Forum Discussion
Confused about the stages that come after I have created my courses - such as hosting, and having a payment gateway
1. Hosting Options
There are two main options for hosting courses created with Articulate products:
Self-Hosting: You can export the course as a package (e.g., HTML, SCORM) and host it on your own web server or a third-party hosting service. This gives you more control but requires technical setup and maintenance.
Learning Management System (LMS): You can host your courses on an LMS platform. Popular options include Articulate 360 Reach, Moodle, Canvas, Docebo, etc. An LMS handles user management, course delivery, progress tracking, and more. Courses from multiple providers can exist on the same LMS.
2. Payment Gateway Integration
To sell course access, you'll need to integrate a payment gateway. Options include:
LMS Built-in E-commerce: Some LMS platforms have built-in e-commerce features for selling courses. Check if your chosen LMS supports this.
Third-Party E-commerce: You can use a third-party e-commerce platform (e.g., Shopify, WooCommerce) and link it to your LMS. Users purchase access on the e-commerce site and are then granted access in the LMS.
Custom Integration: For more control, you can custom develop a payment gateway integration using APIs from payment providers like Stripe, PayPal, etc.
3. Student Progress Tracking & Certification
Most LMS platforms provide built-in features for tracking student progress, including:
- Course completion status
- Quiz scores and attempts
- Time spent on lessons
- Custom progress milestones
Upon completing a course, the LMS can automatically issue a certificate to the student. Certificates are usually customizable, allowing you to include the student's name, course details, date, unique ID number, etc.
4. Student Video Submission
To allow students to submit videos after completing the online portion:
- LMS Assignment Submission: Many LMS platforms support assignment submissions where students can upload files, including videos. You can specify this as a required step after the course.
- Third-Party Video Platform: If your LMS doesn't support video submissions, you can use a third-party video platform like Vimeo and have students submit video links. You'd provide instructions on this process at the end of the course.
- Custom Development: For a more integrated experience, custom development could allow students to submit videos directly through your course interface. The videos could be stored and managed within your system.