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Course Creation Flow

This guide walks you through the complete process of creating a course in NOW-LMS, from initial setup to publishing.

Prerequisites

Before creating your first course, ensure you have:

  • Instructor Role: You need instructor or administrator privileges
  • Content Ready: Course materials, learning objectives, and structure planned
  • Technical Resources: Videos uploaded, documents prepared, images optimized

Step 1: Create New Course

  1. Navigate to Course Management
  2. Log into your NOW-LMS dashboard

  3. Go to Courses → Create New Course

  4. Basic Course Information

  5. Course Name: Enter a clear, descriptive title
  6. Course Code: Unique identifier (auto-generated or custom)
  7. Short Description: Brief summary (max 280 characters)
  8. Full Description: Comprehensive course overview (max 1000 characters)

Step 2: Configure Course Settings

Basic Course Identity

Fill in the essential course information:

Course Information Fields

  • Course Name: Enter a clear, descriptive title that accurately represents the course content
  • Course Code: Create a unique identifier (e.g., "INTRO-PYTHON-2024", "ADV-MARKETING-001")
  • Must be unique across the entire system
  • Used in URLs and course references
  • Cannot be changed after course creation
  • Short Description: Write a compelling summary (displays in course listings)
  • Keep it concise but informative
  • Focus on key benefits and outcomes
  • Used in course previews and search results

Course Level and Duration

Set the appropriate course difficulty and time commitment:

Course Level Options

Choose the appropriate difficulty level: - 0 - Introductory (Introductorio): No prior knowledge required, perfect for complete beginners - 1 - Beginner (Principiante): Basic familiarity helpful, minimal background needed - 2 - Intermediate (Intermedio): Some experience recommended, moderate expertise required - 3 - Advanced (Avanzado): Significant prior knowledge required, expert-level content

Course Duration

  • Set estimated completion time in hours
  • Helps students plan their learning schedule
  • Used for progress tracking and scheduling
  • Consider including both active learning time and practice time

Course Visibility and Access Control

Public Course Settings

  • Public Course: Toggle to control course visibility
  • ✅ Enabled: Course appears in public catalog for all users to discover
  • ❌ Disabled: Course is private and requires direct enrollment or invitation
  • Hidden courses can still be accessed via direct link if users have the URL

Course Modality Options

Select the learning format that best fits your teaching style and content:

Self-Paced (A su propio ritmo)

✅ Students learn independently at their own speed
✅ No fixed schedule or deadlines
✅ Forums automatically disabled to maintain individual focus
✅ Perfect for: Skill development, certification prep, flexible learning
❌ Limited student interaction
❌ Requires strong self-motivation

Time-Based (Con tiempo definido)

✅ Fixed start and end dates provide structure
✅ Scheduled content release and deadlines
✅ Forums enabled for student interaction and collaboration
✅ Cohort-based learning experience
✅ Perfect for: Group projects, peer learning, structured programs
❌ Less flexibility for busy students
❌ Requires active moderation

Live (En vivo)

✅ Real-time instruction with scheduled meetings
✅ Direct interaction with instructors
✅ Interactive discussions and Q&A sessions
✅ Workshop-style learning environment
✅ Perfect for: Workshops, seminars, hands-on training
❌ Requires specific time commitment
❌ May not accommodate all time zones
❌ Technical requirements for live sessions

Step 3: Enrollment and Capacity Management

Course Capacity Settings

Control how many students can enroll in your course:

Unlimited Enrollment

  • Limited Capacity: Leave unchecked for unlimited enrollment
  • Suitable for online courses with scalable content
  • No registration restrictions
  • Students can enroll anytime (based on course availability)

Limited Enrollment

  • Limited Capacity: Check to enable enrollment restrictions
  • Capacity Number: Set the maximum number of students
  • Use Cases:
  • Workshop-style courses requiring personal attention
  • Laboratory courses with equipment limitations
  • Small group discussions and interactive sessions
  • Courses requiring individual feedback and assessment

Enrollment Management Tips

  • Consider your ability to provide support and feedback
  • Factor in technical limitations (live session capacity)
  • Plan for instructor-to-student ratio requirements
  • Allow for some buffer in live courses for technical issues

Step 4: Payment Configuration and Course Access

Free Course Setup

  1. Paid Course: Set to False (unchecked)
  2. Student Benefits:
  3. Immediate enrollment access
  4. Full access to all course materials
  5. Certificate eligibility upon completion
  6. Complete learning experience at no cost
  1. Paid Course: Set to True (checked)
  2. Price: Enter course price in your system's configured currency
  3. Payment Integration: Ensure PayPal is configured (see Payment Setup)
  4. Revenue Model: Consider your pricing strategy and market research

Auditable Course Feature

When Auditable option is enabled for paid courses:

Student Experience

  • Free Access: Students can access all course content without payment
  • Content Availability: Course materials, videos, documents, and resources
  • Learning Experience: Course interaction except evaluations and certification
  • No Evaluations: Students cannot access quizzes, tests, or assessments
  • No Certificate: Students cannot receive completion certificates
  • Upgrade Path: Students can upgrade to paid version anytime for full access

Use Cases for Auditable Courses

  • Course Preview: Let students sample content before purchasing
  • Freemium Model: Attract students with free content, convert for certification
  • Educational Access: Provide learning opportunities regardless of financial situation
  • Trial Period: Allow students to evaluate course quality before committing payment
  • Corporate Training: Companies can provide access while managing certification separately

Audit Mode Best Practices

  • Clearly communicate what's included vs. what requires payment
  • Make upgrade process simple and straightforward
  • Consider offering limited-time promotions for upgrades
  • Monitor conversion rates from audit to paid enrollment

