Learning Paths

Allow your students to take courses in the specific order that you define.

About This Feature

Thinkific's Learning Paths feature allows you to create a curated student experience to engage with course content in an organized way. Learning Paths help you facilitate holistic learning programs, creating a more structured or formal learning initiative.

Drive students toward a specific goal
By providing clear objectives and sequential progression, Learning Paths offer students a roadmap for success and motivate them to complete all required courses.
Bring the right content at the right time
Learning Paths ensure that your students get the right content in the right order. This helps students build a solid foundation before moving on to more advanced concepts.
Show students how they can move through the content
Reduce your students' analysis paralysis by providing a clear path forward from the very beginning. Learning Paths provide a roadmap for students helping them understand their progress and what lies ahead.

Important Considerations

Learning Paths is available for customers on the Plus Silver plan or higher. If you're already a Plus customer, reach out to your dedicated Customer Success Manager to learn more. Curious, but not yet on Plus? Discover how Plus can supercharge your business growth.
Learning Paths are not available via the Thinkific or a Branded mobile app.

How It Works

The Learning Paths feature utilizes Product Bundles to create individual learning paths and Site Builder sections to display the existing learning paths.

A learning path is a bundle of courses with a specified order to take them in. Courses will appear in a learning path in the order they are arranged within the bundle. You can choose to enforce the specified order, which will ensure that students can only take consecutive courses once they complete the prerequisites.

To get access to a learning path, your students will need to enroll in a learning path bundle. They can purchase the learning path (if you set the bundle price) or they can enroll in it for free (if you set the price for the bundle as free). If the student is already enrolled in the same course that is within the learning path bundle, they will still need to enroll in the bundle.

How Can I Create a Learning Path?

Step 1: Create a Bundle

Follow the steps outlined here to create a Bundle of courses you want to be included in a learning path: Create a Product Bundle. When setting up your learning path bundle, we recommend the following:

Arrange the courses in the bundle in the same order you want them to be presented within a learning path - the learning path will inherit the course order from the bundle.
Add a bundle image and a bundle description - they will be used in the Learning Path details section described below.
Set your learning path bundle as Hidden if you do not want the learning path to appear on the All Product page.
Set the bundle price, if you want to sell access to the learning path, or leave it as free, if you want your students to get access to the learning path without paying.
Set up the after purchase flow to send your student directly to the course player for the first course in the learning path.

Step 2: Set Up the Learning Path Detail Page

The Learning Path Detail page will list all of the courses in the Learning Path. You can repurpose the existing Bundle Landing Page as a Learning Path Details page or you can create a new Custom page.

Learning Paths Example - Jan 24.jpg

To set up the learning path detail page:

