Publishing Courses and Adding Modules

You can publish your course with initial modules and continue adding more modules over time as your content develops.

Understanding Course Publishing vs Module Minting

Andamio uses two separate on-chain transactions for course creation:

1. Publish Course Transaction (One-time)

What it does: Activates your course on-chain and makes it available for enrollment
When to use: When you are ready to collaborate with other course creators and make your course visible to learners
What gets locked: Nothing! This transaction only activates the course and makes it visible on Andamio
Frequency: Once per course

2. Mint Module Token Transaction (Repeatable)

What it does: Creates an on-chain credential for a specific course module
When to use: For each module you want to add to your course
What gets locked: Only the Student Learning Targets (SLTs) for that module
Frequency: Once per module (can be done over time)

Practical Workflow: Launch Early, Add Modules Later

Example Workflow

You can:

Publish Course - Activate your course on-chain today
Mint Initial Modules - Start with your core modules (e.g., Module 1, Module 2, Module 3)
Enroll Early Testers - Students start working through available content
Update Lesson Content - You can tweak the lesson text at any time, even though SLTs will be locked
Mint Additional Modules - Add more modules based on student feedback and emerging needs (e.g., add advanced or specialized modules to different learning tracks)

What Happens for Early Enrollees?

When you add new modules:

Early students automatically see new modules in their course interface
Their progress on existing modules is preserved
They can continue immediately with new content when it becomes available
No re-enrollment or special action required

What Gets Locked, What Stays Flexible?

Locked After Minting a Module:

Student Learning Targets (SLTs) for that module - text cannot be changed
Number of SLTs - you cannot add additional SLTs to a minted module

Everything Else Stays Flexible:

Course-level metadata (title, description, etc.)
Number of modules (add more by minting new module tokens)
Lesson content within modules (materials, videos, markdown)
Module structure (lessons, organization)
Timing of when modules become available

Benefits of This Approach

For Course Creators:

Launch faster - No need to wait for 100% completion
Iterate based on feedback - Early testers help you identify issues in initial modules before creating later ones
Reduce risk - Validate demand and engagement before investing in complete course development
Continuous improvement - Add content as your subject matter evolves

For Learners:

Start immediately - Access available content right away rather than waiting for complete course
Stay current - New modules appear as they're added (like following a course "season")
Consistent experience - No disruption to progress when new content is added

Technical Note: Why This Design?

Andamio's separation of course publishing and module minting enables iterative course development aligned with agile learning design principles. You can:

Validate course market fit before full development
Incorporate learner feedback into later modules
Add specialized content based on cohort needs
Keep courses living and evolving rather than static

Why lock only SLTs? Student Learning Targets define the on-chain credential - what learners must demonstrate to earn the module credential. By locking only SLTs on-chain, Andamio ensures:

Credential integrity - What learners earned is permanently verifiable
Content flexibility - You can improve lessons, fix typos, update examples, and enhance materials without affecting credential validity
Transparent standards - Anyone can verify what was required to earn a specific module credential

This design supports the reality that great courses are rarely "finished" - they evolve based on learner needs, subject matter changes, and creator insights - while maintaining credential integrity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I modify content within an already-minted module?

A: Yes. Lesson content (materials, videos, markdown) can be updated freely. Only the Student Learning Targets (SLTs) are locked on-chain once a module is minted.

Q: What if I need to change the SLTs after minting?

A: SLTs cannot be modified once minted on-chain - they define the credential learners earn. If you need different learning outcomes, create a new module version.

Q: Can students who started early access modules I add later?

A: Yes. All students see all minted modules regardless of when they enrolled.

Q: Is there a limit to how many modules I can add?

A: No technical limit on number of modules. Each module requires a separate Mint Module Token transaction.

Q: Do I pay transaction fees each time I add a module?

A: Yes. Each Mint Module Token transaction incurs Cardano network fees.

Q: Should I finalize my SLTs before minting a module?

A: Yes. Since SLTs are immutable once minted, ensure they accurately reflect the learning outcomes for that module. Lesson content can always be refined later.