Modules vs. Courses
Modules and Courses are the building blocks of learning content in Trakstar Learn. While they work together, they serve different purposes.
Understanding the difference between Modules and Courses will help you organize learning content and create effective training programs.
What Is a Module?
A Module is a single piece of learning content.
A module can contain one learning activity, such as:
- A video
- A document or PDF
- A SCORM package
- A presentation
- A quiz or assessment
- Other supported learning content
Modules are completed individually and can be reused in multiple Courses.
What Is a Course?
A Course is a collection of one or more Modules grouped together into a structured learning experience.
Courses allow you to organize related content into a specific learning path.
For example, a new hire onboarding course might include:
- Company Overview
- Employee Handbook
- Workplace Policies
- Security Awareness Training
- Final Assessment
Each of these items would typically be its own Module within the Course.
Modules vs. Courses
| Module | Course |
|---|---|
| A single learning activity | A collection of Modules |
| Contains one piece of content | Organizes multiple learning activities |
| Can be reused in multiple Courses | Provides a complete learning experience |
| Completed individually | Completed after all required Modules are finished |
When Should You Use a Module?
Create a Module when you want to deliver or manage a single learning activity, such as:
- A standalone training video.
- A policy document.
- A quiz or assessment.
- A SCORM package.
- A downloadable resource.
Modules are ideal for content that may be reused across multiple Courses.
When Should You Use a Course?
Create a Course when you want trainees to complete multiple Modules in a specific sequence or as part of a larger training program.
Courses are commonly used for:
- New hire onboarding.
- Compliance training.
- Leadership development.
- Department-specific training.
- Certification programs.
Example
Consider a workplace safety training program.
Instead of creating one large Module, you could create several Modules:
- Workplace Safety Overview
- Emergency Procedures
- Hazard Communication
- Equipment Safety
- Final Quiz
These Modules can then be combined into a single Workplace Safety Course.
Best Practices
- Keep Modules focused on one topic or learning objective.
- Reuse Modules across multiple Courses whenever appropriate.
- Use Courses to organize related training into a logical learning path.
- Update individual Modules without recreating entire Courses.