Many course incorporate prework or welcome modules, which function differently in the platform than other modules in a course. This article describes what a prework module is and how including a prework module impacts a course.
What is a prework/welcome module?
A prework module is a course module that is technically part of the course and is included in analytics, but is expected to be completed by learners before the course start date.
Prework modules typically include activities such as creating a profile, introducing yourself to your cohort, learning about what to expect in the course, learning about the course authors, and any other context-setting for the course.
For example, if your course begins on a Monday and you have 60 minutes worth of activities you’d like learners to complete before that Monday, you may put the activities in a prework module and open the course to learners midway through the previous week. That would give ample time to complete the prework activities before the course begins on Monday.
How do prework/welcome modules impact the course experience?
Prework/Welcome modules impact the course experience for learners and admins in the following ways:
- Unpaced: Prework modules do not assign activities to certain dates like course modules.
- No daily reminder notifications: Because these modules are unpaced, no automatic course reminder notifications are sent to learners. As a result, it’s important to send a launch letter to learners when they can begin completing the prework activities and to ensure they are completing the prework module on time.
- Expectations: Prework modules are expected to be completed by learners before the first course module begins. Make sure to communicate your expectations with learners beforehand so they allot the necessary time to complete the prework activities.
How to create a prework/welcome module
Set your first course module to a prework module using the Configure page in the course setup menu.