Add Site Page Templates section on the page.
This section should be listed first in the list of sections and only include one of these sections. You do not need to change the settings for this section.
Add Learning Paths Detail Page section to the page.
Update the Learning Path Bundle settings group
1. Bundle: Select your learning path bundle. If you are using a bundle landing page, the bundle will be automatically selected.
2. Mode: Choose the appropriate setting to determine the behavior of access to the courses:
  - Open (any order): this will allow your learners to access any course in a learning path in any order
  - Progressive (in order): this will allow your learners to access a course only if the previous course has been completed. Please note that the blocking of this course access is only on this page.
Edit the Back Link settings group.
Back link allows your students to navigate to a page of your choosing and is located above the banner session.
1. Check the Use the back link box if you want to add the back link.
2. If enabled, choose the Link Text and Link Page.
Edit the Banner Section settings group.
1. Update the Sub Heading setting
2. Update the Subheading Icon Code setting with an icon from Font Awesome (link provided in the description)
3. Optional. Update the Heading setting. Typing [AUTO] will use the bundle name
4. Optional. Update the Summary setting. Typing [AUTO] will use the bundle description
5. Update the List Heading, List, and List Icon Code settings.
  The List will use an icon for each line entered in the List. Note the text will wrap inside this setting making it sometimes confusing to know where a new line is.
6. Update the Button Text (Enroll) setting. Typing [AUTO] will use the banner section default text
7. Choose a Media Option
  - Bundle Image: will automatically use the associated Bundle image
  - None: when no media is required for the banner section
  - Custom image: when selecting this section, upload an image in the Custom Image* setting
  - Video: when selecting this section, choose a Video from the Thinkific Library (recommended) or YouTube in the Video** setting.
    Select Autoplay video, if you want your video to automatically start playing. We recommend keeping this setting off.
Edit the Status Bar settings group: this is the area above the listing of courses.
1. Check the Use the status bar? to use this section
2. Update the When not enrolled setting. This is text that is shown when the student is not enrolled in the Learning Path bundle
3. Update the Not enrolled Icon Code. This is the FontAwesome icon code used when the student is not enrolled in the Learning Path bundle
4. Update the When enrolled: setting. This is text that is shown when the student is enrolled in the Learning Path bundle
5. Update the Enrolled Icon Code. This is the FontAwesome icon code used when the student is enrolled in the Learning Path bundle
Edit the Status Line settings group: this is the line on the left side of the courses. It is intended to indicate progress through the learning path.
1. Start of Line Icon Code: This is the FontAwesome Icon code for the start of the line
2. Progress Text (Enrolled): This will be shown at the top of the status line when a learner is enrolled in the learning path. Use [#COMPLETED] and [#COURSES] for dynamic text
3. Start Text (Not Enrolled): This will be shown at the top of the status line when a learner is not enrolled in the learning path. Use [#COURSES] and [#LESSONS] for dynamic text
Edit the Course List settings group.
1. Attribute to show on image. This setting determines what is shown on the course card image.
  - Lessons: Shows the total number of lessons in the course
  - Time: Shows the total video time in a course (video lessons only) and rounds to the nearest half-hour
  - None
2. When not enrolled in bundle. This setting determines what link is available in the course listing when a learner is not enrolled in the Learning path.
  - Just show course: will show the course regardless of whether the student is already enrolled in it. Nothing will happen when clicking on the course.
  - Allow resume only: if the learner is enrolled in the course but not enrolled in the learning path bundle, then the learner can resume the specific course.
  - Dynamic (resume or landing): if the learner is not enrolled in the bundle and not enrolled in the course, then the course will be linked to the landing page. If the learner is not enrolled in the bundle and is enrolled in the course, then the course will be linked to the course player.
3. Course Link Text: this is the text to use for the button (all conditions)
4. Course Link Style
  - Link Text: will use Theme Setting colors for Link Text
  - Primary Button: will use Theme Setting colors for Primary Buttons
  - Secondary Button: will use Theme Setting color for Secondary Buttons
5. Locked Course Icon Code: this will show on top of the image when the Learning Path mode is set to progressive and the course is not yet accessible to the student
6. Completed Course Icon Code: this will be shown on top of the image when the course is completed
Edit the Completed Section settings group: this is the section that is shown below all courses in the Learning Path. It could be used to show text, could be linked to another page, or could be linked to a Certificate Course that would be used to give the student a certificate for completing the entire Learning path (see the section below).
1. Not complete heading: this is the heading text that will appear while the learner has not completed the Learning path
2. Not complete subheading: this is the subheading text that will appear while the learner has not completed the Learning path
3. Complete heading: this is the heading text that will appear while the learner has completed the Learning path
4. Complete subheading: this is the subheading text that will appear while the learner has completed the Learning path
5. Complete Button text: this is the text on the button that will appear when using Course or Custom Page Link modes and the learner has completed the course
6. Completion Link Mode
  - Just text
  - Course: select the course. Choose this option if you want to use a course as a Certificate course. If the student is not enrolled in the course then the default “buy/enroll” link will be used. If they are enrolled in the course then it will be linked to the course player
  - Custom Page
Edit the Colors settings group: update the color options to be used on the page. Note that the buttons and links for the course will use the Theme settings accordingly.

Step 3: Set Up the Learning Paths Listing Page

If you have more than one Learning Path, this page is intended to list all of the available Learning Paths. You will need to set it up manually, as it will not automatically list all of the available learning paths.

You can turn any page into a Learning Paths listing page, but we recommend using a dedicated custom page. If you choose to add these sections to the Student Dashboard page, please review the instructions below.

To set up the Learning Path Listing page:

