.


Editing Paths

Once published, paths can be edited by selecting Edit Path in the right-hand corner.

When editing a path:

  • Newly created content can be added by selecting +
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  • Prior content can be re-arranged by dragging and dropping in the order desired when selecting the ☰ icon.
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  • Due dates can be included by selecting the calendar icon.
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  • And content can be edited or deleted by selecting the vertical ellipsis.

If the path has already been assigned, the builder will be prompted with two options after selecting save:

  1. Do not require the new content, but make it visible to them
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  2. Require the new content to be complete

Do not require the new content, but make it visible to them - maintains the user's path completion but makes the new content visible for them to take.

Require the new content to be complete - for users who have already completed the path this option moves the user back into the incomplete state and notifies them with an email.

If users are partially complete with a path / progressed farther than where the new required content has been added it moves the user back and prompts them to complete it before they can continue on.


Adding Due Dates to Paths

Adding a Due Date to a step helps ensure paths are completed within a specific time frame.

By selecting the calendar icon on the right-hand side of a step panel, the builder can determine the number of days, weeks, or even months a user has to complete this portion of the path.

Each piece of content in a path can have its own due date.


Manage Existing Paths

Once a path has been published, on the right sidebar are details admins and users with ownership of the path can edit.

  • Archive - similar to lessons, paths can be archived. This deactivates them.

  • Preview - test the path in its current state.

  • Last Updated - info on when the path was last updated and by who.

  • Created - info on when and who created the path.

  • Sharing - decide if a path is shareable via a link or if it will only be available to path owners and users assigned to it. Users may also choose to share path activity with owners.

  • Step Order - paths can be required to take each step in order, or taken in any order.

  • Path Description - create a description for the path. This is visible on the card in My Assignments and the Learn tab.

  • Path Owners - admins can edit any path, but admins can share the responsibility with other users who have content permissions.

  • Tags - include tags to a path for organization purposes.

  • Learn - decide if the path should be available as optional learning, and for which groups.

  • Chrome Extension - this displays a variety of specified URLs this path is mapped to using Learning for Chrome. Users can edit and add URLs if desired.

  • Cover Image - include an image for the topic card users see when being assigned the path or if it is available to them as optional learning.


Learner Point of View

The view for users taking a path displays available content, grades on completed content in the path, due dates (if applicable), and remaining content available (if it isn't hidden).

Paths are notated on the Learn tab for users by showing the number of steps in the path.


Questions? Contact the Support team at support@lessonly.com

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