A digital learning path, explicitly outlined by the lecturer in the form of a trajectory, is a useful tool for students to gain knowledge and insights. Creating learning paths in Ufora using the ‘Content’ tool is easy. This Education Tip shows you how.

What is a Learning Path? 

A learning path consists of a sequence of 'learning steps' that students have to go through to acquire certain learning contents. There is more to creating a learning path than simply dividing the learning material into stages, however. A learning path is a prestructured trajectory towards gaining knowledge and insight. It can consist of different components, assignments and activities: a chunk of learning material in the form of a PowerPoint or pdf, short knowledge clips, assignments that students have to submit, discussions, (peer) assessments, additional research and much more.

When to Use a Learning Path?  

You can use a learning path in the following situations:

• if you are lecturing a highly diverse student group: give the students an online learning path that they must go through in order to acquire the basic knowledge to be able to keep up with the lecturers;   

• as part of blended learning or flipped classroom: e.g. ask students to go through a learning path independently between two consecutive lectures, so that they acquire specific knowledge or practise skills independently. Do make sure that the specific knowledge or skills will be addressed in the next lecture. Otherwise, the students will not be inclined to go through the learning paths in advance.

How to Outline a Learning Path in Ufora?  

• courses within Ufora are built in such a way that you can shape all online learning material into a learning path. There no longer is a separate module ‘learning path’ as used to be the case in Minerva. The different learning steps that form a learning path are grouped into modules or chapters. You can structure learning paths according to content, making them look like tables of contents, or according to activities;
• in addition to a clear structure, most learning paths also have a clear order in which the activities need to be completed:
  
  • that order may be implicitly present but is not mandatory. By presenting successive chapters or activities, you suggest a certain sequence in which the students can complete the activities. But students can still decide for themselves in which order they want to go through the activities. There are no restrictions on which activity should be carried out first;
  • in addition, you can install a mandatory sequence by adding release conditions to certain steps in the learning path. This means that students must complete one activity successfully before going on to the next. Ufora offers various options to work with these release conditions, which enable you to design a tailor-made learning path for almost every student.

Want to Know More? 

• are you convinced that learning paths may have an added value and do you want to create them for yourself? Then be sure to register for the online training course 'How to design online learning paths (Dutch)'.  Via a learning path in Ufora you learn step by step how to build and maintain a learning path yourself. Via the link you can subscribe to the training after which you will automatically be added (takes max 60 min) to the Ufora course.
• for technical questions, please contact the Ufora team (ufora@UGent.be);
• for didactic questions, please contact the team education support (onderwijsondersteuning@ugent.be).