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Questions about learning paths

Paula.T.417

Hi! Say I am creating two learning paths. Both learning paths have the same course.

1. If I update one course in one learning path, will it update the other? (I prefer that this happen.)

2. Can I assign the same learning path to two different student groups, one student group starting on a Sunday with their own due dates and the other starting 2 days later with due dates shifted 2 days?

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Accepted answers

brad.r.503

In Brightspace, when you mention "learning paths," it typically refers to a sequence of courses or content that students follow. Addressing your questions:

Updating Courses Across Learning Paths:
- If by "course" you mean a specific content item or module within a Brightspace course and both learning paths are within the same course shell, then yes, updating the content once should update it across all instances where it is used within that course. This is because the content items or modules exist once in the course shell and are merely referenced or displayed in different places.
- However, if your learning paths are in separate course shells (i.e., you have duplicated a course for different groups), updating a course in one learning path won't automatically update the course in another learning path. Each course shell is independent unless you've set up some integration or content sharing mechanism.
Assigning Learning Paths with Different Start Dates and Due Dates:
- Brightspace allows you to set release conditions and due dates for content and activities. However, these settings are generally applied at the course level and not user or group-specific. To achieve what you're looking for, you can use the following strategies:
  - Different Sections or Groups: Create different sections or groups within the same course for each student group. While Brightspace doesn't natively adjust due dates for different groups or sections, you can use Intelligent Agents to send out reminders or notifications based on group membership.
  - Duplicate Courses: Duplicate the course for each group and adjust the due dates in each course accordingly. This method is more management-intensive but allows for greater customization of the learning path for each group.
  - Manual Adjustments: Manually adjust due dates for assignments or quizzes for each group if the number of changes is manageable.
  - 3rd Party Tools or Custom Scripts: Some institutions use custom scripts or third-party tools to manage differentiated due dates at scale. This usually requires IT support.

In summary, while Brightspace offers robust course management and content organization features, some of the functionalities you're asking about, such as automatically updating courses across different shells or setting group-specific due dates, might require manual setup or customization. It's always a good idea to consult with your Brightspace administrator or support team to explore all available options and best practices tailored to your institution's configuration of Brightspace.

All comments

brad.r.503

In Brightspace, when you mention "learning paths," it typically refers to a sequence of courses or content that students follow. Addressing your questions:

Updating Courses Across Learning Paths:
- If by "course" you mean a specific content item or module within a Brightspace course and both learning paths are within the same course shell, then yes, updating the content once should update it across all instances where it is used within that course. This is because the content items or modules exist once in the course shell and are merely referenced or displayed in different places.
- However, if your learning paths are in separate course shells (i.e., you have duplicated a course for different groups), updating a course in one learning path won't automatically update the course in another learning path. Each course shell is independent unless you've set up some integration or content sharing mechanism.
Assigning Learning Paths with Different Start Dates and Due Dates:
- Brightspace allows you to set release conditions and due dates for content and activities. However, these settings are generally applied at the course level and not user or group-specific. To achieve what you're looking for, you can use the following strategies:
  - Different Sections or Groups: Create different sections or groups within the same course for each student group. While Brightspace doesn't natively adjust due dates for different groups or sections, you can use Intelligent Agents to send out reminders or notifications based on group membership.
  - Duplicate Courses: Duplicate the course for each group and adjust the due dates in each course accordingly. This method is more management-intensive but allows for greater customization of the learning path for each group.
  - Manual Adjustments: Manually adjust due dates for assignments or quizzes for each group if the number of changes is manageable.
  - 3rd Party Tools or Custom Scripts: Some institutions use custom scripts or third-party tools to manage differentiated due dates at scale. This usually requires IT support.

Paula.T.417

Thanks, @brad.r.503 This clarifies things. I think for #1, my question is, can I use one instance of one course in more than one learning path, or does it need to be duplicated?

brad.r.503

In Brightspace, the ability to use one instance of a course in more than one learning path can vary based on the specific setup and configuration of your institution's Brightspace environment. Generally, the structure and organization of courses, content, and learning paths can be quite flexible, but there are typical scenarios:

Within the Same Course Shell:
- If your learning paths (comprising different modules, topics, or content items) are within the same course shell, you can definitely use the same instance of a course component (like a module, topic, or other content items) in multiple learning paths without duplicating it. This means that any update made to the course component will be reflected wherever it's used within that course shell.
Across Different Course Shells:
- If you are working with different course shells (like separate instances of a course for different groups or terms), then each course shell is independent. In this scenario, you would typically need to duplicate the course or the specific components of the course you want to use in another learning path.
- However, there are content sharing features in Brightspace, such as the "Share Content" option in the Content tool, which can allow you to share content across courses without duplicating it manually. This feature, if available in your Brightspace environment, can be used to maintain a single instance of content that is referenced in multiple courses.
Learning Pathways Feature:
- Some institutions may use advanced features or third-party integrations that offer more sophisticated learning path functionality. These features might allow for more dynamic sharing of content across different courses or learning paths, but this would depend on the specific tools and setup your institution has implemented.

To determine the best approach for your situation, consider how your courses and learning paths are structured, and whether they are within the same course shell or in separate course shells. If you are looking at sharing content across different course shells, you might want to explore the content sharing features available in your Brightspace environment or discuss your needs with your institution's Brightspace administrator for tailored advice.

If you need further clarification or assistance with setting this up, please feel free to reach out.