In this article, we explore the content hierarchy within Sana and highlight some key differences between the various components.
Content hierarchy
Program
A Program can consist of courses (self-paced and lives), paths and emails. It allows for extensive control over the learner's experience by automating various aspects of the learning journey, such as staggered content assignments and automated enrollment rules. A program can be used for an onboarding program which include a series of steps (courses or lives) that the user shall go through, or to simply break down a longer course into different sections. You can read more about Programs here.
Learner view of a program containing different sections
Sections
You have the option to create Sections inside the Program. This makes it easier for the learner to understand and follow the program-overview, offering a more streamlined and organized experience. Learn more about Sections in programs here.
Course (Self-paced/Live/In-person)
There are two types of courses; self-paced and Live courses. Courses consist of modules and cards. Both of these can exist in a Program and Path.
Self-paced
These courses allow learners to progress at their own pace. You can also set deadlines to ensure that learners complete the course within a specified timeframe.Live
Sana Live is our live meeting tool which lets you run virtual and hybrid training sessions. In a Live, you can schedule multiple live sessions at different dates and times.
In-person events
In person events are events that can be created and managed within the platform. These training sessions are particularly useful for organizations that require in-person, on-site training for their employees.
Modules
Modules help in breaking down the course content into manageable sections, similar to chapters in a book. Including these in your courses help structure the content, allowing for a better learning experience. Within a module you can add cards eg a Page card or Poll card. In modules, you can choose to activate placement tests and personalized reviews at the beginning/end of the module for the learner to assess existing knowledge and target individual mistakes.
Cards
A card in Sana is a way to add content, similar to a slide in a PowerPoint presentation. These cards make up all the content you want to have in a course or Live, and there are multiple interactive cards designed for active participation and knowledge retention.
Within a card, you can have content blocks, e.g., texts or images.
Paths vs. Programs
In Sana, both Paths and Programs offers a structured sequence of learning content designed to guide learners towards a specific competency or learning goal.
So what is the difference?
Paths can be displayed on the home-page through Featured content and Categories.
Paths can be added to programs. Programs can not be added to paths.
Programs can automatically enroll learners based on specific attributes, using predefined Enrollment Rules to streamline the process.
Programs can set deadlines relative to each assignment, helping to keep learners on track and ensuring timely completion of tasks.
Programs support automated emails to learners, which enables the customization of email content and timing to match the learner's journey.
Programs allows for ad-hoc email reminders
While Paths are excellent for organizing and displaying content in a modular and accessible way, ensuring learners can easily find materials on the homepage, Programs provide more advanced features for automating and controlling the learning process. This includes automated enrollments, staggered content assignments, deadline management, and customized notifications.