Step 5: Course Schedule and Timeline (Time-Based/Live Courses)

Date Configuration for Structured Courses

For Time-Based and Live courses, you must set specific dates:

Course Start and End Dates

  • Start Date: When the course officially begins and content becomes available
  • Students can enroll before this date (based on enrollment settings)
  • Course materials are released according to this schedule

  • Affects automated email notifications and calendar integration

  • End Date: When the course concludes and final submissions are due

  • Students must complete course requirements by this date
  • Late submissions may not be accepted (configurable)
  • Certificate generation becomes available after end date

Date Setting Guidelines

  • Planning Buffer: Allow adequate time between enrollment and start date
  • Realistic Timeline: Ensure sufficient time for course completion
  • Time Zone Consideration: Dates are displayed in student's local time zone
  • Holiday Awareness: Consider holidays and cultural events in your target regions

Self-Paced Course Considerations

  • Start/End Dates: Optional for self-paced courses
  • Rolling Enrollment: Students can start anytime when dates are not set
  • Flexible Completion: No strict deadlines unless specifically configured

Registration and Enrollment Windows

  • Early Registration: Allow enrollment before course start date
  • Late Registration: Configure if students can join after start date
  • Registration Deadlines: Set cutoff dates for enrollment (optional)

Step 6: Certificate Configuration and Recognition

Certificate Setup Options

Configure how students receive recognition for course completion:

Enable Course Certificates

  1. Issue Certificate: Check to enable certification upon course completion
  2. Completion Requirements: System automatically tracks based on:
  3. All required resources completed
  4. Minimum score achieved on assessments (if configured - not available in audit mode)
  5. Final evaluation passed (if applicable - not available in audit mode)
  6. Payment status (for paid courses)

Certificate Template Selection

Choose from available certificate designs:

Default Templates Available
  • Default: Clean, professional template suitable for most courses
  • Academic: Formal university-style diploma design
  • Professional: Business-oriented certificate for corporate training
  • Creative: Colorful design with modern graphics for creative courses
Custom Certificate Templates
  • Administrative Upload: Custom templates can be uploaded by system administrators
  • Brand Consistency: Incorporate organization logos and colors
  • Special Recognition: Create unique designs for premium or specialized courses
  • Template Requirements: Contact your administrator for custom template specifications

Certificate Generation Process

  1. Automatic Generation: Certificates are created when completion criteria are met
  2. Student Access: Students can download PDF certificates from their profile
  3. Verification: Each certificate includes unique verification codes
  4. Digital Delivery: Automatic email notification when certificate is available

Certificate Validation and Verification

  • Unique Codes: Each certificate contains a verification code
  • Online Verification: Students and employers can verify certificate authenticity
  • Secure Storage: Certificates are stored securely in student profiles
  • Reprint Capability: Students can redownload certificates anytime

Step 6: Forum and Messaging Setup

Forum Configuration

  • Self-Paced Courses: Forums automatically disabled
  • Time-Based/Live Courses: Forums can be enabled
  • Benefits: Student interaction, Q&A, peer learning

Messaging Features

  • Student-to-Instructor: Always available
  • Instructor Responses: Configurable notification settings
  • Moderator Support: Assign moderators for large courses

Step 7: Course Promotion

Marketing Features

  • Promoted Status: Feature course on homepage
  • Promotional Dates: Set promotion period
  • Course Cover: Upload attractive cover image

SEO Optimization

  • Use descriptive course names
  • Include relevant keywords in descriptions
  • Add appropriate tags and categories

Step 8: Save and Review

  1. Save Draft: Save course as draft for later editing
  2. Review Settings: Double-check all configurations
  3. Test Access: Verify course behavior in different modes

Step 9: Add Course Content

Once your course structure is created:

  1. Create Sections: Organize content into logical modules
  2. Add Resources: Upload materials and create interactive content
  3. Set Prerequisites: Define section completion requirements
  4. Configure Assessments: Add quizzes and evaluations

See Sections and Resources for detailed content creation guidance.

Step 10: Publish Course

Before Publishing Checklist

  • [ ] All course information complete and accurate
  • [ ] Content uploaded and organized
  • [ ] Assessments created and tested
  • [ ] Certificate template configured
  • [ ] Payment settings verified (if applicable)
  • [ ] Moderators assigned (if needed)

Publishing Process

  1. Change course status from Draft to Open
  2. Set Public visibility to True
  3. Announce course availability to your audience
  4. Monitor initial enrollments and feedback

Post-Publication Tasks

Course Monitoring

  • Track enrollment numbers
  • Monitor student progress
  • Review forum discussions
  • Respond to student messages

Continuous Improvement

  • Gather student feedback
  • Update content based on questions
  • Add new resources as needed
  • Refine course structure

Common Issues and Solutions

Course Not Visible

  • Check: Public status is enabled
  • Check: Course status is set to "Open"
  • Check: User permissions are correct

Payment Issues

  • Verify: PayPal integration is configured
  • Check: Course price is set correctly
  • Test: Payment flow with test account

Forum Not Available

  • Remember: Forums are disabled for self-paced courses
  • Check: Course modality is time-based or live
  • Verify: Forum is enabled in course settings

Certificate Problems

  • Ensure: Certificate option is enabled
  • Check: Template is selected and valid
  • Verify: Student has completed course requirements

Next Steps

Now that your course is created, continue with: - Sections and Resources - Adding and organizing content - Certificate Customization - Creating custom certificates - Forum and Messaging - Managing student communications