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System Catalogue: Importing Template Content
The System Catalogue is a library of pre-built lessons and units created by platform administrators. Any instructor can browse and import this template content into their own classes, saving hours of content creation time.
What is the System Catalogue?
Think of it as a shared library of starter lesson content:
- Platform administrators create high-quality template lessons
- Content covers common topics (greetings, numbers, family, food, etc.)
- All content is ready to use with questions and translations
- You import a complete unit or lesson with one click
- After import, you can customize it for your students
Key Benefit: You do not need to start from scratch. Import a strong starting point, then adjust it for your students and community.
Accessing the System Catalogue
You'll see the System Catalogue when:
1. Adding a Unit to Your Class
- Open the class.
- Click "Add Unit" button
- Dialog opens with two tabs:
- My Organization: Units you've created
- System Catalogue: Template units from the platform
- Click "System Catalogue" tab
2. Adding a Lesson to a Unit
- Open or expand the unit.
- Click "+ (Add Lesson)" button
- Dialog opens with two tabs:
- My Organization: Lessons in your organization
- System Catalogue: Template lessons from the platform
- Click "System Catalogue" tab
Browsing the System Catalogue
Search & Filter:
Search Box at the top:
- Type keywords to filter by name or description
- Example: Search "greetings" to find greeting lessons
- Updates in real-time as you type
- Case-insensitive matching
Unit View:
- List of all available template units
- Each unit shows:
- Name: Unit title
- Description: What the unit covers
- Lesson Count: Number of lessons inside
- Preview Button: See content before importing
- Import Button: "Add to Class" to import
Lesson View:
- List of all available template lessons
- Each lesson shows:
- Title: Lesson name
- Description: What students will learn
- Unit Name: Parent unit it belongs to
- Question Count: Number of questions
- Preview Button: See questions before importing
- Import Button: "Add to Class" to import
Pagination:
- System loads 50 items per page by default
- Use pagination controls at bottom to browse more
- Search narrows results across all pages
Previewing Content
Before importing, you should preview to ensure it fits your needs.
Preview a Unit:
- Click "Preview" button on a unit card
- Preview dialog opens showing:
- Unit name and description
- List of all lessons in the unit
- Click on a lesson to expand and see questions
- Scroll through to evaluate content quality
Preview a Lesson:
- Click "Preview" button on a lesson card
- Preview dialog opens showing:
- Lesson title and description
- All questions in the lesson
- Each question displays:
- Question type (Multiple Choice, Fill-in-Blanks, etc.)
- Prompt/instructions
- Answer options or format
- Images (if included)
Preview is Read-Only: You can't edit system catalogue content, only view it.
Importing a Unit
Step-by-Step:
- Browse the System Catalogue tab
- Preview the unit to confirm it's what you want
- Click "Add to Class" on the unit card
- Confirmation dialog (optional) appears
- Click "Import" or "Confirm"
What Happens:
A separate copy is created: The entire unit is copied to your organization
- All lessons inside are copied
- All questions and their content are copied
- Translations, images, and audio are copied or connected so the imported unit works in your class
The imported unit belongs to your organization
- You can edit, delete, or modify anything
- Changes you make don't affect the system catalogue
- The template remains unchanged for other instructors
Initial Status: The imported unit is UNPUBLISHED
- Students cannot see it yet
- Gives you time to review and customize
- You must publish when ready
Unit Appears in Your Class:
- Navigate back to your class
- Scroll to Units list
- Find the newly imported unit at the bottom
- Expand to see all imported lessons
After Import:
You can:
- Edit unit name and description
- Reorder lessons within the unit
- Add more lessons to the unit
- Edit any questions in the lessons
- Delete lessons you don't need
- Change lesson dates
- Publish when ready for students
Importing a Lesson
Step-by-Step:
- Navigate to the unit where you want to add the lesson
- Click "+ (Add Lesson)" button on the unit header
- Switch to "System Catalogue" tab
- Browse or search for the lesson you want
- Preview the lesson (recommended)
- Click "Add to Class" on the lesson card
- Confirm in the dialog
What Happens:
A separate copy is created: The lesson is copied into your selected unit
- All questions are copied
- Translations, images, and audio are copied or connected so the imported lesson works in your class
- Your copy is independent of the template
Initial Status: The imported lesson is UNPUBLISHED
- Students cannot see it yet
- Review and customize first
- Publish when ready
Lesson Appears in Your Unit:
- Expand the unit to see the new lesson
- Lesson appears at the bottom of the lesson list
- Click to view all questions
After Import:
You can:
- Edit lesson title and description
- Set available date and due date
- Configure Allow multiple attempts
- Edit, add, or delete questions
- Reorder questions
- Add images or audio
- Publish when ready for students
Understanding Imported Copies
Key Concept: Importing creates a separate copy for your class.
| Aspect | System Catalogue (Template) | Your Imported Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Platform (read-only) | Your organization (full control) |
| Editing | Cannot edit | Can edit freely |
| Publishing | Always published (in catalogue) | Starts unpublished (you control) |
| Questions | Original questions | Full copies you can modify |
| Translations | Template translations | Copied or reused translations for your organization |
| Media | Template images and audio | Copied images and audio for your organization |
| Students | No students | Assigned to your class/students |
| Updates | If admin updates template, your copy is unaffected | You own all future changes |
Analogy: It is like copying a recipe from a cookbook. You can adjust your copy, but the original recipe remains unchanged.
