Scheduling of Course Components

What is Scheduling?

Scheduling is a time-based workflow that allows you to control the release of course components (excluding course sets) to participants. Components can be locked and unlocked on a specific date/time or x days before/after a specific point; e.g., enrolment date, course start date or course end date. Scheduled components that are locked display a Locked symbol with hover text “Blocked”. This symbol is also used for components locked by learning logic.

Scheduling Use Cases

There are many use cases where controlling the release and availability of components is beneficial. Refer to these common use cases below:

• Providing pre-access to course content such as a ‘Pre-test’ or ‘Pre-start survey’ before the official start date of a course.

• Slowly releasing components at defined time periods for longer courses. For example, weekly releases of content.

• Locking components after a defined period of time after start dates with reminders advising participants of the due date to complete.

• Issuing or closing feedback forms at defined periods after the course or participant end date.

Below is a basic example workflow with Pre-test accessible 7 days before a course, Day 1 content is accessible on the course start date, Day 2 content is available 1 day after the course start date, and a Feedback survey is available 3 days after course end.

Scheduling and Learning logic Differences

In Courses you can actually use both Scheduling and Learning logic simultaneously on the same component. This could lead to some confusion with locked course components, but the two are quite different as explained below:

• Scheduling is used to lock and unlock components with time-based triggers (e.g. x days before/after the start/end date of course/participant).

• Learning logic sets rules to lock components either after component completion or until another component is completed.

Setting up Scheduling

You can define scheduling in the Components tab by highlighting a component, clicking the Edit icon and selecting the Scheduling option. This launches a pop-up window where you can set Start (days) and End (days) fields along with various scheduling options related to time. A Create appointment checkbox can be used to create calendar appointments for media, but this can also be set directly in the media object.

The available scheduling options slightly differ for Duration of use and Date dependent Release mode courses. Each field and Scheduling option available is detailed below:

Scheduling options (Start: Duration of use)

The Scheduling option field start (days) values for ‘Duration of use’ courses are below:

Start possibilities

• Always enabled (Default value)

  • Components are always available and no ‘End (days)’ option can be set.

• On participant start

  • Immediately available when participant starts the course and enables ‘End (days)’ to be set.

• …day(s) after participant start

  • Component unlocks on the defined ‘Start (days)’ number after the participant start date; this start date is either when the participant first accesses the course or can be directly triggered to match the enrolment date in 3^rd party or automatic enrolment workflows using ‘Started’ status.

• …day(s) after conclusion

  • Component unlocks on defined ‘Start (days)’ after the course or participant is concluded.

Scheduling options (Start: Date dependent)

The Scheduling option field start (days) values for ‘Date dependent’ courses are below:

• Always enabled (Default value)

  • Components are always available and no ‘End (days)’ option can be set.

• On course start

  • Immediately available on course start date/time.

• On participant start

  • Immediately available when participant starts the course and enables ‘End (days)’ to be set.

• Activation on (date)

  • Manually selected date and time to unlock.

• …day(s) before course start

  • Defined days before the course start date.

• …day(s) before course end

  • Defined days before the course start date.

• …day(s) after course start

  • Defined days after course start date.

• …day(s) after course end

  • Defined days after the course end date/time.

• …day(s) after participant start

  • Component unlocks on the defined ‘Start (days)’ number after the participant start date; this start date is either when the participant first accesses the course or can be directly triggered to match the enrolment date in third-party or automatic enrolment workflows using ‘Started’ status.

• …day(s) after conclusion

  • Component unlocks on defined ‘Start (days)’ after the course or participant is concluded.

Scheduling options (End: Duration of use)

The Scheduling option field end (days) values for ‘Duration of use’ courses are below:

• No deactivation (Default)

  • Once enabled components are always available.

• On course end

  • When the course planning status is ‘Concluded’.

• On participation conclusion

  • When the participant status is either ‘Concluded: Passed’ or ‘Concluded: Failed’.

• …day(s) after participant start

  • Component unlocks on the defined ‘Start (days)’ number after the participant start date; this start date is either when the participant first accesses the course or can be directly triggered to match the enrolment date in third-party or automatic enrolment workflows using ‘Started’ status.

• …day(s) after conclusion

  • Component unlocks on defined ‘Start (days)’ after the course or participant is concluded.

Scheduling Options (End: Date dependent)

The Scheduling option field end (days) values for ‘Date dependent’ courses are below:

• No deactivation (Default)

  • Once enabled components are always available.

• On course end

  • When the course planning status is ‘Concluded’.

• On participation conclusion

  • When the participant status is either ‘Concluded: Passed’ or ‘Concluded: Failed’.

• Deactivation on (date)

  • Manually selected date and time to lock.

• …day(s) before course start

  • Defined days before the course start date.

• …day(s) before course end

  • Defined days before the course start date.

• …day(s) after course start

  • Defined days after course start date.

• …day(s) after course end

  • Defined days after the course end date/time.

• …day(s) after participant start

  • Component unlocks on the defined ‘Start (days)’ number after the participant start date; this start date is either when the participant first accesses the course or can be directly triggered to match the enrolment date in third-party or automatic enrolment workflows using ‘Started’ status.

• …day(s) after conclusion

  • Component unlocks on defined ‘Start (days)’ after the course or participant is concluded.

Scheduling Notifications

There are multiple notifications available to advise and remind participants when scheduled components either become available or will be locked. In the Notifications function the following notifications can be sent for scheduled components:

• A new feedback form is available (ID 51)

  • Ein neues Standard-Feedback ist verfügbar (ID 51)

• Notification prior to the start or end date of a course module (11)

  • Standardbenachrichtigung über Änderung des Start- oder Enddatums einer Kurskomponente (ID 11)

• Standard notification to the exceeding deadlines of course modules (50)

  • Standardbenachrichtigung bei Terminüberschreitung einer Kurskomponente (ID 50)

• Reminder: default feedback form (ID 54)

  • Erinnerung Standard-Feedback (ID 54)

These notifications can be duplicated where multiple reminders or different texts for different providers is required. Ensure the Active checkbox and Permit external forwarding checkbox are ticked to send emails to external inboxes.

Hints and Tips

• Upon creating course-specific media, scheduling can automatically be suggested on the basis of the selected media type (e.g. virtual meetings, events). It’s also possible to select for a component, whether this date should be created as a date in the course participants' calendar. If this setting is already active in the media, it cannot be changed in the scheduling.

• For date-dependent courses, if scheduling access to components before the start date ensure the Pre-start accessibility (ID 10074) meta tag enables access before.

• For date-dependent courses, if scheduling access to components after the end date ensure the Post conclusion accessibility (ID 10065) meta tag enables access after.

• Scheduling related to ‘Personal start date’ is normally calculated from the date the participant first opens the course when the ‘Started’ status is triggered. Automatic enrolment and third-party enrolment workflows can also set the enrolment status to ‘Started’ to set a ‘Personal start date’ on enrolment.

• Testing scheduling is not straightforward because it is a time-based workflow. There is no similar option to the Learning logic Check logic function.

If you require further assistance, you can order second-level support to engage the Scheer IMC Learning Consulting team. Simply lodge a ticket with the Scheer IMC Service Desk.

Related Articles

• Courses

• Learning Logic

• Course administration > Scheduling

• Notifications overview