⚠️ Facilitators Only: The tools described in this article are only available to facilitator-level users. Learners will not see these options.
Every course in the Genius Academy platform exists in one of two states: Draft or Published. Understanding the difference helps you know what you can do — and what your learners can see — at each stage of the build process.
Draft
Draft is where you build. When your course shell is first created, it starts in Draft automatically. While in Draft:
You can add and remove experiences, create modules, reorder and rename lessons, and set scheduling dates
You can take experiences yourself directly inside the course — this is the best way to evaluate your selections before your learners see them
You can save at any time, even if your course is over its product limits
Learners cannot be invited to or access a Draft course
Multiple co-facilitators can work in the draft simultaneously
💡 What are product limits?
Genius Academy courses are built on a package system — when your institution purchases Genius Academy, that package determines how many experiences of each product type are included in your course. You don't have to use your full allotment, but you cannot exceed it.
In Edit Course, each product type has a counter showing how many you've used out of how many are available (e.g., 3/4). These update in real time as you add and remove experiences. You can go over your limits while building in Draft — the counters will turn red to flag it — but you won't be able to publish until all counters are back within range.
Published
Published means your course is live and ready for learners.
Learners can be invited and will have access to the course
You can still make edits to the course structure using Edit Course
How to Publish Your Course
Open Edit Course on your course.
Confirm that your course selections and design are complete.
Click Publish.
Your course loads immediately as a live course!
FAQs
How do I tell if my course is published?
Draft courses have a badge next to their title in both the course itself and your course library to denotes its Draft status.
Can I unpublish a course?
Facilitators cannot unpublish a course directly. Contact your Genius Academy point of contact if you need to take a course back to Draft.
My counters are showing I'm over limits. How do I fix it?
Remove experiences of the product type that's over its limit until the counter is back in range. If you genuinely need more than your current allotment, reach out to your Genius Academy admin — limit increases require a package change.
Who sets the product limits?
Limits are set based on the package your institution purchased. They're configured when your course shell is created and reflect what your institution has access to.
What do learners see while the course is in Draft?
Nothing — learners cannot access or be invited to a Draft course. Once the course is published, it becomes visible and accessible to the learners you invite.
Who can see my course while it's in Draft?
Any facilitators who have been invited to the course, and your Genius Academy admin.