Class Portal > Modules > Module Builder

This article will cover the features and tools seen within the module builder. This is a tool that allows Instructors and Super Admins to create asynchronous courses. For an introduction to the module builder, please click here.

Within the builder, the view you are presented with will vary depending on whether you are creating a brand new module or if you're working with (i.e. editing) an existing module. We'll describe both views in the following sections.

New Module View

When creating a brand new module, below is the screen you are presented with:

Before you can do anything, you will need to upload a base file upon which the module will be built. Please keep in mind:

• Modules are video-based, so only video files can be used as base files.
• Videos hosted on third-party platforms like YouTube cannot be used directly. Though, if you have a local copy of the video (e.g., .mp4, .avi, etc.), you can upload it as your base file.

Below, we'll explore each of the options provided as sources for the base file:

• Video - Select this to use a standalone video as the base file. You'll have 2 options when selecting this button:
  • Upload - Select this to upload the base file from your computer. We support many formats, including MP4, AVI, MOV, WMV.
  • Add from Content - Select this option to use a video that already exists in the Engageli platform. A navigation window will appear, allowing you to choose a video file uploaded to this classroom or any other classroom you can access.
• PDF - Select this option to use a PDF document as the base file. The system will use AI to generate a video from the document, add that video to the classroom's content area, and use it as the module's base video file. The resulting video functions like an auto‑generated slide presentation with voiceover, similar to a narrated PowerPoint-style talk. You'll be given 2 options when clicking this button:
  • Upload - Select this to upload a PDF document from your computer.
  • Add from Content - Select this to use a PDF document that has already been uploaded to Engageli. A navigation window will appear, allowing you to choose a PDF file uploaded to this classroom or any other classroom you can access.
• Use Class Recording - Select this to use a video file from the classroom's Recordings area. You'll be presented with a window where you can select the specific recording to use. Note: Support for interactive activities that might be present in the recording is limited. For example, if the recording was of a live session where a Poll was ran, the Poll might not translate into a module activity.
• Import Module - Select this option to use an existing module and create a copy of it for this classroom. A navigation window will appear, allowing you to choose a module from this classroom or any other classroom you can access.

After the base file is processed, activities will be automatically created and inserted at various points in the video. The types of activities, their content, and the timestamp at which they are inserted are determined by Engageli's AI engine. You'll then have the option to review each activity or approve them all at once. If you chose to use the Import Module option, no new activities will be auto-generated; instead, the imported module's existing activities will be utilized.

At this point, you should see many more options on the page. The view seen will be the same as if you were editing an existing module. Please proceed to the "Existing Module View" section to learn about more about the options.

Existing Module View

When working with existing modules, the interface is comprised of 2 panels: the main panel, which takes up the majority of the page; and the side panel, located on the right-hand side. The main panel is where the majority of tools are located. Below is a sample screenshot of the view for editing modules:

Below, we'll describe each of the panels.

Main Panel

The main panel contains the majority of the tools the course creator will use to build the module. We'll describe the various tools that can be found here:

• Video Preview - The main panel displays a preview of the base video at the relevant timestamp, similar to how standard video editing tools show footage at a selected moment in time.
• Video Controls - At the bottom, basic video controls can be found: play, pause, volume level, current video time indicator (HH:MM:SS), total video time indicator (HH:MM:SS). Note that the volume control only affects the volume of the audio for you, as you edit the module; it does not affect the volume of the video for learners going through the module.
• Video Timeline - The video timeline allows you to seek through the video and more. We'll list the functions associated with the video timeline below:
  • Seek - You can hover your cursor over the video timeline and click to jump to a specific time in the video. As you hover over the timeline, a small preview will appear, displaying the contents of the video at that point in time. To seek, make sure your cursor is hovering towards the bottom of the timeline, as shown below. Having the cursor too high will activate the "Add Activity" mechanism, instead.
    
  • Add Activity - Activities can be added at specific points in the video to increase learner engagement and interaction. To learn more about the types of activities that can be added, click here. To add an activity to a specific timestamp in the video, hover your cursor over the timeline and click. Be sure that your cursor is high enough so that you do not activate the video player's seek function, instead. You'll know your cursor is high enough when you see the "+ Add Activity" verbiage appear in the small video preview area, as shown below:
    
  • Activity Marker - As activities are added, visual markers automatically appear along the video timeline, allowing you to quickly locate where each activity occurs. These markers offer multiple functions, which we'll explain below:
    • A prominently displayed number within each marker indicates how many activities are associated with that specific point in the video.
    • Hovering your mouse cursor over an activity marker will reveal a list of all activities associated with the marker. For markers associated with more than one activity (i.e. a group of activities), the order in which the activities appear in the list corresponds to the order in which they are presented to learners. An "+ Add Activity" link will also appear and clicking this will allow you to add an activity that would be appended to the list. See below for an example of what is shown when hovering your cursor over a marker containing 2 activities:
      