Choose the page you would like to edit or create a new custom page.
Add Site Page Templates section on the page.
This section should be listed first in the list of sections and only include one of these sections. You do not need to change the settings for this section.
Add Learning Paths List Page section to the page
Edit the Banner Section settings group
1. Check the Use this section box to choose to enable the banner
2. Update the Sub Heading setting
3. Update the Subheading Icon Code setting with an icon from Font Awesome
4. Update the Heading and Summary setting
5. Update the List Heading, List and List Icon Code settings.
  The List will use an icon for each line entered in the List. Note the text will wrap inside this setting making it sometimes confusing to know where a new line is.
6. Choose a Media Option
  - Bundle Image: will automatically use the associated Bundle image
  - None: when no media is required for the banner section
  - Custom image: when selecting this section, upload an image in the Custom Image* setting
  - Video: when selecting this section, choose a Video from the Thinkific Library (recommended) or YouTube in the Video** setting.
    Select Autoplay video, if you want your video to automatically start playing. We recommend keeping this setting off.
Edit the Learning Path List settings group
1. Choose List Style
  - Cards: this will display all of the Learning Path Bundles as a grid of cards (3 in a row)
  - List: this will display all of the Learning Path Bundles in a horizontal list
2. If choosing List style, choose Learning Path Link Style (List Style)
  - Link Text: will use Theme Setting colors for Link Text
  - Primary Button: will use Theme Setting colors for Primary Buttons
  - Secondary Button: will use Theme Setting color for Secondary Buttons
Edit the Colors settings group: update the color options to be used on the page. Note that the buttons and links for the course will use the Theme settings accordingly.
Edit the Student Dashboard Usage setting: if you are placing the learning path listing on the Student Dashboard, you have a choice to display the Learning paths only or as part of the list of courses (either above or below the default Student Dashboard experience).
1. Move to the end of the page: this will move the entire default Student Dashboard (including the Banner, Product cards, and Community cards) to the area under the learning path listing section
2. Hide Banner: this setting will hide the default Student dashboard banner
3. Hide Courses: this setting will hide the default list of course cards
4. Hide Communities: this setting will hide the default community cards
Add a Learning Path Bundle item for each Learning Path you wish to use
1. Bundle: choose the learning path bundle
2. Sub Heading: This will show above the main heading. Use [NUM COURSES] to dynamically display the number of courses in the bundle
3. Subheading Icon Code: the icon that will be shown next to the Sub Heading
4. Heading: Use [AUTO] to use the bundle name or enter a new heading
5. Summary: Use [AUTO] to use the bundle description or enter a new summary
6. List Heading and List: Enter text to display
7. Choose the Page that this item will be linked to. Note: it will not automatically link to the bundle page.
8. Update the Page Text setting that will be used for the button/link
9. Repeat for all Learning Paths and arrange them in the order of your choosing

Learning Paths and Certificates

Thinkific's Learning Paths feature allows you to issue a Thinkific certificate for the completion of all courses in the Learning Path, making it a perfect solution if you are looking to issue certificates for the completion of a bundle!

To do that:

Create a Certificate course with one lesson
Set the course to Hidden but not Private
Setting the course as Private will prevent students from enrolling into this course and claiming the certificate.
Assign a Thinkific Certificate to the course you created
Use the course you created when configuring the Completed Section settings group on the Learning Path Details Page.

You can assign a certificate and students can receive the certificate, regardless of whether the Learning path mode is set to Open (students can complete courses in any order) or Progressive (students have to complete courses in order). In either mode, the student will need to complete all courses to access the certificate course and receive the certificate.

If the Learning Path mode is set to Progressive (students have to complete courses in order), an alternative option is to assign the certificate to the last course in the Learning Path bundle.

Learning Paths and Student Dashboard

Thinkific's Learning Paths feature utilizes the Site Builder section to display courses in a specific order, however it does not change the default functionality. This means that the default behaviour of the Student Dashboard page will display all of the courses the student is enrolled in the order of the last accessed. If you set the Learning Path mode to Progressive (students have to complete courses in order), all courses will still be visible and accessible via a Student Dashboard.

To make sure that the learning path courses are displayed in the correct order, we recommend using Thinkific's Resource Library feature. Please reach out to your Customer Success Manager to learn more!

Learning Paths and Learning Recommendations

Thinkific's Learning Recommendations feature makes a perfect companion to the Learning Paths feature! The Learning Recommendations feature allows you to boost student engagement with personalized recommendations, tailored to match students' stages, roles, needs, and interests. These recommendations dynamically adjust based on their responses to a series of questions, ensuring a customized learning journey that guides students directly to the most relevant content!

Combined together, Learning Recommendations allow you to recommend the right courses to the right learners, while Learning Paths will guide them through the recommended products as they start their journey. Together, the features ensure that your learners are supported throughout their journey: from the time they land on your site to the time they complete their courses and receive their certificates!

To use Learning Paths, make sure to include Learning Path bundles in the categories used for recommendations when setting up Learning Recommendations.

Student Experience

A student can start by looking through your site or by navigating to the Learning Paths Listing page directly. There, they will see all of the learning paths that are available to them, review the description of each path, and select the one that they are interested in.

Once your student has selected the learning path, they will be brought to the Learning Path Details page. Here, they can learn more about the learning path, view the included courses, and learn more about each. Once the student is ready, they can purchase or enroll in the learning path by going through the Thinkific checkout.

Once enrolled, the student can navigate back to the Learning Path Details page, from where they can continue to the first (or next) course in the learning path, as well as see their progress.

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