Where one section ends and where you split content into separate lessons has a big effect on the learning experience. This guide explains how to divide a course into sections and lessons.
- Sections help learners understand the structure; lessons are where they learn the content
- Start a new section where the topic or purpose changes
- Keep each lesson short, answering a single question
How sections and lessons differ
First, here's what each one is for.
| Section | Lesson | |
|---|---|---|
| Role | The flow of learning; the chapters | The smallest unit that learners actually study |
| What it's for | Understanding the structure | Learning the content |
Split sections where the topic changes
The test for starting a new section is whether the topic or purpose changes.
Why it matters
Background
What you need to know
Fundamentals
How to use it
Practice
Even when these share a theme, they play different roles, so they belong in separate sections.
Each lesson answers one question
A good lesson is built to answer a single question, such as:
- "What does this term mean?"
- "How do I do this task?"
- "Why do we have this rule?"
How long a lesson should be
Ideally, lessons are short enough for learners to stay focused.
Video
About 5–10 minutes
Text
One or two screens of scrolling
A typical way to divide a course
Here's a structure that works well in practice.
Section: Generative AI basics ├ Lesson: What is generative AI? ├ Lesson: What it can and can't do └ Lesson: Examples of use at work Section: Things to watch when using it at work ├ Lesson: Information security basics ├ Lesson: What's not allowed └ Lesson: Frequently asked questions
Design it so that sections are the groupings and lessons hold the specific content.
Patterns to avoid
- Too many sections (each with only one or two lessons)
- Lessons that are too long
- Breaks that could go anywhere without changing the meaning
Checklist for sections and lessons
Ask yourself these questions while designing, and the structure will tend to sort itself out.
- What should learners understand from this section?
- What will learners be able to say after this lesson?
- If a learner stops partway, does their understanding still hold together?
What to read next
The next guide covers how to design ways to check understanding.