      Clicking an activity from the list will expand it, displaying more details about the activity, as well as corresponding "Edit" and "Delete" buttons, as shown below:
      
      Lastly, re-arranging the sequence of activities within a grouping can be accomplished via the "Activities" section of the side panel.
    • You can click and drag activity markers along the timeline to fine-tune their activation points. You can also select the activity marker and press the left and right arrows on your keyboard to move them.
    • Permanent activity markers will be anchored to the beginning and end of the timeline. These markers can be used to add activities that are triggered before the base video begins or after the base video ends. The below screenshot highlights these anchored markers:
      
  • Audio Graph - When you hover over the timeline, a graph appears showing the audio volume levels across the video. These visual cues help identify brief pauses, which often signal transitions in topic--ideal moments for inserting related activities. The below image highlights 2 troughs that appear in an audio graph:
    

Side Panel

The side panel that appears as you work on a module within the builder contains additional tools you can leverage. We'll go over each of the items that appears, from top to bottom:

• Export SCORM - Located in the top-right corner, this button allows you to export the module as a SCORM file.
  Please note: Due to SCORM limitations, modules containing certain activities cannot be exported. If your module includes any of these restricted activities, the export button will be disabled. Hovering over the button will display a tooltip listing the activities that must be removed to enable SCORM export.
• Base File - This section can be expanded or collapsed to show details and functions relating to the base video file. These details include:
  • The module's current thumbnail image
  • The name of the base video file
  • The base video file's duration (HH:MM:SS)
  • The base video file's size (e.g. 233MB)
  • Edit Base File - This option appears when a PDF was used as the base file for the module. It allows you to regenerate any images or narration within the AI‑generated slides. Below is a screenshot of the editing screen:
    When you open the editing screen, you'll see all slideshow pages listed. For each page, you can regenerate the image and/or narration by entering updated instructions in the prompt box. Each time you regenerate, a new tile is added to the bottom of the screen, giving you multiple versions to choose from. You can regenerate as many times as you like--every iteration is saved as its own tile, so you can freely experiment and select the version that works best. When you are done editing, click the "Save and Update Base File" button.
• Activities - This section can be expanded or collapsed to show a chronological list of activities and base video segments that mirror the main panel's timeline. Base video segments are automatically defined by where activities occur. For instance, placing an activity halfway through the base video splits it into two segments--before and after the activity. While you can't adjust segment durations directly, shifting activity markers via the click-and-drag mechanism will indirectly reshape the surrounding segments. Clicking an item in the list navigates the timeline to that moment, and hovering reveals interactive controls--these differ depending on whether the item is an activity or a video segment. Details on these elements follow below:
  • Activity - When hovering over an activity, you'll see the following options:
    • Drag-and-Drop - To rearrange an activity, click and hold the set of dots located on its left side. You can then drag the item vertically to change its position within its current activity group or move it entirely into another group.
    • Edit - Clicking this button will bring up the activity's edit screen, where you can make any necessary adjustments.
    • Delete - Clicking this trashcan icon will delete the activity.
    • Add Activity - If the activity is the last--or only one--in an activity group, you can hover your cursor near the bottom of it to reveal an "Add Activity" indicator, which looks like a horizontal purple line. Clicking this will trigger the "Add Activity" window, where you may append an activity to the current one. We've provided an example screenshot of this visual indicator:
      
  • Base Video Segment - When hovering over a base video segment, you'll see the following options:
    • Edit - Clicking this button will bring up the base video segment's edit screen. At this time, the only field that can be edited for this item is its name. Typically, base video segments are automatically named by the AI engine when the module is initially created, but course creators are free to change the names as they see fit. The base video segment's name is what learners will see when viewing the module from the Playback Room, so it's important to assign descriptive names.
    • Hide/Show - While you cannot delete base video segments, you can hide them. If there is a portion of the base video you don't want learners to watch, you can click this eyeball icon to toggle between hide and show.
• Options - This section can be expanded or collapsed to display customizations that can be applied to the module itself. Below are the options available:
  • Module Name - This field displays the module's name, which is also what Leaners will see in the Playback Room. This is an editable field, so adjust as needed.
  • Due Date (Optional) - You may enter a suggested completion date for learners to finish the module. This date will be shown to users for guidance purposes only. Please note that it does not trigger any automated actions or restrictions, such as access being locked after the date.
  • Require Ordered Completion - Select this option to force learners to progress through the module's activities and video segments in the order they're presented. If this option is not marked, learners will be able to access and complete the module's content in any order they prefer.
  • Cover Image - You may select the module's thumbnail image from here. The system will offer a few images it has pulled from the base video file from which you can select. You are also free to upload your own image by clicking on the upload icon.
• Preview as Learner - Clicking this button will allow you to see the module as it would appear when reviewing it from the Playback Room. Below is an example of the preview--note the "Back" button at the top-right, which takes you back to the module edit screen.
  
• Publish/Unpublish - Clicking this button will publish (or unpublish) the module. Only modules that are published can be added to the Learning Path.