> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.lena.africa/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Creating a Course

> How to create, configure, and publish a course on Lena, and share the entry code with your students.

Courses are the foundation of everything you do on Lena. Once you create a
course, you can add study materials, assignments, quizzes, discussions, and
more.

<Note>
  **Before you begin:** You need a Lena teacher account linked to a school
  with an active academic session. See [School
  Profiles](/general/school-profiles) if you haven't set up your profile yet.
</Note>

***

## Creating a new course

<Steps>
  <Step title="Tap 'Create Course'">
    From your dashboard (Home tab), tap the **Create Course** button. You'll see the course creation form appear.

    <Frame caption="Screenshot: Dashboard with the Create Course button highlighted">
      <img className="block dark:hidden" src="https://mintcdn.com/lenaafrica/ISsABwDXCBX0o69d/images/placeholder-light.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ISsABwDXCBX0o69d&q=85&s=8aa659c894fa0cbcd69dca2937f31d5d" alt="Teacher dashboard with Create Course button highlighted in the top right" width="1600" height="938" data-path="images/placeholder-light.png" />

      <img className="hidden dark:block" src="https://mintcdn.com/lenaafrica/ISsABwDXCBX0o69d/images/placeholder-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ISsABwDXCBX0o69d&q=85&s=d8ebf01c18a25cc2bcf05b022a7d47a1" alt="Teacher dashboard with Create Course button highlighted in the top right" width="1600" height="938" data-path="images/placeholder-dark.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Fill in course details">
    Enter the following:

    * **Course title** — The name students will see (e.g., "Mathematics 101", "English Literature - SS2")
    * **Course code** — A short identifier (e.g., MTH101, ENG-SS2). This is auto-generated but can be customized
    * **Description** — A brief summary of what the course covers

    <Frame caption="Screenshot: Course creation form with title, code, and description fields">
      <img className="block dark:hidden" src="https://mintcdn.com/lenaafrica/ISsABwDXCBX0o69d/images/placeholder-light.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ISsABwDXCBX0o69d&q=85&s=8aa659c894fa0cbcd69dca2937f31d5d" alt="Course creation form with fields for title, code, description, and academic linking" width="1600" height="938" data-path="images/placeholder-light.png" />

      <img className="hidden dark:block" src="https://mintcdn.com/lenaafrica/ISsABwDXCBX0o69d/images/placeholder-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ISsABwDXCBX0o69d&q=85&s=d8ebf01c18a25cc2bcf05b022a7d47a1" alt="Course creation form with fields for title, code, description, and academic linking" width="1600" height="938" data-path="images/placeholder-dark.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Link to academic structure">
    Connect your course to the appropriate academic structure:

    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="K-12 (Primary and Secondary) Schools">
        * Select the **Grade** this course is for (e.g., JSS (Junior Secondary School) 1, SS (Senior Secondary) 2)
        * Select the active **Term** (e.g., First Term 2025/2026)
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Universities">
        * Select the **Faculty** and **Department**
        * Select the active **Semester** (e.g., First Semester 2025/2026)
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure grade weights">
    Set how student grades are calculated by defining the weight for assignments and quizzes:

    | Assessment type | Example weight |
    | --------------- | -------------- |
    | Assignments     | 40%            |
    | Quizzes         | 60%            |

    The weights must add up to **100%**. You can change these later in [Course Settings](/teachers/course-settings).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save as draft or publish">
    * **Save as draft** — The course is created but only visible to you. You can continue setting it up before publishing.
    * **Publish** — The course goes live and students can join using the entry code.

    A confirmation message appears, and the course is added to your dashboard under the appropriate tab.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## The entry code

Every course has a unique **entry code** that students use to join. The code is
generated automatically when you create the course.

<Frame caption="Screenshot: Course detail showing the entry code">
  <img className="block dark:hidden" src="https://mintcdn.com/lenaafrica/ISsABwDXCBX0o69d/images/placeholder-light.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ISsABwDXCBX0o69d&q=85&s=8aa659c894fa0cbcd69dca2937f31d5d" alt="Course detail view showing the auto-generated entry code for student enrollment" width="1600" height="938" data-path="images/placeholder-light.png" />

  <img className="hidden dark:block" src="https://mintcdn.com/lenaafrica/ISsABwDXCBX0o69d/images/placeholder-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ISsABwDXCBX0o69d&q=85&s=d8ebf01c18a25cc2bcf05b022a7d47a1" alt="Course detail view showing the auto-generated entry code for student enrollment" width="1600" height="938" data-path="images/placeholder-dark.png" />
</Frame>

**How to share it:**

* Copy the code and share it via your class group chat, WhatsApp, or email
* Display it on a projector or write it on the board during class
* Include it in a printed syllabus or course handout

<Tip>
  Students enter this code in their Student App to join your course. See
  [Joining a Course](/students/joining-a-course) for what they'll see on their
  end.
</Tip>

***

## Publishing a course

If you saved your course as a draft, you can publish it when you're ready:

1. Open the course from your dashboard (it will be in the **Drafts** tab)
2. Make sure all the details are correct
3. Tap **Publish**

Once published, the course appears in the **Published** tab and students can
find and join it using the entry code.

***

## Editing a course

To update a course after creation:

1. Open the course
2. Go to course settings or tap the edit option
3. Update the title, description, or other details
4. Save your changes

<Note>
  Some settings (like the academic structure link) may be limited after
  students have enrolled. It's best to finalize these details before sharing
  the entry code.
</Note>

***

## Troubleshooting

<Accordion title="I can't find the Create Course button">
  * Make sure you're on the **Home** tab of the Teacher App - Check that your
    school profile is set up and linked to an active academic session - Make
    sure your school profile is fully set up — see [School
    Profiles](/general/school-profiles)
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Students say the entry code isn't working">
  * Double-check that the course is **published**, not still in draft - Make
    sure students are entering the code exactly as shown (codes are
    case-sensitive) - Verify that the students have the correct **school
    profile** selected
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="I want to duplicate an existing course">
  Lena does not currently support course duplication. You'll need to create a
  new course and re-add your content manually.
</Accordion>

***

## Related guides

* [Course Settings](/teachers/course-settings) — configure grade weights,
  student groups, and collaborators
* [Managing Study Materials](/teachers/study-materials) — start uploading
  content to your course
* [Creating Assignments](/teachers/creating-assignments) — create your first
  assignment
* [Joining a Course (Student View)](/students/joining-a-course) — see what
  students experience when they join