Using the Course Template Package

The online course template package that you've purchased enables you to display your online course content in a consistent manner. The course template package includes unique layouts that you can apply to your own courses. A layout is how the text, images, and other content slide elements (e.g., shapes, headers, etc...) are arranged and formatted on the page. Each layout has been branded to include your logo and other design elements to reflect your account's style. These layouts may be applied to content slides in your online course.

For example, the Listed Content layout includes a page header at the top. Below the header is a paragraph of text followed by a bulleted list. 

The course template package is provided to you via an online course in your account named Course Template Package. This course contains a Templates chapter with content slides for each template. 

There are four main steps to apply the course template package to your course:

1. Add the templates to your course.

2. Use a template.

3. Edit the course content slide's content.

4. Prepare your course for learner enrollment.

Adding the Templates to Your Course

In the following steps, you'll add a chapter and content slides to your course so that you can make a copy of all the templates. 

Copying the templates to your course serves two purposes:

• It ensures that you don't inadvertently modify the templates. 

• When you begin adding content to your course, it eliminates having to switch between the Course Template Package course and your course. 

To add the templates to your course:

1. View the Course Template Package course. The Course Template Package course will typically be in your list of inactive courses. To display this course, you will need to filter the list to include courses with an Inactive status. 

2. Display the Course Template Package course's contents by selecting Edit Content.

3. If you haven't already, add a new online course. You may want to set the course's Status to Inactive so that learners are not enrolled in it before you have added your content. 

4. Ensure that both the Course Template Package course's content and your course's content are displayed. We recommend displaying the content of both courses in two separate windows and arranging the windows so that they are both visible at the same time.

   

5. In your course, add a chapter named Templates.

   

6. In your course's Templates chapter, add a content slide with the same name as the template's content slide. For example, you'll want to add a content slide named Module Title to your course. 

7. From both windows, select the content slide's HTML Editor tab.

8. Copy the code from the template's content slide to your content slide with the same name. For example, you'll want to copy the HTML code from the Module Title content slide in the Course Template Package course to the Module Title content slide in your course. 

9. After copying the code to your content slide, be sure to click Save.

10. Repeat steps 6-9 for each template.

NEXT STEP: Use a Template

Using a Template

After you've identified the template that you want to use, you'll need to make a copy of it and move it into one of your course's chapters.

1. If you haven't already done so, add a chapter to your online course. 

2. From your course's Templates chapter, duplicate the content slide containing the template you'd like to use. 

3. Rename your copy of the content slide.

4. Move the content slide out of the Templates chapter and into the chapter where you want it to display.

At this point, your content slide is identical to the selected template. In the next step, you'll edit it to reflect your course's content.

NEXT STEP: Edit the Content Slide's Content

Editing the Content Slide's Content

Now that your content slide is using a layout from the template, you'll need to update it to reflect your content. 

We recommend that you use WYSIWYG editor to edit your content.

Templates that include a placeholder for an image display the recommended dimensions for the image. If you upload an image with different dimensions, you can resize the image by clicking and dragging a corner of the image. The layout will automatically adjust based on the image’s size.

NEXT STEP: Prepare Your Course For Enrollment

Preparing Your Course for Enrollment

When you've finished adding content to your course, you'll need to complete the following steps:

1. From your online course, change the status of the Templates chapter to Inactive. This will prevent the chapter and its contents from displaying to learners. 

2. Change your online course's Status setting to Active.