Customizing Imported Content
After importing, you should customize for your students:
1. Review Questions:
- Click into the lesson
- Read through each question
- Verify difficulty level is appropriate
- Check translations are correct for your dialect
2. Adjust Dates:
- Set Available Date: When students can start
- Set Due Date: Deadline for completion
- Consider your semester calendar
3. Modify Content:
- Edit question prompts to match your teaching style
- Add or remove questions as needed
- Upload additional images for context
- Record audio in your voice/accent
4. Set Lesson Settings:
- Allow Multiple Attempts: Let students retry or lock to one try
- Published: Keep unpublished until you're ready
5. Publish:
- Edit the unit, turn on Published, and save.
- Edit the lesson, turn on Published, and save.
- Students can now see and complete the lesson
When to Use System Catalogue vs. Create Your Own
Use System Catalogue When:
- You're starting a new curriculum quickly.
- The topic is common, such as numbers, colors, or basic vocabulary.
- You want professionally created content as a foundation.
- You're new to the platform and learning how to create lessons.
- You need inspiration for question formats.
Create Your Own When:
- You are teaching advanced or specialized topics.
- You use a specific dialect not represented in the catalogue.
- You are teaching cultural concepts unique to your community.
- You are building on curriculum you've already developed elsewhere.
- Students need content tailored to local context, such as local places or names.
Best Approach: Mix both! Import foundation units from catalogue, then create custom advanced units.
System Catalogue Content Guidelines (For Admins)
If you're a platform administrator creating content for the catalogue:
Quality Standards:
- Create complete units with enough lessons to be useful.
- Write clear, descriptive names and descriptions.
- Include enough questions for meaningful practice.
- Mix question types, such as multiple choice, fill in the blanks, and audio.
- Add images when they help students understand.
- Record clear audio pronunciations.
- Test content thoroughly before publishing.
- Use the dialect and writing system expected for catalogue content.
Publishing Requirements:
For content to appear in the catalogue, you MUST:
- Unit must be published.
- Lessons must be published.
- Questions must be published (Questions are published by default)
- Unit must contain at least one lesson with at least one question
Empty or incomplete content is automatically hidden from the catalogue.
Troubleshooting
"No results found" in System Catalogue
- The platform may not have template content yet
- Try different search terms
- Contact platform administrator to request content creation
Imported unit is empty
- The unit was imported but may have had no published lessons
- Check with platform admin about catalogue content quality
- Delete empty unit and try importing a different one
Cannot edit imported content
- If you're viewing the PREVIEW, it's read-only
- Navigate to YOUR class, find the imported unit, and edit there
- Imported content should be fully editable in your organization
Imported lesson has wrong dates
- Imported lessons have no dates set (null)
- Edit the lesson and set your available/due dates
- This is intentional (lets you schedule for your calendar)
Students can't see imported content
- Check if unit is published (Edit Unit → Published checkbox)
- Check if lesson is published (Edit Lesson → Published checkbox)
- Both must be published for students to see content
- Check available date (must be in the past)
Best Practices
Before Importing:
- Always preview content first.
- Check that question types match your teaching goals.
- Verify translations match your dialect preference.
- Read descriptions carefully.
After Importing:
- Review all questions immediately.
- Customize for your students.
- Set appropriate dates.
- Test by previewing as a student would see it.
- Publish gradually.
Managing Imported Content:
- Keep units organized.
- Delete units after a semester ends when they should leave active class views.
- Update imported content if you find improvements.
- Share feedback with the platform admin about what worked and what did not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: If the catalogue template is updated, do my imported copies update?
A: No. Your copy is completely independent. You own it and all future changes.
Q: Can I import the same unit twice?
A: Yes, but you'll end up with duplicate units. Usually not necessary unless teaching multiple classes.
Q: Can I share my custom units with other instructors?
A: Currently, custom units stay within your organization. Only platform admins can add to the system catalogue.
Q: What if I import a unit and don't like it?
A: You can delete it just like any unit you created. No impact on the catalogue.
Q: How do I know if content is high quality before importing?
A: Use the Preview feature! It shows all questions and content so you can evaluate before importing.
Q: Can students see system catalogue content?
A: No. Students only see content you've imported AND published in your class. The catalogue is instructor-only.
Q: What happens if a question in the catalogue has an error?
A: After importing, you can fix it in your copy. Also report it to the platform admin so they can fix the template.
Summary: System Catalogue Workflow
- Platform admin creates and publishes template content.
- Instructor opens the System Catalogue tab.
- Instructor previews the content.
- Instructor selects Add to Class.
- The app creates a separate copy for the instructor's class.
- Instructor customizes dates, questions, translations, images, or audio as needed.
- Instructor publishes the unit and lessons.
- Students see and complete the content.
- Instructor continues editing their copy as needed.
The System Catalogue reduces content creation time while still letting instructors teach in the way that fits their students.