Learner progress: resuming and restarting a course
Why a learner's course might start again from the beginning when they come back to it, how to make sure their progress is saved, and how a learner can go through a course again.
Why does my learner's course start from the beginning when they come back?
It usually comes down to how the learner opened the course. Identified Recipients (IRs), learners who open it through an email invitation, by providing their email address, or through an embed that passes their identifier, have their progress saved against them and can pick up where they left off on any device. Anonymous Recipients (ARs), learners who open an open share link, only have their progress saved in that browser on that device.
How is progress saved for Identified and Anonymous Recipients?
- Identified Recipients: progress is tied to their email address or identifier, so it resumes across devices and browsers.
- Anonymous Recipients: progress is stored in the browser they used. If they switch device or browser, use a private window, clear their browser data, or their session expires, they start again from the beginning.
How do I make sure progress is saved?
- Check the course's access setting. Open the Share dialog. If the course is open to anyone with the link, learners are Anonymous Recipients. Choose a setting that captures an email address, such as requiring learners to provide one, or inviting them by email.
- Ask Anonymous Recipients to use the same browser and device each time, and not to use a private window.
- If you embed courses in your own product, pass the same unique identifier for a learner every time you request their course. A new or changing identifier looks like a new learner, so their progress starts again.
How can a learner go through a course again?
A learner can restart a course themselves with the Restart button. It appears in two places:
- On the final screen of the course, once they've finished it.
- In the Welcome back prompt that shows when they reopen a course they've already started.
Selecting Restart takes them back to the start of the course so they can work through the content again. You don't need to re-invite them.
Frequently asked questions
Can I restore progress an Anonymous Recipient lost?
No. Anonymous progress lives in the learner's browser, so once it's gone it can't be recovered. Switching the course to a setting that captures an email address makes learners Identified Recipients, so their progress is saved for future attempts.
Does restarting a course record a new completion?
No. Restarting lets a learner go through the content again, but their record stays the same. The course still shows as completed from their first time through.
Can I reset a learner's progress so they have to complete the course again?
No. There isn't currently a way to reset a learner's progress so the course records a new completion. If you need learners to redo a course, they can use Restart to go through it again, and their original completion stays on their record.