Learning Paths are made up of objectives. Each objective represents a required piece of learning that a learner must complete as part of the overall path.
Understanding objective types and progress behavior is important because Learning Paths coordinate progression across multiple learning components, while Events remain the operational unit of delivery.
What an objective is
An objective is a required step inside a Learning Path. Objectives define what the learner must complete before the path itself can be considered complete.
Depending on configuration, an objective can represent:
- a course-based requirement
- a specific event
- an external task or resource
- another Learning Path
This flexibility allows Learning Paths to model simple programs or complex multi-step certification journeys.
Objective types
Course objective
A Course objective requires the learner to complete a course-related requirement. In many configurations, the learner or administrator must later select the specific Event that fulfills that course requirement.
Use a Course objective when:
- the learner can complete the requirement through different Event instances
- you want flexibility in scheduling
- the course matters more than the specific delivery date
Event objective
An Event objective requires completion of one specific Event. This is useful when the exact delivery instance is fixed in advance.
Use an Event objective when:
- learners must attend a particular delivery
- the schedule is fixed
- the program requires a specific Event rather than any Event under a course
External objective
An External objective represents a requirement outside the platform, such as an external assessment, reading task, third-party activity, or other off-platform completion step.
Use an External objective when:
- part of the learner journey happens outside Administrate
- you need to include non-event requirements in the path
- the objective is informational or externally verified
Path objective
A Path objective nests one Learning Path inside another. This allows you to build larger programs from reusable path components.
Use a Path objective when:
- you want to reuse an existing program component
- the learner must complete a sub-path as part of a broader journey
- you are modeling multi-stage or modular training structures
How progress works
Progress in a Learning Path is determined by whether the learner has completed the required objectives in that path.
The exact completion behavior depends on objective type:
- Course objective progress is usually satisfied when the required course participation and outcome conditions are met through a valid Event.
- Event objective progress is satisfied when the learner completes that specific Event requirement.
- External objective progress is satisfied according to how the external step is managed in your process.
- Path objective progress is satisfied when the nested path is completed.
A path is complete only when all required objectives are complete according to your path design.
What updates progress
Learning Path progress is usually influenced by downstream delivery records and outcomes.
That means progress is commonly updated by:
- event participation
- attendance
- results or pass/fail status
- achievement issuance
- completion of nested paths
This is why Learning Paths should be understood as an aggregation layer. They do not replace Events, bookings, or achievements. They depend on them.
Course objectives vs Event objectives
One of the most common points of confusion is the difference between Course objectives and Event objectives.
- Course objective = complete the learning requirement through a valid Event under that course structure
- Event objective = complete one specific scheduled delivery
Choose a Course objective when flexibility matters. Choose an Event objective when the exact delivery instance matters.
Nested path behavior
When a path contains another path as an objective, the learner’s progress in the parent path depends on the completion status of the child path.
Nested paths are useful for:
- modular program design
- reusing repeatable learning structures
- building larger certification frameworks
In many configurations, the nested path counts as a single objective in the parent path.
Progress vs delivery truth
Learning Path progress should not be confused with Event delivery records.
A useful model is:
Course Template → Event → Attendance / Result / Achievement → Learning Path progress
This means:
- the Event remains the unit of delivery
- the booking remains the learner’s participation record
- the Learning Path summarizes broader completion across multiple requirements
Common misunderstandings
- A Learning Path is not an Event. It coordinates progression but does not replace delivery records.
- Progress does not usually update in isolation. It often depends on attendance, completion, or achievements downstream.
- Course objectives and Event objectives are not interchangeable. One is flexible by design; the other is fixed.
- Nested paths do not flatten delivery truth. The underlying events and outcomes still matter.
Best practices
- Use Course objectives when learners should be able to choose among valid Events.
- Use Event objectives when a specific delivery instance is required.
- Use External objectives only when the requirement truly sits outside normal Event delivery.
- Use nested paths to reuse program structures rather than rebuilding them repeatedly.
- Finalize objective design before registering large numbers of learners.