To start with a course, the participant first needs to add the course to their list and select a coach and exercise set. Now, the participant can start learning!
In this article we will explain how our courses are built up.
1. XP's
On top of each course, the participant will see a progress bar indicating how many XP's (experience points) they have earned. XP's can be achieved by handing in exercises. 1XP equals 1 hour of work. The number of XP's, thus reflects the amount of time a participant works on an exercise.
The exercises on the learning platform are just a part of the complete course. Classical lessons, field trips, skills labs, and other activities form the other part of the course. It’s up to the organisation and coach how to organise this.
On the right hand side of the progress bar you can find the total number of XP's that can be earned in the course. The yellow star that says ‘Final assignment’ indicates how many XPs the participant must earn to apply for the final assignment. Mostly, the bar is at 80% of the total number of XPs. The participant can finish the course by doing the final assignment. This can be an exam or assessment. Please note! Not every course has a final assignment in the platform. In this case, it is up to you as a coach to decide when the participant is ready to finish the course.
2. Chapters
Most courses consist of multiple chapters or themes/topics. These chapters or themes are used to provide more structure to the course and exercises. Mostly, there is no specific order to go through these chapters. However, we do advise to let participants make at least one exercise from each chapter.
3. Assignments
Underneath the progress bar you’ll find the assignment tiles. On the assignment tiles you’ll see the title of the assignment and a number of different icons. Each icon has its own meaning:
- The green icon indicates the amount of XP you can earn by handing in the assignment
- The purple or blue icon indicates the amount of people you need to do this assignment
- The red icon with the little house on it indicates whether the assignment can be done at home
Click on the assignment tile to open it.
4. Assignments - content
When a participant opens an assignment, they directly see what to do to get started. Most assignments are action based, which means that the participant has to do something. The assignment starts with a short introduction (on the left) about the subject. On the right side the participant can find the instructions. The instructions are built up in multiple steps. Please be aware that sometimes an assignment consists of multiple parts, like the one below. 
To finish the assignment, the participant needs to hand in a file. Depending on the exercise this can be a Word document, PDF, video, photo, audio recording, or other type of file. All the files together form a portfolio, in which the participant shows what he/she has learned and that he/she is ready for the final assignment. As a coach you review a number of the exercises to determine if the participant is ready for the final assignment.
Next to the standard assignment, we also offer theory based assignments. In these types of assignments the participant needs to read a piece of theory. At the end of the theory several questions are asked, to make sure the participant fully comprehends the theory. These can be multiple choice questions or drag and drop exercises.
5. Assignments - review
The participant will receive the XP's directly after handing the assignment. As a coach you’ll receive a notification when a new assignment is handed in. You can review the assignment and provide feedback. When you approve the assignment, it will turn green in the participant’s environment. When you reject the assignment, it will turn red and the XP's will be deducted from the total progress. It is important to provide feedback. This enables the participants to improve their work.
6. Final assignment
When the participant reaches the star that says 'Final assignment', the system will automatically create a random sample of exercises that have been handed in. The assignments have been selected in a way that covers all the core tasks and processes from the qualification of the course.
As a coach, you must then (re)assess the sampled assignments. Once you approve the reviewed the sample, the participant can start the final assignment. This is often an exam, but can also be another type of assignment. After successfully completing this final assignment, the student has finished the course. Please note: not all courses include an exam or final assignment.
Frequently asked questions:
- Are there answer sheets available for the courses?
No, we do not have documentation available that contains the answers to the assignments. Most of our assignments are created in such a way that multiple answers can be correct. The assignments focus on the learning process and interpretation of the participant rather than a right or wrong answer. Each assignment is linked to a (number of) learning objectives. You can use these as a starting point to review the assignment. Some assignments also contain a coach instruction with some additional tools.
- Can I set the minimum amount of XPs for the final assignment myself?
No, you cannot. This will always be a fixed percentage of the total amount of XPs. However, it is possible to manually provide access to the final assignment when you think the participant is ready. You can also make your own learning set with less XPs. The percentage won’t change but the total amount of XPs will.