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Understanding Course Structure (Studio Basics)

Every course on Blend-ed is built on the same three-level hierarchy, inherited from Open edX Studio. Understanding this structure makes it much easier to plan a course before you start building it.

The hierarchy

Section titled “The hierarchy”

Section → Subsection → Unit

1. Section
The top level of a course — think of it as a module or chapter. Sections organize your course into broad topics or stages.

  • Example: Module 1: Introduction to Digital Marketing

2. Subsection
Sits inside a Section — think of it as a lesson within that module. Subsections group related content together and are also where pacing (release dates) and grading category are typically set.

  • Example: Lesson 1.1: What is Digital Marketing?

3. Unit
Sits inside a Subsection — this is where the actual content lives. A Unit is a single page a learner sees, built from one or more Components (Text, Video, Problem, etc.).

  • Example: Welcome Video

Tip: A useful way to think about it — Section is the chapter, Subsection is the lesson, Unit is the page, and Components are what’s on the page.

Course Outline with one Section expanded, showing 2 subsections and 3 units nested underneath. Use a real course with meaningful names (Module 1: Introduction, Lesson 1.1: Getting Started, Welcome Video) rather than the default "Section / Subsection / Unit"

Understanding Course Structure (Studio Basics) screenshot 2

Why the hierarchy matters

Section titled “Why the hierarchy matters”

  • Organization — breaks a course into manageable, logical chunks for both you and your learners

  • Pacing & release — dates and availability can be set at the Subsection level, so you can drip-feed content over time

  • Grading — Subsections are typically tied to an assignment type (e.g. Homework, Final Exam) for grading purposes

  • Navigation — learners move through your course by expanding Sections → Subsections → Units, so a clear structure directly improves the learner experience

Managing each level

Section titled “Managing each level”

Every Section, Subsection, and Unit has a ⋮ (more options) menu with the same set of actions:

  • Publish — make this item and its content live

  • Configure — open advanced settings for this item (release date, grading format/due date, visibility, and other scheduling options)

  • Manage tags — organize content with tags

  • Duplicate / Copy to clipboard — reuse this item elsewhere

  • Move up / Move down — reorder within its parent

  • Delete

Note: Configure is where release dates, grading category, and visibility settings live for each level

The ⋮ menu open on a Subsection row, showing all options: Publish, Configure, Manage tags, Duplicate, Move up, Move down, Delete

What’s next

Section titled “What’s next”